diff --git a/bar.c b/bar.c
index 2a5f5c6..f329595 100644
--- a/bar.c
+++ b/bar.c
@@ -290,16 +290,6 @@ run(struct bar_run_context *run_ctx)
         XCB_ATOM_WM_NAME, XCB_ATOM_STRING, 8,
         strlen(title), title);
 
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_PID = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_PID");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE = get_atom(bar->conn,  "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_STATE");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_STATE_STICKY");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_DESKTOP = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_DESKTOP");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_STRUT");
-    const xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL = get_atom(bar->conn, "_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL");
-
     xcb_change_property(
         bar->conn,
         XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, bar->win,
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 93b5319..6866df8 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -11,14 +11,10 @@
 
 #include <sys/eventfd.h>
 
-#include <xcb/xcb.h>
-#include <xcb/randr.h>
-#include <xcb/render.h>
-
 #include "bar.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "yml.h"
-
+#include "xcb.h"
 
 static volatile sig_atomic_t aborted = 0;
 
@@ -36,66 +32,7 @@ main(int argc, const char *const *argv)
     struct yml_node *conf = yml_load(conf_file);
     fclose(conf_file);
 
-    xcb_connection_t *conn = xcb_connect(NULL, NULL);
-    assert(conn != NULL);
-
-    const xcb_setup_t *setup = xcb_get_setup(conn);
-
-    /* Vendor string */
-    int length = xcb_setup_vendor_length(setup);
-    char *vendor = malloc(length + 1);
-    memcpy(vendor, xcb_setup_vendor(setup), length);
-    vendor[length] = '\0';
-
-    /* Vendor release number */
-    unsigned release = setup->release_number;
-    unsigned major = release / 10000000; release %= 10000000;
-    unsigned minor = release / 100000; release %= 100000;
-    unsigned patch = release / 1000;
-
-    printf("%s %u.%u.%u (protocol: %u.%u)\n", vendor,
-           major, minor, patch,
-           setup->protocol_major_version,
-           setup->protocol_minor_version);
-    free(vendor);
-
-    const xcb_query_extension_reply_t *randr =
-        xcb_get_extension_data(conn, &xcb_randr_id);
-    assert(randr->present);
-
-    const xcb_query_extension_reply_t *render =
-        xcb_get_extension_data(conn, &xcb_render_id);
-    assert(render->present);
-
-    xcb_randr_query_version_cookie_t randr_cookie =
-        xcb_randr_query_version(conn, XCB_RANDR_MAJOR_VERSION,
-                                XCB_RANDR_MINOR_VERSION);
-    xcb_render_query_version_cookie_t render_cookie =
-        xcb_render_query_version(conn, XCB_RENDER_MAJOR_VERSION,
-                                 XCB_RENDER_MINOR_VERSION);
-
-    xcb_generic_error_t *e;
-    xcb_randr_query_version_reply_t *randr_version =
-        xcb_randr_query_version_reply(conn, randr_cookie, &e);
-    assert(e == NULL);
-
-    xcb_render_query_version_reply_t *render_version =
-        xcb_render_query_version_reply(conn, render_cookie, &e);
-    assert(e == NULL);
-
-    xcb_flush(conn);
-
-    printf("  RANDR: %u.%u\n"
-           "  RENDER: %u.%u\n",
-           randr_version->major_version,
-           randr_version->minor_version,
-           render_version->major_version,
-           render_version->minor_version);
-
-    free(randr_version);
-    free(render_version);
-
-    xcb_disconnect(conn);
+    xcb_init();
 
     const struct sigaction sa = {.sa_handler = &signal_handler};
     sigaction(SIGINT, &sa, NULL);
diff --git a/modules/xwindow.c b/modules/xwindow.c
index 89bc174..c156fe3 100644
--- a/modules/xwindow.c
+++ b/modules/xwindow.c
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@
 #include "../bar.h"
 #include "../xcb.h"
 
-static bool globals_inited = false;
-xcb_atom_t UTF8_STRING;
-xcb_atom_t _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW;
-xcb_atom_t _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP;
-xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME;
-xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_NAME;
-xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_PID;
-
 struct private {
     /* Accessed from bar thread only */
     struct particle *label;
@@ -41,26 +33,6 @@ struct private {
     xcb_window_t active_win;
 };
 
