diff --git a/src/core/window-props.c b/src/core/window-props.c
index e08c89cdd..68e14fd21 100644
--- a/src/core/window-props.c
+++ b/src/core/window-props.c
@@ -78,74 +78,38 @@ static MetaWindowPropHooks* find_hooks (MetaDisplay *display,
 
 
 void
-meta_window_reload_property (MetaWindow *window,
-                             Atom        property,
-                             gboolean    initial)
+meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow (MetaWindow      *window,
+                                          Window           xwindow,
+                                          Atom             property,
+                                          gboolean         initial)
 {
-  meta_window_reload_properties (window, &property, 1, initial);
-}
+  MetaPropValue value = { 0, };
+  MetaWindowPropHooks *hooks;
 
-void
-meta_window_reload_properties (MetaWindow *window,
-                               const Atom *properties,
-                               int         n_properties,
-                               gboolean    initial)
-{
-  meta_window_reload_properties_from_xwindow (window,
-                                              window->xwindow,
-                                              properties,
-                                              n_properties,
-                                              initial);
-}
+  hooks = find_hooks (window->display, property);
+  if (!hooks)
+    return;
 
-void
-meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow (MetaWindow *window,
-                                          Window      xwindow,
-                                          Atom        property,
-                                          gboolean    initial)
-{
-  meta_window_reload_properties_from_xwindow (window, xwindow, &property, 1,
-                                              initial);
-}
+  init_prop_value (window, hooks, &value);
 
-void
-meta_window_reload_properties_from_xwindow (MetaWindow *window,
-                                            Window      xwindow,
-                                            const Atom *properties,
-                                            int         n_properties,
-                                            gboolean    initial)
-{
-  int i;
-  MetaPropValue *values;
-
-  g_return_if_fail (properties != NULL);
-  g_return_if_fail (n_properties > 0);
-  
-  values = g_new0 (MetaPropValue, n_properties);
-  
-  i = 0;
-  while (i < n_properties)
-    {
-      MetaWindowPropHooks *hooks = find_hooks (window->display, properties[i]);
-      init_prop_value (window, hooks, &values[i]);
-      ++i;
-    }
-  
   meta_prop_get_values (window->display, xwindow,
-                        values, n_properties);
+                        &value, 1);
 
-  i = 0;
-  while (i < n_properties)
-    {
-      MetaWindowPropHooks *hooks = find_hooks (window->display, properties[i]);
-      reload_prop_value (window, hooks, &values[i], initial);
-      
-      ++i;
-    }
+  reload_prop_value (window, hooks, &value,
+                     initial);
 
-  meta_prop_free_values (values, n_properties);
-  
-  g_free (values);
+  meta_prop_free_values (&value, 1);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_window_reload_property (MetaWindow      *window,
+                             Atom             property,
+                             gboolean         initial)
+{
+  meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow (window,
+                                            window->xwindow,
+                                            property,
+                                            initial);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/core/window-props.h b/src/core/window-props.h
index 3c433ee2d..16db50b9e 100644
--- a/src/core/window-props.h
+++ b/src/core/window-props.h
@@ -35,35 +35,6 @@
 
 #include "window-private.h"
 
-/**
- * meta_window_reload_property:
- * @window: The window.
- * @property: A single X atom.
- *
- * Requests the current values of a single property for a given
- * window from the server, and deals with it appropriately.
- * Does not return it to the caller (it's been dealt with!)
- */
-void meta_window_reload_property   (MetaWindow *window,
-                                    Atom        property,
-                                    gboolean    initial);
-
-
-/**
- * meta_window_reload_properties:
- * @window: The window.
- * @properties: A pointer to a list of X atoms, "n_properties" long.
- * @n_properties: The length of the properties list.
- *
- * Requests the current values of a set of properties for a given
- * window from the server, and deals with them appropriately.
- * Does not return them to the caller (they've been dealt with!)
- */
-void meta_window_reload_properties (MetaWindow *window,
-                                    const Atom *properties,
-                                    int         n_properties,
-                                    gboolean    initial);
-
 /**
  * meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow:
  * @window:     A window on the same display as the one we're
@@ -75,30 +46,10 @@ void meta_window_reload_properties (MetaWindow *window,
  * window from the server, and deals with it appropriately.
  * Does not return it to the caller (it's been dealt with!)
  */
-void meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow
-                                   (MetaWindow *window,
-                                    Window      xwindow,
-                                    Atom        property,
-                                    gboolean    initial);
-
-/**
- * meta_window_reload_properties_from_xwindow:
- * @window:     A window on the same display as the one we're
- *                   investigating (only used to find the display)
- * @xwindow:     The X handle for the window.
- * @properties:  A pointer to a list of X atoms, "n_properties" long.
- * @n_properties:  The length of the properties list.
- *
- * Requests the current values of a set of properties for a given
- * window from the server, and deals with them appropriately.
- * Does not return them to the caller (they've been dealt with!)
- */
-void meta_window_reload_properties_from_xwindow
-                                   (MetaWindow *window,
-                                    Window      xwindow,
-                                    const Atom *properties,
-                                    int         n_properties,
-                                    gboolean    initial);
+void meta_window_reload_property_from_xwindow (MetaWindow      *window,
+                                               Window           xwindow,
+                                               Atom             property,
+                                               gboolean         initial);
 
 /**
  * meta_window_load_initial_properties: