diff --git a/src/shell-perf-helper.c b/src/shell-perf-helper.c
index ba1754e02..a50376e2e 100644
--- a/src/shell-perf-helper.c
+++ b/src/shell-perf-helper.c
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <math.h>
 
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>
-#include <gdk/gdkx.h>
 
 #define BUS_NAME "org.gnome.Shell.PerfHelper"
 
@@ -60,12 +59,6 @@ static GOptionEntry opt_entries[] =
     { NULL }
   };
 
-static Display *xdisplay;
-static Window xroot;
-static Atom atom_wm_state;
-static Atom atom__net_wm_name;
-static Atom atom_utf8_string;
-
 static guint timeout_id;
 static GList *our_windows;
 static GList *wait_windows_invocations;
@@ -350,8 +343,6 @@ on_name_lost  (GDBusConnection *connection,
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
-  GdkDisplay *display;
-  GdkScreen *screen;
   GOptionContext *context;
   GError *error = NULL;
 
@@ -367,15 +358,6 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
       return 1;
     }
 
-  display = gdk_display_get_default ();
-  screen = gdk_screen_get_default ();
-
-  xdisplay = gdk_x11_display_get_xdisplay (display);
-  xroot = gdk_x11_window_get_xid (gdk_screen_get_root_window (screen));
-  atom_wm_state = gdk_x11_get_xatom_by_name_for_display (display, "WM_STATE");
-  atom__net_wm_name = gdk_x11_get_xatom_by_name_for_display (display, "_NET_WM_NAME");
-  atom_utf8_string = gdk_x11_get_xatom_by_name_for_display (display, "UTF8_STRING");
-
   g_bus_own_name (G_BUS_TYPE_SESSION,
                   BUS_NAME,
                   G_BUS_NAME_OWNER_FLAGS_ALLOW_REPLACEMENT |