diff --git a/calmwm.c b/calmwm.c
index c332e55..6dc7cb2 100644
--- a/calmwm.c
+++ b/calmwm.c
@@ -74,10 +74,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	bzero(&Conf, sizeof(Conf));
 	conf_setup(&Conf, conf_file);
 	client_setup();
+	xu_getatoms();
 	x_setup();
 	Starting = 0;
 
 	xev_init();
+
 	XEV_QUICK(NULL, NULL, MapRequest, xev_handle_maprequest, NULL);
 	XEV_QUICK(NULL, NULL, UnmapNotify, xev_handle_unmapnotify, NULL);
 	XEV_QUICK(NULL, NULL, ConfigureRequest,
diff --git a/calmwm.h b/calmwm.h
index 83dadde..95c4e8c 100644
--- a/calmwm.h
+++ b/calmwm.h
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ struct xevent		*xev_new(Window *, Window *, int,
 void			 xev_register(struct xevent *);
 void			 xev_loop(void);
 
+void			 xu_getatoms(void);
 int			 xu_ptr_grab(Window, int, Cursor);
 void			 xu_btn_grab(Window, int, u_int);
 int			 xu_ptr_regrab(int, Cursor);
@@ -506,4 +507,13 @@ extern struct client_ctx_q		 Clientq;
 extern int				 HasXinerama, HasRandr, Randr_ev;
 extern struct conf			 Conf;
 
+#define	WM_STATE			 cwm_atoms[0]
+#define WM_DELETE_WINDOW		 cwm_atoms[1]
+#define WM_TAKE_FOCUS			 cwm_atoms[2]
+#define WM_PROTOCOLS			 cwm_atoms[3]
+#define _MOTIF_WM_HINTS			 cwm_atoms[4]
+#define CWM_NO_ATOMS			 5
+
+extern Atom				 cwm_atoms[CWM_NO_ATOMS];
+
 #endif /* _CALMWM_H_ */
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index ab3bd3d..6495d01 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -426,23 +426,18 @@ client_draw_border(struct client_ctx *cc)
 void
 client_update(struct client_ctx *cc)
 {
-	Atom	*p, wm_delete, wm_protocols, wm_take_focus;
+	Atom	*p; 
 	int	 i;
 	long	 n;
 
-	/* XXX cache these. */
-	wm_delete = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
-	wm_protocols = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
-	wm_take_focus = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_TAKE_FOCUS", False);
-
-	if ((n = xu_getprop(cc, wm_protocols,
+	if ((n = xu_getprop(cc, WM_PROTOCOLS,
 		 XA_ATOM, 20L, (u_char **)&p)) <= 0)
 		return;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
-		if (p[i] == wm_delete)
+		if (p[i] == WM_DELETE_WINDOW)
 			cc->xproto |= CLIENT_PROTO_DELETE;
-		else if (p[i] == wm_take_focus)
+		else if (p[i] == WM_TAKE_FOCUS)
 			cc->xproto |= CLIENT_PROTO_TAKEFOCUS;
 
 	XFree(p);
@@ -451,14 +446,9 @@ client_update(struct client_ctx *cc)
 void
 client_send_delete(struct client_ctx *cc)
 {
-	Atom	 wm_delete, wm_protocols;
-
-	/* XXX - cache */
-	wm_delete = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);
-	wm_protocols = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
 
 	if (cc->xproto & CLIENT_PROTO_DELETE)
-		xu_sendmsg(cc, wm_protocols, wm_delete);
+		xu_sendmsg(cc, WM_PROTOCOLS, WM_DELETE_WINDOW);
 	else
 		XKillClient(X_Dpy, cc->win);
 }
@@ -665,7 +655,6 @@ client_gethints(struct client_ctx *cc)
 	XClassHint		 xch;
 	int			 argc;
 	char			**argv;
-	Atom			 mha;
 	struct mwm_hints	*mwmh;
 
 	if (XGetClassHint(X_Dpy, cc->win, &xch)) {
@@ -675,9 +664,8 @@ client_gethints(struct client_ctx *cc)
 			cc->app_class = xch.res_class;
 	}
 
-	mha = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "_MOTIF_WM_HINTS", False);
-	if (xu_getprop(cc, mha, mha, PROP_MWM_HINTS_ELEMENTS,
-	    (u_char **)&mwmh) == MWM_NUMHINTS)
+	if (xu_getprop(cc, _MOTIF_WM_HINTS, _MOTIF_WM_HINTS,
+	    PROP_MWM_HINTS_ELEMENTS, (u_char **)&mwmh) == MWM_NUMHINTS)
 		if (mwmh->flags & MWM_HINTS_DECORATIONS &&
 		    !(mwmh->decorations & MWM_DECOR_ALL) &&
 		    !(mwmh->decorations & MWM_DECOR_BORDER))
diff --git a/xutil.c b/xutil.c
index 11cde2f..6db1847 100644
--- a/xutil.c
+++ b/xutil.c
@@ -145,12 +145,9 @@ xu_getprop(struct client_ctx *cc, Atom atm, Atom type, long len, u_char **p)
 int
 xu_getstate(struct client_ctx *cc, int *state)
 {
-	Atom	 wm_state;
 	long	*p = NULL;
 
-	wm_state = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_STATE", False);
-
-	if (xu_getprop(cc, wm_state, wm_state, 2L, (u_char **)&p) <= 0)
+	if (xu_getprop(cc, WM_STATE, WM_STATE, 2L, (u_char **)&p) <= 0)
 		return (-1);
 
 	*state = (int)*p;
@@ -162,16 +159,23 @@ xu_getstate(struct client_ctx *cc, int *state)
 void
 xu_setstate(struct client_ctx *cc, int state)
 {
-	Atom	 wm_state;
 	long	 dat[2];
 
-	/* XXX cache */
-	wm_state = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_STATE", False);
-
 	dat[0] = (long)state;
 	dat[1] = (long)None;
 
 	cc->state = state;
-	XChangeProperty(X_Dpy, cc->win, wm_state, wm_state, 32,
+	XChangeProperty(X_Dpy, cc->win, WM_STATE, WM_STATE, 32,
 	    PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *)dat, 2);
 }
+
+Atom		cwm_atoms[CWM_NO_ATOMS];
+
+void
+xu_getatoms(void)
+{
+	WM_STATE = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_STATE", False);	
+	WM_DELETE_WINDOW = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_DELETE_WINDOW", False);	
+	WM_TAKE_FOCUS = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_TAKE_FOCUS", False);
+	WM_PROTOCOLS = XInternAtom(X_Dpy, "WM_PROTOCOLS", False);
+}