diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
index 0ebf3a439..494a77b06 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor-private.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ struct _MetaCompositor
 {
   MetaDisplay    *display;
 
-  Atom            atom_x_root_pixmap;
   Atom            atom_net_wm_window_opacity;
   guint           repaint_func_id;
 
diff --git a/src/compositor/compositor.c b/src/compositor/compositor.c
index daddf7724..9e363828d 100644
--- a/src/compositor/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/compositor.c
@@ -1509,7 +1509,6 @@ MetaCompositor *
 meta_compositor_new (MetaDisplay *display)
 {
   char *atom_names[] = {
-    "_XROOTPMAP_ID",
     "_NET_WM_WINDOW_OPACITY",
   };
   Atom                   atoms[G_N_ELEMENTS(atom_names)];
@@ -1535,8 +1534,7 @@ meta_compositor_new (MetaDisplay *display)
                     G_CALLBACK (on_shadow_factory_changed),
                     compositor);
 
-  compositor->atom_x_root_pixmap = atoms[0];
-  compositor->atom_net_wm_window_opacity = atoms[1];
+  compositor->atom_net_wm_window_opacity = atoms[0];
 
   compositor->repaint_func_id = clutter_threads_add_repaint_func (meta_repaint_func,
                                                                   compositor,