diff --git a/src/core/display.c b/src/core/display.c
index 862e3014a..46a12c32d 100644
--- a/src/core/display.c
+++ b/src/core/display.c
@@ -920,11 +920,10 @@ meta_display_open (void)
   display->compositor = NULL;
 
   /* Mutter used to manage all X screens of the display in a single process, but
-   * now it always manages exactly one screen as specified by the DISPLAY
-   * environment variable.
+   * now it always manages exactly one screen - the default screen retrieved
+   * from GDK.
    */
-  i = meta_ui_get_screen_number ();
-  screen = meta_screen_new (display, i, timestamp);
+  screen = meta_screen_new (display, timestamp);
 
   if (!screen)
     {
@@ -2640,7 +2639,7 @@ meta_display_unmanage_screen (MetaDisplay *display,
                               guint32      timestamp)
 {
   meta_verbose ("Unmanaging screen %d on display %s\n",
-                screen->number, display->name);
+                meta_ui_get_screen_number (), display->name);
   meta_display_close (display, timestamp);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/frame.c b/src/core/frame.c
index 9335fb629..47174f24d 100644
--- a/src/core/frame.c
+++ b/src/core/frame.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ meta_window_ensure_frame (MetaWindow *window)
                                           frame->rect.y,
                                           frame->rect.width,
                                           frame->rect.height,
-                                          frame->window->screen->number,
                                           &create_serial);
   frame->xwindow = frame->ui_frame->xwindow;
 
diff --git a/src/core/place.c b/src/core/place.c
index 56befbd90..fb2631eae 100644
--- a/src/core/place.c
+++ b/src/core/place.c
@@ -756,8 +756,8 @@ meta_window_place (MetaWindow        *window,
       x += xi->rect.x;
       y += xi->rect.y;
 
-      meta_topic (META_DEBUG_PLACEMENT, "Centered window %s on screen %d monitor %d\n",
-                  window->desc, window->screen->number, xi->number);
+      meta_topic (META_DEBUG_PLACEMENT, "Centered window %s on monitor %d\n",
+                  window->desc, xi->number);
 
       goto done_check_denied_focus;
     }
diff --git a/src/core/screen-private.h b/src/core/screen-private.h
index d0fc318a4..d3667d628 100644
--- a/src/core/screen-private.h
+++ b/src/core/screen-private.h
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ struct _MetaScreen
   GObject parent_instance;
 
   MetaDisplay *display;
-  int number;
   char *screen_name;
-  Screen *xscreen;
   Window xroot;
   int default_depth;
   Visual *default_xvisual;
@@ -119,7 +117,6 @@ struct _MetaScreenClass
 };
 
 MetaScreen*   meta_screen_new                 (MetaDisplay                *display,
-                                               int                         number,
                                                guint32                     timestamp);
 void          meta_screen_free                (MetaScreen                 *screen,
                                                guint32                     timestamp);
diff --git a/src/core/screen.c b/src/core/screen.c
index 0e056b3ae..4fbf22456 100644
--- a/src/core/screen.c
+++ b/src/core/screen.c
@@ -569,10 +569,11 @@ take_manager_selection (MetaDisplay *display,
 
 MetaScreen*
 meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
-                 int          number,
                  guint32      timestamp)
 {
   MetaScreen *screen;
+  int number;
+  Screen *xscreen;
   Window xroot;
   Display *xdisplay;
   Window new_wm_sn_owner;
@@ -583,6 +584,8 @@ meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
 
   replace_current_wm = meta_get_replace_current_wm ();
 
+  number = meta_ui_get_screen_number ();
+
   /* Only display->name, display->xdisplay, and display->error_traps
    * can really be used in this function, since normally screens are
    * created from the MetaDisplay constructor
@@ -642,9 +645,7 @@ meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
   screen->closing = 0;
 
   screen->display = display;
-  screen->number = number;
   screen->screen_name = get_screen_name (display, number);
-  screen->xscreen = ScreenOfDisplay (xdisplay, number);
   screen->xroot = xroot;
   screen->rect.x = screen->rect.y = 0;
 
@@ -655,10 +656,10 @@ meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
   meta_monitor_manager_get_screen_size (manager,
                                         &screen->rect.width,
                                         &screen->rect.height);
-
+  xscreen = ScreenOfDisplay (xdisplay, number);
   screen->current_cursor = -1; /* invalid/unset */
-  screen->default_xvisual = DefaultVisualOfScreen (screen->xscreen);
-  screen->default_depth = DefaultDepthOfScreen (screen->xscreen);
+  screen->default_xvisual = DefaultVisualOfScreen (xscreen);
+  screen->default_depth = DefaultDepthOfScreen (xscreen);
 
   screen->wm_sn_selection_window = new_wm_sn_owner;
   screen->wm_sn_atom = wm_sn_atom;
@@ -715,8 +716,7 @@ meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
   screen->keys_grabbed = FALSE;
   meta_screen_grab_keys (screen);
 
