diff --git a/src/window.rs b/src/window.rs
index ee43cc8f..fb7ec907 100644
--- a/src/window.rs
+++ b/src/window.rs
@@ -27,11 +27,7 @@ pub fn window(monitor: gdk::Monitor) -> gtk4::Window {
     let window = cascade! {
         gtk4::Window::new();
         ..set_decorated(false);
-        //..set_keep_above(true);
-        //..stick();
         ..set_child(Some(&box_));
-        ..connect_realize(|window| {
-        });
         ..show();
     };
 
@@ -44,8 +40,6 @@ pub fn window(monitor: gdk::Monitor) -> gtk4::Window {
             let top_start_x = geometry.x as x::c_ulong;
             let top_end_x = top_start_x + geometry.width as x::c_ulong - 1;
 
-            println!("{} {}", top_start_x, top_end_x);
-
             unsafe {
                 x::set_position(&display, &surface, top_start_x as _, 0);
 
@@ -64,16 +58,8 @@ pub fn window(monitor: gdk::Monitor) -> gtk4::Window {
         unsafe {
             surface.set_skip_pager_hint(true);
             surface.set_skip_taskbar_hint(true);
-            x::change_property(
-                &display,
-                &surface,
-                "_NET_WM_STATE",
-                x::PropMode::Append,
-                &[
-                    x::Atom::new(&display, "_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE").unwrap(),
-                    x::Atom::new(&display, "_NET_WM_STATE_STICKY").unwrap(),
-                ],
-            ); // XXX not working?
+            x::wm_state_add(&display, &surface, "_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE");
+            x::wm_state_add(&display, &surface, "_NET_WM_STATE_STICKY");
             x::change_property(
                 &display,
                 &surface,
diff --git a/src/x.rs b/src/x.rs
index 8d4a679d..41c51315 100644
--- a/src/x.rs
+++ b/src/x.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+use cascade::cascade;
 use gdk4_x11::x11::xlib;
 use glib::translate::ToGlibPtr;
 use gtk4::{glib, prelude::*};
 use std::{
     ffi::{CString, NulError},
     os::raw::{c_int, c_long},
+    ptr,
 };
 
 pub use std::os::raw::{c_uchar, c_ulong, c_ushort};
@@ -145,3 +147,38 @@ pub unsafe fn set_position(
     // XXX check error return value
     xlib::XMoveWindow(display.xdisplay(), surface.xid(), x, y);
 }
+
+pub unsafe fn wm_state_add(
+    display: &gdk4_x11::X11Display,
+    surface: &gdk4_x11::X11Surface,
+    state: &str,
+) {
+    const _NET_WM_STATE_ADD: c_long = 1;
+    // XXX check error return value
+    let mut event = xlib::XEvent {
+        client_message: xlib::XClientMessageEvent {
+            type_: xlib::ClientMessage,
+            serial: 0,
+            send_event: 0,
+            display: ptr::null_mut(),
+            window: surface.xid(),
+            message_type: Atom::new(display, "_NET_WM_STATE").unwrap().0,
+            format: 32,
+            data: cascade! {
+                xlib::ClientMessageData::new();
+                ..set_long(0, _NET_WM_STATE_ADD);
+                ..set_long(1, Atom::new(display, state).unwrap().0 as _);
+                ..set_long(2, Atom::new(display, "").unwrap().0 as _);
+                ..set_long(3, 1);
+                ..set_long(3, 0);
+            },
+        },
+    };
+    xlib::XSendEvent(
+        display.xdisplay(),
+        display.xrootwindow(),
+        0,
+        xlib::SubstructureRedirectMask | xlib::SubstructureNotifyMask,
+        &mut event,
+    );
+}