diff --git a/src/render.c b/src/render.c
index 04e3913..09870a3 100644
--- a/src/render.c
+++ b/src/render.c
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ void paint_all(session_t *ps, win *const t, bool ignore_damage) {
 
 			// First we create a new picture, and copy content from the buffer
 			// to it
-			xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt =
+			auto pictfmt =
 			    x_get_pictform_for_visual(ps->c, ps->vis);
 			xcb_render_picture_t new_pict = x_create_picture_with_pictfmt(
 			    ps, ps->root_width, ps->root_height, pictfmt, 0, NULL);
diff --git a/src/win.h b/src/win.h
index a2841e2..4ed2491 100644
--- a/src/win.h
+++ b/src/win.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ struct win {
   int xinerama_scr;
 #endif
   /// Window visual pict format;
-  xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt;
+  const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt;
   /// Window painting mode.
   winmode_t mode;
   /// Whether the window has been damaged at least once.
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 36f56ba..bdb48d6 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ static inline void x_get_server_pictfmts(xcb_connection_t *c) {
   }
 }
 
-xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *x_get_pictform_for_visual(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_visualid_t visual) {
+const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *
+x_get_pictform_for_visual(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_visualid_t visual) {
   x_get_server_pictfmts(c);
 
   xcb_render_pictvisual_t *pv = xcb_render_util_find_visual_format(g_pictfmts, visual);
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ int x_get_visual_depth(xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_visualid_t visual) {
 
 xcb_render_picture_t
 x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(
-  xcb_connection_t *c, xcb_render_pictforminfo_t * pictfmt,
+  xcb_connection_t *c, const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t * pictfmt,
   xcb_pixmap_t pixmap, unsigned long valuemask,
   const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr)
 {
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_visual_and_pixmap(
   xcb_pixmap_t pixmap, unsigned long valuemask,
   const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr)
 {
-  xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt = x_get_pictform_for_visual(c, visual);
+  const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt = x_get_pictform_for_visual(c, visual);
   return x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(c, pictfmt, pixmap, valuemask, attr);
 }
 
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_standard_and_pixmap(
 {
   x_get_server_pictfmts(c);
 
-  xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt =
+  auto pictfmt =
     xcb_render_util_find_standard_format(g_pictfmts, standard);
   assert(pictfmt);
   return x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(c, pictfmt, pixmap, valuemask, attr);
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_standard_and_pixmap(
  */
 xcb_render_picture_t
 x_create_picture_with_pictfmt(session_t *ps, int wid, int hei,
-  xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt, unsigned long valuemask,
+  const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt, unsigned long valuemask,
   const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr)
 {
   if (!pictfmt)
@@ -245,7 +246,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_visual(session_t *ps, int w, int h,
   xcb_visualid_t visual, unsigned long valuemask,
   const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr)
 {
-  xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt = x_get_pictform_for_visual(ps->c, visual);
+  auto pictfmt = x_get_pictform_for_visual(ps->c, visual);
   return x_create_picture_with_pictfmt(ps, w, h, pictfmt, valuemask, attr);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 4210204..8269e3f 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ xcb_window_t wid_get_prop_window(session_t *ps, xcb_window_t wid, xcb_atom_t apr
  */
 bool wid_get_text_prop(session_t *ps, xcb_window_t wid, xcb_atom_t prop, char ***pstrlst, int *pnstr);
 
-xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *x_get_pictform_for_visual(xcb_connection_t *, xcb_visualid_t);
+const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *x_get_pictform_for_visual(xcb_connection_t *, xcb_visualid_t);
 int x_get_visual_depth(xcb_connection_t *, xcb_visualid_t);
 
 xcb_render_picture_t
-x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(xcb_connection_t *, xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt,
+x_create_picture_with_pictfmt_and_pixmap(xcb_connection_t *, const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt,
                                          xcb_pixmap_t pixmap, unsigned long valuemask,
                                          const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr)
     attr_nonnull(1, 2);
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ x_create_picture_with_standard_and_pixmap(xcb_connection_t *, xcb_pict_standard_
  */
 xcb_render_picture_t
 x_create_picture_with_pictfmt(session_t *ps, int wid, int hei,
-                              xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt, unsigned long valuemask,
+                              const xcb_render_pictforminfo_t *pictfmt, unsigned long valuemask,
                               const xcb_render_create_picture_value_list_t *attr);
 
 xcb_render_picture_t