-  screen->ui = meta_ui_new (screen->display->xdisplay,
-                            screen->xscreen);
+  screen->ui = meta_ui_new (screen->display->xdisplay);
 
   screen->tile_preview_timeout_id = 0;
 
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ meta_screen_new (MetaDisplay *display,
   meta_prefs_add_listener (prefs_changed_callback, screen);
 
   meta_verbose ("Added screen %d ('%s') root 0x%lx\n",
-                screen->number, screen->screen_name, screen->xroot);
+                number, screen->screen_name, screen->xroot);
 
   return screen;
 }
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ meta_screen_free (MetaScreen *screen,
   XSelectInput (screen->display->xdisplay, screen->xroot, 0);
   if (meta_error_trap_pop_with_return (screen->display) != Success)
     meta_warning ("Could not release screen %d on display \"%s\"\n",
-                  screen->number, screen->display->name);
+                  meta_ui_get_screen_number (), screen->display->name);
 
   unset_wm_check_hint (screen);
 
@@ -1956,8 +1956,7 @@ meta_screen_update_workspace_names (MetaScreen *screen)
                                 screen->display->atom__NET_DESKTOP_NAMES,
                                 &names, &n_names))
     {
-      meta_verbose ("Failed to get workspace names from root window %d\n",
-                    screen->number);
+      meta_verbose ("Failed to get workspace names from root window\n");
       return;
     }
 
@@ -2656,7 +2655,7 @@ meta_screen_apply_startup_properties (MetaScreen *screen,
 int
 meta_screen_get_screen_number (MetaScreen *screen)
 {
-  return screen->number;
+  return meta_ui_get_screen_number ();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2712,7 +2711,8 @@ meta_screen_set_cm_selection (MetaScreen *screen)
   guint32 timestamp;
 
   timestamp = meta_display_get_current_time_roundtrip (screen->display);
-  g_snprintf (selection, sizeof (selection), "_NET_WM_CM_S%d", screen->number);
+  g_snprintf (selection, sizeof (selection), "_NET_WM_CM_S%d",
+              meta_ui_get_screen_number ());
   a = XInternAtom (screen->display->xdisplay, selection, False);
   screen->wm_cm_selection_window = take_manager_selection (screen->display, screen->xroot, a, timestamp, TRUE);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/stack-tracker.c b/src/core/stack-tracker.c
index ebb590302..a76b42cbf 100644
--- a/src/core/stack-tracker.c
+++ b/src/core/stack-tracker.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ meta_stack_tracker_dump (MetaStackTracker *tracker)
 {
   GList *l;
 
-  meta_topic (META_DEBUG_STACK, "MetaStackTracker state (screen=%d)\n", tracker->screen->number);
+  meta_topic (META_DEBUG_STACK, "MetaStackTracker state\n");
   meta_push_no_msg_prefix ();
   meta_topic (META_DEBUG_STACK, "  xserver_serial: %ld\n", tracker->xserver_serial);
   meta_topic (META_DEBUG_STACK, "  verified_stack: ");
diff --git a/src/core/startup-notification.c b/src/core/startup-notification.c
index df317f65d..30dfccc76 100644
--- a/src/core/startup-notification.c
+++ b/src/core/startup-notification.c
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ meta_startup_notification_constructed (GObject *object)
                                    sn_error_trap_pop);
   sn->sn_context =
     sn_monitor_context_new (sn->sn_display,
-                            sn->display->screen->number,
+                            meta_ui_get_screen_number (),
                             meta_startup_notification_sn_event,
                             sn,
                             NULL);
diff --git a/src/ui/frames.c b/src/ui/frames.c
index 0cb9e1408..6abe52ef6 100644
--- a/src/ui/frames.c
+++ b/src/ui/frames.c
@@ -421,16 +421,11 @@ meta_ui_frame_calc_geometry (MetaUIFrame       *frame,
 }
 
 MetaFrames*
-meta_frames_new (int screen_number)
+meta_frames_new (void)
 {
-  GdkScreen *screen;
   MetaFrames *frames;
 
-  screen = gdk_display_get_screen (gdk_display_get_default (),
-                                   screen_number);
-
   frames = g_object_new (META_TYPE_FRAMES,
-                         "screen", screen,
                          "type", GTK_WINDOW_POPUP,
                          NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/ui/frames.h b/src/ui/frames.h
index e986dbc83..d9aaae22f 100644
--- a/src/ui/frames.h
+++ b/src/ui/frames.h
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ struct _MetaFramesClass
 
 GType        meta_frames_get_type               (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-MetaFrames *meta_frames_new (int screen_number);
+MetaFrames *meta_frames_new (void);
 
