diff --git a/src/bin/e_atoms.c b/src/bin/e_atoms.c
index cf28a16b0..72207d22d 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_atoms.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_atoms.c
@@ -19,17 +19,31 @@ EAPI Ecore_X_Atom E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE_CENTERED = 0;
 EAPI int
 e_atoms_init(void)
 {
-   E_ATOM_MANAGED = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_MANAGED");
-   E_ATOM_CONTAINER = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_CONTAINER");
-   E_ATOM_ZONE = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_ZONE");
-   E_ATOM_DESK = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_DESK");
-   E_ATOM_MAPPED = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_MAPPED");
-   E_ATOM_SHADE_DIRECTION = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_SHADE_DIRECTION");
-   E_ATOM_HIDDEN = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_HIDDEN");
-   E_ATOM_BORDER_SIZE = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_WINDOW_BORDER_SIZE");
-   E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE");
-   E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE_CENTERED = ecore_x_atom_get("__E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE_CENTERED");
-
+   const char *atom_names[] = {
+      "__E_WINDOW_MANAGED",
+	"__E_WINDOW_CONTAINER",
+	"__E_WINDOW_ZONE",
+	"__E_WINDOW_DESK",
+	"__E_WINDOW_MAPPED",
+	"__E_WINDOW_SHADE_DIRECTION",
+	"__E_WINDOW_HIDDEN",
+	"__E_WINDOW_BORDER_SIZE",
+	"__E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE",
+	"__E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE_CENTERED"
+   };
+   Ecore_X_Atom atoms[10];
+   
+   ecore_x_atoms_get(atom_names, 10, atoms);
+   E_ATOM_MANAGED = atoms[0];
+   E_ATOM_CONTAINER = atoms[1];
+   E_ATOM_ZONE = atoms[2];
+   E_ATOM_DESK = atoms[3];
+   E_ATOM_MAPPED = atoms[4];
+   E_ATOM_SHADE_DIRECTION = atoms[5];
+   E_ATOM_HIDDEN = atoms[6];
+   E_ATOM_BORDER_SIZE = atoms[7];
+   E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE = atoms[8];
+   E_ATOM_WINDOW_STATE_CENTERED = atoms[9];
    return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/e_hints.c b/src/bin/e_hints.c
index 8bad08ad9..5499b44e4 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_hints.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_hints.c
@@ -6,14 +6,31 @@
 Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU = 0;
 Ecore_X_Atom _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS = 0;
 
+static Ecore_X_Atom gnome_atom = 0;
+static Ecore_X_Atom enlightenment_comms = 0;
+static Ecore_X_Atom enlightenment_version = 0;
+
 EAPI void
 e_hints_init(void)
 {
    Ecore_X_Window *roots = NULL;
    int num;
-
-   _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU = ecore_x_atom_get("_QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU");
-   _QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS = ecore_x_atom_get("_QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS");
+   const char *atom_names[] = {
+      "_QTOPIA_SOFT_MENU",
+	"_QTOPIA_SOFT_MENUS",
+	"GNOME_SM_PROXY",
+	"ENLIGHTENMENT_COMMS",
+	"ENLIGHTENMENT_VERSION"
+   };
+   Ecore_X_Atom atoms[5];
+   
+   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];
+   
    roots = ecore_x_window_root_list(&num);
    if (roots)
      {
@@ -173,24 +190,19 @@ EAPI void
 e_hints_e16_comms_pretend(E_Manager *man)
 {
    Ecore_X_Window win;
-   Ecore_X_Atom enlightenment_comms, enlightenment_version, string;
    char buf[256];
    
-   enlightenment_comms = ecore_x_atom_get("ENLIGHTENMENT_COMMS");
-   enlightenment_version = ecore_x_atom_get("ENLIGHTENMENT_VERSION");
-   string = ecore_x_atom_get("STRING");
-   
    win = ecore_x_window_input_new(man->root, -100, -100, 1, 1);
 
    /* to help detect this is NOT e16 */
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Enlightenment %s", VERSION);
-   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(win, enlightenment_version, string, 8, buf, strlen(buf));
-   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(man->root, enlightenment_version, string, 8, buf, strlen(buf));
+   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(win, enlightenment_version, ECORE_X_ATOM_STRING, 8, buf, strlen(buf));
+   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(man->root, enlightenment_version, ECORE_X_ATOM_STRING, 8, buf, strlen(buf));
    
    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "WINID %8x", (int)win);
-   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(win, enlightenment_comms, string, 8, buf, 14);
+   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(win, enlightenment_comms, ECORE_X_ATOM_STRING, 8, buf, 14);
    
-   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(man->root, enlightenment_comms, string, 8, buf, 14);
+   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(man->root, enlightenment_comms, ECORE_X_ATOM_STRING, 8, buf, 14);
 }
 
 EAPI void
@@ -1370,12 +1382,9 @@ e_hints_window_qtopia_soft_menus_get(E_Border *bd)
 EAPI void
 e_hints_openoffice_gnome_fake(Ecore_X_Window root)
 {
-   Ecore_X_Atom gnome_atom, string_atom;
    const char *string = "GNOME_SM_PROXY";
    
-   gnome_atom = ecore_x_atom_get("GNOME_SM_PROXY");
-   string_atom = ecore_x_atom_get("STRING");
-   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(root, gnome_atom, string_atom, 
+   ecore_x_window_prop_property_set(root, gnome_atom, ECORE_X_ATOM_STRING, 
 				    8, (void *)string, strlen(string));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/e_manager.c b/src/bin/e_manager.c
index 999fb6f28..f344b9c31 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_manager.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_manager.c
@@ -163,15 +163,23 @@ e_manager_manage_windows(E_Manager *man)
    if (windows)
      {
 	int i;
+	const char *atom_names[] =
+	  {
+	     "_XEMBED_INFO",
+	       "_KDE_NET_WM_SYSTEM_TRAY_WINDOW_FOR",
+	       "KWM_DOCKWINDOW"
+	  };
+	Ecore_X_Atom atoms[3];
         Ecore_X_Atom atom_xmbed, atom_kde_netwm_systray, atom_kwm_dockwindow,
 	  atom_window;
 	unsigned char *data = NULL;
 	int count;
 	
-	atom_window = ecore_x_atom_get("WINDOW");
-	atom_xmbed = ecore_x_atom_get("_XEMBED_INFO");
-	atom_kde_netwm_systray = ecore_x_atom_get("_KDE_NET_WM_SYSTEM_TRAY_WINDOW_FOR");
-	atom_kwm_dockwindow = ecore_x_atom_get("KWM_DOCKWINDOW");
+	atom_window = ECORE_X_ATOM_WINDOW;
+	ecore_x_atoms_get(atom_names, 3, atoms);
+	atom_xmbed = atoms[0];
+	atom_kde_netwm_systray = atoms[1];
+	atom_kwm_dockwindow = atoms[2];
 	for (i = 0; i < wnum; i++)
 	  {
 	     Ecore_X_Window_Attributes att;