diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 1a4ff37d1..974a0fe3d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+2003-11-15  Rob Adams  <readams@readams.net>
+
+	Inherit visual from frame window so that metacity will work with
+	the new compositing manager extension work by Keith on
+	freedesktop.org, so that ARGB windows can be full
+	alpha-transparent without a metacity frame getting drawn in the
+	background.  In the long term, we need to actually set alpha
+	values when drawing the frame so that it will really work; this is
+	a stopgap solution.  Patch from Keith Packard; see Bug 126875.
+	
+	* src/frame.c (meta_window_ensure_frame): pass client visual to
+	frame.
+
+	* src/ui.[ch] (meta_ui_create_frame_window): add new xvisual
+	parameter and use it to create new window.
+	
 2003-11-15  Rob Adams  <readams@readams.net>
 
 	* src/window.c (update_net_wm_type): don't set window->type_atom
diff --git a/src/frame.c b/src/frame.c
index ba6b21c7e..20fc39645 100644
--- a/src/frame.c
+++ b/src/frame.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ meta_window_ensure_frame (MetaWindow *window)
 {
   MetaFrame *frame;
   XSetWindowAttributes attrs;
+  Visual *visual;
   
   if (window->frame)
     return;
@@ -78,10 +79,16 @@ meta_window_ensure_frame (MetaWindow *window)
    * visual as the client.
    */
 
+  visual = 0;
+  /* XXX special case for depth 32 windows (assumed to be ARGB) */
+  if (window->depth == 32)
+    visual = window->xvisual;  
+
   frame->xwindow = meta_ui_create_frame_window (window->screen->ui,
-						window->display->xdisplay,
-						frame->rect.x,
-						frame->rect.y,
+                                                window->display->xdisplay,
+                                                visual,
+                                                frame->rect.x,
+                                                frame->rect.y,
 						frame->rect.width,
 						frame->rect.height,
 						frame->window->screen->number);
diff --git a/src/ui.c b/src/ui.c
index 993ec2731..93a6beb15 100644
--- a/src/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui.c
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ meta_ui_get_frame_geometry (MetaUI *ui,
 
 Window
 meta_ui_create_frame_window (MetaUI *ui,
-			     Display *xdisplay,
+                             Display *xdisplay,
+                             Visual *xvisual,
 			     gint x,
 			     gint y,
 			     gint width,
@@ -166,12 +167,22 @@ meta_ui_create_frame_window (MetaUI *ui,
   GdkWindowAttr attrs;
   gint attributes_mask;
   GdkWindow *window;
+  GdkVisual *visual;
+  GdkColormap *cmap = gdk_screen_get_default_colormap (screen);
   
   /* 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
    * visual as the client.
    */
+  if (!xvisual)
+    visual = gdk_screen_get_system_visual (screen);
+  else
+    {
+      visual = gdk_x11_screen_lookup_visual (screen,
+                                             XVisualIDFromVisual (xvisual));
+      cmap = gdk_colormap_new (visual, FALSE);
+    }
 
   attrs.title = NULL;
 
@@ -185,8 +196,8 @@ meta_ui_create_frame_window (MetaUI *ui,
   attrs.x = x;
   attrs.y = y;
   attrs.wclass = GDK_INPUT_OUTPUT;
-  attrs.visual = gdk_screen_get_system_visual (screen);
-  attrs.colormap = gdk_screen_get_default_colormap (screen);
+  attrs.visual = visual;
+  attrs.colormap = cmap;
   attrs.window_type = GDK_WINDOW_CHILD;
   attrs.cursor = NULL;
   attrs.wmclass_name = NULL;
diff --git a/src/ui.h b/src/ui.h
index ca8240ec3..f4cb8d0fd 100644
--- a/src/ui.h
+++ b/src/ui.h
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ void meta_ui_get_frame_geometry (MetaUI *ui,
                                  int *top_height, int *bottom_height,
                                  int *left_width, int *right_width);
 Window meta_ui_create_frame_window (MetaUI *ui,
-				    Display *xdisplay,
+                                    Display *xdisplay,
+                                    Visual *xvisual,
 				    gint x,
 				    gint y,
 				    gint width,