diff --git a/calmwm.h b/calmwm.h
index bedfde0..d65b437 100644
--- a/calmwm.h
+++ b/calmwm.h
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ struct client_ctx	*client_current(void);
 void			 client_cycle(struct screen_ctx *, int);
 void			 client_cycle_leave(struct screen_ctx *,
 			     struct client_ctx *);
-void			 client_delete(struct client_ctx *, int);
+void			 client_delete(struct client_ctx *);
 void			 client_draw_border(struct client_ctx *);
 struct client_ctx	*client_find(Window);
 void			 client_freeze(struct client_ctx *);
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 1c559d4..173c0f5 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -149,20 +149,11 @@ client_init(Window win, struct screen_ctx *sc, int mapped)
 }
 
 void
-client_delete(struct client_ctx *cc, int destroy)
+client_delete(struct client_ctx *cc)
 {
 	struct screen_ctx	*sc = cc->sc;
 	struct winname		*wn;
 
-	if (destroy) {
-		XGrabServer(X_Dpy);
-		cc->state = WithdrawnState;
-		xu_set_wm_state(cc->win, cc->state);
-		XRemoveFromSaveSet(X_Dpy, cc->win);
-		XSync(X_Dpy, False);
-		XUngrabServer(X_Dpy);
-	}
-
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&sc->mruq, cc, mru_entry);
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&Clientq, cc, entry);
 
diff --git a/xevents.c b/xevents.c
index e6247ab..8c07f39 100644
--- a/xevents.c
+++ b/xevents.c
@@ -97,27 +97,15 @@ static void
 xev_handle_unmapnotify(XEvent *ee)
 {
 	XUnmapEvent		*e = &ee->xunmap;
-	XEvent			ev;
 	struct client_ctx	*cc;
 
-	/* XXX, we need a recursive locking wrapper around grab server */
-	XGrabServer(X_Dpy);
 	if ((cc = client_find(e->window)) != NULL) {
-		/*
-		 * If it's going to die anyway, nuke it.
-		 *
-		 * Else, if it's a synthetic event delete state, since they
-		 * want it to be withdrawn. ICCM recommends you withdraw on
-		 * this even if we haven't alredy been told to iconify, to
-		 * deal with legacy clients.
-		 */
-		if (XCheckTypedWindowEvent(X_Dpy, cc->win,
-		    DestroyNotify, &ev) || e->send_event != 0) {
-			client_delete(cc, 1);
+		if (e->send_event) {
+			cc->state = WithdrawnState;
+			xu_set_wm_state(cc->win, cc->state);
 		} else
 			client_hide(cc);
 	}
-	XUngrabServer(X_Dpy);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -127,7 +115,7 @@ xev_handle_destroynotify(XEvent *ee)
 	struct client_ctx	*cc;
 
 	if ((cc = client_find(e->window)) != NULL)
-		client_delete(cc, 0);
+		client_delete(cc);
 }
 
 static void