diff --git a/src/bin/Makefile.am b/src/bin/Makefile.am
index 762daea83..28294f43d 100644
--- a/src/bin/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/bin/Makefile.am
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ e_module.h \
 e_module.c \
 e_apps.h \
 e_apps.c \
+e_atoms.h \
+e_atoms.c \
 e_utils.h \
 e_utils.c \
 e_canvas.h \
diff --git a/src/bin/e.h b/src/bin/e.h
index 196f9070f..6c9dbbdcd 100644
--- a/src/bin/e.h
+++ b/src/bin/e.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 #include "e_int_menus.h"
 #include "e_module.h"
 #include "e_apps.h"
+#include "e_atoms.h"
 #include "e_utils.h"
 #include "e_canvas.h"
 #include "e_focus.h"
diff --git a/src/bin/e_atoms.c b/src/bin/e_atoms.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fbdcf6490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_atoms.c
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include "e.h"
+
+/* atom globals */
+int _e_atom_wm_name = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_class = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_hints = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_size_hints = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_protocols = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_icon_name = 0;
+int _e_atom_wm_client_machine = 0;
+int _e_atom_motif_wm_hints = 0;
+int _e_atom_netwm_pid = 0;
+int _e_atom_netwm_desktop = 0;
+
+/* externally accessible functions */
+int
+e_atoms_init(void)
+{
+   _e_atom_wm_name = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_NAME");
+   _e_atom_wm_class = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_CLASS");
+   _e_atom_wm_hints = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_HINTS");
+   _e_atom_wm_size_hints = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_SIZE_HINTS");
+   _e_atom_wm_protocols = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_PROTOCOLS");
+   _e_atom_wm_icon_name = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_ICON_NAME");
+   _e_atom_wm_client_machine = ecore_x_atom_get("WM_CLIENT_MACHINE");
+   _e_atom_motif_wm_hints = ecore_x_atom_get("_MOTIF_WM_HINTS");
+   _e_atom_netwm_pid = ecore_x_atom_get("_NET_WM_PID");
+   _e_atom_netwm_desktop = ecore_x_atom_get("_NET_WM_DESKTOP");
+   return 1;
+}
+
+int
+e_atoms_shutdown(void)
+{
+   /* Nothing really to do here yet, just present for consistency right now */
+   return 1;
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/e_atoms.h b/src/bin/e_atoms.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4b3bb79e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/e_atoms.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef E_ATOMS_H
+#define E_ATOMS_H
+
+/* atom globals */
+extern int _e_atom_wm_name;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_class;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_hints;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_size_hints;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_protocols;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_icon_name;
+extern int _e_atom_wm_client_machine;
+extern int _e_atom_motif_wm_hints;
+extern int _e_atom_netwm_pid;
+extern int _e_atom_netwm_desktop;
+
+EAPI int    e_atoms_init(void);
+EAPI int    e_atoms_shutdown(void);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/bin/e_border.c b/src/bin/e_border.c
index 98916e0e1..f8f905041 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_border.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_border.c
@@ -640,24 +640,62 @@ _e_border_cb_window_property(void *data, int ev_type, void *ev)
    if (!bd) return 1;
      {
 	char *name;
-	
+
 	name = XGetAtomName(ecore_x_display_get(), e->atom);
 	printf("property for %0x [%s]\n", e->win, name);
 	XFree(name);
      }
-   /* FIXME: only flag the property to fetch based on the atom of the change */
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.title = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.name_class = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.icon_name = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.machine = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.hints = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.size_pos_hints = 1;
-   bd->client.icccm.fetch.protocol = 1;
-   bd->client.mwm.fetch.hints = 1;
-   bd->client.netwm.fetch.pid = 1;
-   bd->client.netwm.fetch.desktop = 1;
+   if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_name)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.title = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_class)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.name_class = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_icon_name)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.icon_name = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_client_machine)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.machine = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_protocols)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.protocol = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_hints)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.hints = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_size_hints)
+     {
+	bd->client.icccm.fetch.size_pos_hints = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_wm_hints)
+     {
+	bd->client.mwm.fetch.hints = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_netwm_pid)
+     {
+	bd->client.netwm.fetch.pid = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
+   else if (e->atom == _e_atom_netwm_desktop)
+     {
+	bd->client.netwm.fetch.desktop = 1;
+	bd->changed = 1;
+     }
 //   bd->client.border.changed = 1;
-   bd->changed = 1;
    return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/e_main.c b/src/bin/e_main.c
index 3eac9bddc..d6f39bfa1 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_main.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_main.c
@@ -181,6 +181,13 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	_e_main_shutdown(-1);
      }
    _e_main_shutdown_push(_e_main_screens_shutdown);
+   /* init global atoms */
+   if (!e_atoms_init())
+     {
+	e_error_message_show("Enlightenment cannot set up atoms system.");
+	_e_main_shutdown(-1);
+     }
+   _e_main_shutdown_push(e_atoms_shutdown);
    /* init border system */
    if (!e_focus_init())
      {