diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 42b8bba..911518c 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -1595,21 +1595,6 @@ bool
 wid_get_text_prop(session_t *ps, Window wid, Atom prop,
     char ***pstrlst, int *pnstr);
 
-/**
- * Free a <code>winprop_t</code>.
- *
- * @param pprop pointer to the <code>winprop_t</code> to free.
- */
-static inline void
-free_winprop(winprop_t *pprop) {
-  // Empty the whole structure to avoid possible issues
-  if (pprop->ptr) {
-    cxfree(pprop->ptr);
-    pprop->ptr = NULL;
-  }
-  pprop->nitems = 0;
-}
-
 void
 force_repaint(session_t *ps);
 
diff --git a/src/win.c b/src/win.c
index ba436ac..27eaff2 100644
--- a/src/win.c
+++ b/src/win.c
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ win_update_frame_extents(session_t *ps, win *w, Window client) {
     4L, XCB_ATOM_CARDINAL, 32);
 
   if (prop.nitems == 4) {
-    const unsigned long * const extents = prop.c32;
+    const uint32_t * const extents = prop.c32;
     const bool changed = w->frame_extents.left != extents[0] ||
                          w->frame_extents.right != extents[1] ||
                          w->frame_extents.top != extents[2] ||
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 02939d8..9c097af 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -27,28 +27,27 @@
  *    and number of items. A blank one on failure.
  */
 winprop_t
-wid_get_prop_adv(const session_t *ps, Window w, Atom atom, long offset,
-    long length, Atom rtype, int rformat) {
-  Atom type = None;
-  int format = 0;
-  unsigned long nitems = 0, after = 0;
-  unsigned char *data = NULL;
+wid_get_prop_adv(const session_t *ps, xcb_window_t w, xcb_atom_t atom, long offset,
+    long length, xcb_atom_t rtype, int rformat) {
+  xcb_get_property_reply_t *r = xcb_get_property_reply(ps->c,
+    xcb_get_property(ps->c, 0, w, atom, rtype, offset, length), NULL);
 
-  if (Success == XGetWindowProperty(ps->dpy, w, atom, offset, length,
-        False, rtype, &type, &format, &nitems, &after, &data)
-      && nitems && (AnyPropertyType == type || type == rtype)
-      && (!rformat || format == rformat)
-      && (8 == format || 16 == format || 32 == format)) {
-      return (winprop_t) {
-        .ptr = data,
-        .nitems = nitems,
-        .type = type,
-        .format = format,
-      };
+  if (r && xcb_get_property_value_length(r) &&
+      (rtype == XCB_ATOM_ANY || r->type == rtype) &&
+      (!rformat || r->format == rformat) &&
+      (r->format == 8 || r->format == 16 || r->format == 32))
+  {
+    int len = xcb_get_property_value_length(r);
+    return (winprop_t) {
+      .ptr = xcb_get_property_value(r),
+      .nitems = len/(r->format/8),
+      .type = r->type,
+      .format = r->format,
+      .r = r,
+    };
   }
 
-  cxfree(data);
-
+  free(r);
   return (winprop_t) {
     .ptr = NULL,
     .nitems = 0,
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 09b4c75..3e1cde3 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ typedef struct session session_t;
 typedef struct winprop {
   union {
     void *ptr;
-    char *p8;
-    short *p16;
-    long *p32;
-    unsigned long *c32; // 32bit cardinal
+    int8_t *p8;
+    int16_t *p16;
+    int32_t *p32;
+    uint32_t *c32; // 32bit cardinal
   };
   unsigned long nitems;
   xcb_atom_t type;
   int format;
+
+  xcb_get_property_reply_t *r;
 } winprop_t;
 
 #define XCB_SYNCED_VOID(func, c, ...) xcb_request_check(c, func##_checked(c, __VA_ARGS__));
@@ -64,15 +66,15 @@ x_sync(xcb_connection_t *c) {
  *    and number of items. A blank one on failure.
  */
 winprop_t
-wid_get_prop_adv(const session_t *ps, Window w, Atom atom, long offset,
-    long length, Atom rtype, int rformat);
+wid_get_prop_adv(const session_t *ps, xcb_window_t w, xcb_atom_t atom, long offset,
+    long length, xcb_atom_t rtype, int rformat);
 
 /**
  * Wrapper of wid_get_prop_adv().
  */
 static inline winprop_t
-wid_get_prop(const session_t *ps, Window wid, Atom atom, long length,
-    Atom rtype, int rformat) {
+wid_get_prop(const session_t *ps, xcb_window_t wid, xcb_atom_t atom, long length,
+    xcb_atom_t rtype, int rformat) {
   return wid_get_prop_adv(ps, wid, atom, 0L, length, rtype, rformat);
 }
 
@@ -134,3 +136,18 @@ x_print_error(unsigned long serial, uint8_t major, uint8_t minor, uint8_t error_
 
 xcb_pixmap_t
 x_create_pixmap(session_t *ps, uint8_t depth, xcb_drawable_t drawable, uint16_t width, uint16_t height);
+
+/**
+ * Free a <code>winprop_t</code>.
+ *
+ * @param pprop pointer to the <code>winprop_t</code> to free.
+ */
+static inline void
+free_winprop(winprop_t *pprop) {
+  // Empty the whole structure to avoid possible issues
+  if (pprop->r)
+    free(pprop->r);
+  pprop->ptr = NULL;
+  pprop->r = NULL;
+  pprop->nitems = 0;
+}