diff --git a/src/shell-window-tracker.c b/src/shell-window-tracker.c
index cc03fb5f6..11e777d5d 100644
--- a/src/shell-window-tracker.c
+++ b/src/shell-window-tracker.c
@@ -557,9 +557,9 @@ track_window (ShellWindowTracker *self,
 }
 
 static void
-shell_window_tracker_on_window_added (MetaWorkspace   *workspace,
-                                      MetaWindow      *window,
-                                      gpointer         user_data)
+on_window_created (MetaDisplay *display,
+                   MetaWindow  *window,
+                   gpointer     user_data)
 {
   track_window (SHELL_WINDOW_TRACKER (user_data), window);
 }
@@ -588,14 +588,6 @@ disassociate_window (ShellWindowTracker   *self,
   g_object_unref (app);
 }
 
-static void
-shell_window_tracker_on_window_removed (MetaWorkspace   *workspace,
-                                     MetaWindow      *window,
-                                     gpointer         user_data)
-{
-  disassociate_window (SHELL_WINDOW_TRACKER (user_data), window);
-}
-
 static void
 load_initial_windows (ShellWindowTracker *tracker)
 {
@@ -622,51 +614,15 @@ load_initial_windows (ShellWindowTracker *tracker)
     }
 }
 
-static void
-shell_window_tracker_on_n_workspaces_changed (MetaWorkspaceManager *workspace_manager,
-                                              GParamSpec           *pspec,
-                                              gpointer              user_data)
-{
-  ShellWindowTracker *self = SHELL_WINDOW_TRACKER (user_data);
-  GList *workspaces;
-  GList *l;
-
-  workspaces = meta_workspace_manager_get_workspaces (workspace_manager);
-  for (l = workspaces; l; l = l->next)
-    {
-      MetaWorkspace *workspace = l->data;
-
-      /* This pair of disconnect/connect is idempotent if we were
-       * already connected, while ensuring we get connected for
-       * new workspaces.
-       */
-      g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (workspace,
-                                            shell_window_tracker_on_window_added,
-                                            self);
-      g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (workspace,
-                                            shell_window_tracker_on_window_removed,
-                                            self);
-
-      g_signal_connect (workspace, "window-added",
-                        G_CALLBACK (shell_window_tracker_on_window_added), self);
-      g_signal_connect (workspace, "window-removed",
-                        G_CALLBACK (shell_window_tracker_on_window_removed), self);
-    }
-}
-
 static void
 init_window_tracking (ShellWindowTracker *self)
 {
   MetaDisplay *display = shell_global_get_display (shell_global_get ());
-  MetaWorkspaceManager *workspace_manager =
-    meta_display_get_workspace_manager (display);
 
-  g_signal_connect (workspace_manager, "notify::n-workspaces",
-                    G_CALLBACK (shell_window_tracker_on_n_workspaces_changed), self);
   g_signal_connect (display, "notify::focus-window",
                     G_CALLBACK (on_focus_window_changed), self);
-
-  shell_window_tracker_on_n_workspaces_changed (workspace_manager, NULL, self);
+  g_signal_connect(display, "window-created",
+                   G_CALLBACK (on_window_created), self);
 }
 
 static void