 MetaUIFrame * meta_frames_manage_window (MetaFrames *frames,
                                          MetaWindow *meta_window,
diff --git a/src/ui/ui.c b/src/ui/ui.c
index b0f04d02d..1e075b62d 100644
--- a/src/ui/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui/ui.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 struct _MetaUI
 {
   Display *xdisplay;
-  Screen *xscreen;
   MetaFrames *frames;
 
   /* For double-click tracking */
@@ -81,20 +80,18 @@ meta_ui_get_screen_number (void)
 }
 
 MetaUI*
-meta_ui_new (Display *xdisplay,
-             Screen  *screen)
+meta_ui_new (Display *xdisplay)
 {
   GdkDisplay *gdisplay;
   MetaUI *ui;
 
   ui = g_new0 (MetaUI, 1);
   ui->xdisplay = xdisplay;
-  ui->xscreen = screen;
 
   gdisplay = gdk_x11_lookup_xdisplay (xdisplay);
   g_assert (gdisplay == gdk_display_get_default ());
 
-  ui->frames = meta_frames_new (XScreenNumberOfScreen (screen));
+  ui->frames = meta_frames_new ();
   /* GTK+ needs the frame-sync protocol to work in order to properly
    * handle style changes. This means that the dummy widget we create
    * to get the style for title bars actually needs to be mapped
@@ -141,16 +138,17 @@ meta_ui_create_frame (MetaUI *ui,
                       gint y,
                       gint width,
                       gint height,
-                      gint screen_no,
                       gulong *create_serial)
 {
   GdkDisplay *display = gdk_x11_lookup_xdisplay (xdisplay);
-  GdkScreen *screen = gdk_display_get_screen (display, screen_no);
+  GdkScreen *screen;
   GdkWindowAttr attrs;
   gint attributes_mask;
   GdkWindow *window;
   GdkVisual *visual;
 
+  screen = gdk_display_get_default_screen (display);
+
   /* Default depth/visual handles clients with weird visuals; they can
    * always be children of the root depth/visual obviously, but
    * e.g. DRI games can't be children of a parent that has the same
@@ -251,14 +249,16 @@ meta_ui_theme_get_frame_borders (MetaUI *ui,
                                  MetaFrameFlags     flags,
                                  MetaFrameBorders  *borders)
 {
+  GdkDisplay *display;
+  GdkScreen *screen;
   int text_height;
   MetaStyleInfo *style_info = NULL;
   PangoContext *context;
   const PangoFontDescription *font_desc;
   PangoFontDescription *free_font_desc = NULL;
 
-  GdkDisplay *display = gdk_x11_lookup_xdisplay (ui->xdisplay);
-  GdkScreen *screen = gdk_display_get_screen (display, XScreenNumberOfScreen (ui->xscreen));
+  display = gdk_x11_lookup_xdisplay (ui->xdisplay);
+  screen = gdk_display_get_default_screen (display);
 
   style_info = meta_theme_create_style_info (screen, NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/ui/ui.h b/src/ui/ui.h
index 4a4bed034..91c26c384 100644
--- a/src/ui/ui.h
+++ b/src/ui/ui.h
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ Display* meta_ui_get_display (void);
 
 gint meta_ui_get_screen_number (void);
 
-MetaUI* meta_ui_new (Display *xdisplay,
-                     Screen  *screen);
+MetaUI* meta_ui_new (Display *xdisplay);
 void    meta_ui_free (MetaUI *ui);
 
 void meta_ui_theme_get_frame_borders (MetaUI *ui,
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ MetaUIFrame * meta_ui_create_frame (MetaUI *ui,
                                     gint y,
                                     gint width,
                                     gint height,
-                                    gint screen_no,
                                     gulong *create_serial);
 void meta_ui_move_resize_frame (MetaUI *ui,
 				Window frame,
diff --git a/src/x11/events.c b/src/x11/events.c
index 6bead5a45..98f5f03a9 100644
--- a/src/x11/events.c
+++ b/src/x11/events.c
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ meta_spew_event (MetaDisplay *display,
     meta_spew_core_event (display, event, &name, &extra);
 
   if (event->xany.window == screen->xroot)
-    winname = g_strdup_printf ("root %d", screen->number);
+    winname = g_strdup_printf ("root");
   else
     winname = g_strdup_printf ("0x%lx", event->xany.window);
 
@@ -1154,8 +1154,8 @@ process_selection_clear (MetaDisplay   *display,
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  meta_verbose ("Got selection clear for screen %d on display %s\n",
-                screen->number, display->name);
+  meta_verbose ("Got selection clear for on display %s\n",
+                display->name);
 
   meta_display_unmanage_screen (display, display->screen,
                                 event->xselectionclear.time);