diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index 8668d6d0..2fb16386 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -7845,13 +7845,16 @@ void clean_up(void *memtofree1, void* memtofree2)
 	}
 #ifdef X11
 	if (x_initialised == YES) {
+		XClearArea(display, window.window, text_start_x - window.border_inner_margin - window.border_outer_margin - window.border_width,
+			text_start_y - window.border_inner_margin - window.border_outer_margin - window.border_width,
+			text_width + window.border_inner_margin * 2 + window.border_outer_margin * 2 + window.border_width * 2,
+			text_height + window.border_inner_margin * 2 + window.border_outer_margin * 2 + window.border_width * 2, 0);
 		destroy_window();
 		free_fonts();
 		if(x11_stuff.region) {
 			XDestroyRegion(x11_stuff.region);
 			x11_stuff.region = NULL;
 		}
-		XClearWindow(display, RootWindow(display, screen));
 		XCloseDisplay(display);
 		display = NULL;
 		if(info.x11.desktop.all_names) {
diff --git a/src/x11.c b/src/x11.c
index a5af2826..28f5e8d2 100644
--- a/src/x11.c
+++ b/src/x11.c
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ void set_transparent_background(Window win)
 		XSetWindowBackground(display, win, background_colour);
 		colour_set = background_colour;
 	}
-	// XClearWindow(display, win); not sure why this was here
 }
 
 void destroy_window(void)
@@ -478,15 +477,6 @@ void init_window(int own_window, int w, int h, int set_trans, int back_colour,
 #endif /* IMLIB2 */
 	XFlush(display);
 
-	/* set_transparent_background(window.window);
-	 * must be done after double buffer stuff? */
-#ifdef OWN_WINDOW
-	/* if (own_window) {
-	   set_transparent_background(window.window);
-	   XClearWindow(display, window.window);
-	   } */
-#endif
-
 	XSelectInput(display, window.window, ExposureMask | PropertyChangeMask
 #ifdef OWN_WINDOW
 			| (own_window ? (StructureNotifyMask |