diff --git a/src/bin/e_border.c b/src/bin/e_border.c
index 16c3f433e..359b363c0 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_border.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_border.c
@@ -425,9 +425,9 @@ e_border_new(E_Container *con, Ecore_X_Window win, int first_map, int internal)
 		  else if (atoms[i] == _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS)
 		    bd->client.qtopia.fetch.soft_menus = 1;
 		  /* loop to check for vkbd atoms */
-		  else if (atoms[i] == _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE)
+		  else if (atoms[i] == ECORE_X_ATOM_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE)
 		    bd->client.vkbd.fetch.state = 1;
-		  else if (atoms[i] == _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD)
+		  else if (atoms[i] == ECORE_X_ATOM_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD)
 		    bd->client.vkbd.fetch.vkbd = 1;
 	       }
 	     free(atoms);
@@ -3999,12 +3999,12 @@ _e_border_cb_window_property(void *data, int ev_type, void *ev)
 	bd->client.qtopia.fetch.soft_menus = 1;
 	bd->changed = 1;
      }
-   else if (e->atom == _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE)
+   else if (e->atom == ECORE_X_ATOM_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE)
      {
 	bd->client.vkbd.fetch.state = 1;
 	bd->changed = 1;
      }
-   else if (e->atom == _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD)
+   else if (e->atom == ECORE_X_ATOM_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD)
      {
 	bd->client.vkbd.fetch.vkbd = 1;
 	bd->changed = 1;
diff --git a/src/bin/e_border.h b/src/bin/e_border.h
index 936dc7e76..29fc9abf1 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_border.h
+++ b/src/bin/e_border.h
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ struct _E_Border
 	    unsigned char state : 1;
 	    unsigned char vkbd : 1;
 	 } fetch;
-	 Ecore_X_Atom state;
+	 Ecore_X_Virtual_Keyboard_State state;
 	 unsigned char vkbd : 1;
       } vkbd;
 
diff --git a/src/bin/e_hints.c b/src/bin/e_hints.c
index 42f395e8e..61fde307b 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_hints.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_hints.c
@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@
 
 EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU = 0;
 EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_OFF = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ON = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ALPHA = 0;
-EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_NUMERIC = 0;
 
 static Ecore_X_Atom gnome_atom = 0;
 static Ecore_X_Atom enlightenment_comms = 0;
@@ -27,27 +21,15 @@ e_hints_init(void)
 	"GNOME_SM_PROXY",
 	"ENLIGHTENMENT_COMMS",
 	"ENLIGHTENMENT_VERSION",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_OFF",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ON",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ALPHA",
-	"_E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_NUMERIC"
    };
-   Ecore_X_Atom atoms[11];
+   Ecore_X_Atom atoms[5];
    
-   ecore_x_atoms_get(atom_names, 11, atoms);
+   ecore_x_atoms_get(atom_names, 5, atoms);
    _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU = atoms[0];
    _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS = atoms[1];
    gnome_atom = atoms[2];
    enlightenment_comms = atoms[3];
    enlightenment_version = atoms[4];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD = atoms[5];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE = atoms[6];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_OFF = atoms[7];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ON = atoms[8];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ALPHA = atoms[9];
-   _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_NUMERIC = atoms[10];
    
    roots = ecore_x_window_root_list(&num);
    if (roots)
@@ -1406,20 +1388,13 @@ e_hints_window_qtopia_soft_menus_get(E_Border *bd)
 EAPI void
 e_hints_window_virtual_keyboard_state_get(E_Border *bd)
 {
-   if (!ecore_x_window_prop_atom_get(bd->client.win, _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE,
-				     &(bd->client.vkbd.state), 1))
-     bd->client.vkbd.state = 0;
+   bd->client.vkbd.state = ecore_x_e_virtual_keyboard_state_get(bd->client.win);
 }
 
 EAPI void
 e_hints_window_virtual_keyboard_get(E_Border *bd)
 {
-   unsigned int val;
-   
-   if (ecore_x_window_prop_card32_get(bd->client.win, _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD, &val, 1))
-     bd->client.vkbd.vkbd = val;
-   else
-     bd->client.vkbd.vkbd = 0;
+   bd->client.vkbd.vkbd = ecore_x_e_virtual_keyboard_get(bd->client.win);
 }
 
 EAPI void
diff --git a/src/bin/e_hints.h b/src/bin/e_hints.h
index befc3ea7d..ad7c276a4 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_hints.h
+++ b/src/bin/e_hints.h
@@ -56,12 +56,6 @@ EAPI void e_hints_openoffice_kde_fake(Ecore_X_Window root);
 
 extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU;
 extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_STATE;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_OFF;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ON;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_ALPHA;
-extern EAPI Ecore_X_Atom _E_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD_NUMERIC;
 
 #endif
 #endif