-static void
-init_globals(void)
-{
-    if (globals_inited)
-        return;
-
-    xcb_connection_t *conn = xcb_connect(NULL, NULL);
-    assert(conn != NULL);
-
-    UTF8_STRING = get_atom(conn, "UTF8_STRING");
-    _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW = get_atom(conn, "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW");
-    _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP = get_atom(conn, "_NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP");
-    _NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME");
-    _NET_WM_NAME = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_NAME");
-    _NET_WM_PID = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_PID");
-    globals_inited = true;
-
-    xcb_disconnect(conn);
-}
-
 static void
 update_active_window(struct private *m)
 {
@@ -317,8 +289,6 @@ destroy(struct module *mod)
 struct module *
 module_xwindow(struct particle *label)
 {
-    init_globals();
-
     struct private *m = calloc(1, sizeof(*m));
     m->label = label;
     mtx_init(&m->lock, mtx_plain);
diff --git a/xcb.c b/xcb.c
index 5c7ca75..dc8409c 100644
--- a/xcb.c
+++ b/xcb.c
@@ -1,9 +1,113 @@
 #include "xcb.h"
 
+#include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
+#include <xcb/xcb.h>
+#include <xcb/randr.h>
+#include <xcb/render.h>
+
+xcb_atom_t UTF8_STRING;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_PID;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_DESKTOP;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_NAME;
+
+bool
+xcb_init(void)
+{
+    xcb_connection_t *conn = xcb_connect(NULL, NULL);
+    assert(conn != NULL);
+
+    const xcb_setup_t *setup = xcb_get_setup(conn);
+
+    /* Vendor string */
+    int length = xcb_setup_vendor_length(setup);
+    char *vendor = malloc(length + 1);
+    memcpy(vendor, xcb_setup_vendor(setup), length);
+    vendor[length] = '\0';
+
+    /* Vendor release number */
+    unsigned release = setup->release_number;
+    unsigned major = release / 10000000; release %= 10000000;
+    unsigned minor = release / 100000; release %= 100000;
+    unsigned patch = release / 1000;
+
+    printf("%s %u.%u.%u (protocol: %u.%u)\n", vendor,
+           major, minor, patch,
+           setup->protocol_major_version,
+           setup->protocol_minor_version);
+    free(vendor);
+
+    const xcb_query_extension_reply_t *randr =
+        xcb_get_extension_data(conn, &xcb_randr_id);
+    assert(randr->present);
+
+    const xcb_query_extension_reply_t *render =
+        xcb_get_extension_data(conn, &xcb_render_id);
+    assert(render->present);
+
+    xcb_randr_query_version_cookie_t randr_cookie =
+        xcb_randr_query_version(conn, XCB_RANDR_MAJOR_VERSION,
+                                XCB_RANDR_MINOR_VERSION);
+    xcb_render_query_version_cookie_t render_cookie =
+        xcb_render_query_version(conn, XCB_RENDER_MAJOR_VERSION,
+                                 XCB_RENDER_MINOR_VERSION);
+
+    xcb_generic_error_t *e;
+    xcb_randr_query_version_reply_t *randr_version =
+        xcb_randr_query_version_reply(conn, randr_cookie, &e);
+    assert(e == NULL);
+
+    xcb_render_query_version_reply_t *render_version =
+        xcb_render_query_version_reply(conn, render_cookie, &e);
+    assert(e == NULL);
+
+    xcb_flush(conn);
+
+    printf("  RANDR: %u.%u\n"
+           "  RENDER: %u.%u\n",
+           randr_version->major_version,
+           randr_version->minor_version,
+           render_version->major_version,
+           render_version->minor_version);
+
+    free(randr_version);
+    free(render_version);
+
+    /* Cache atoms */
+    UTF8_STRING = get_atom(conn, "UTF8_STRING");
+    _NET_WM_PID = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_PID");
+    _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE = get_atom(conn,  "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE");
+    _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK");
+    _NET_WM_STATE = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_STATE");
+    _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE");
+    _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_STATE_STICKY");
+    _NET_WM_DESKTOP = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_DESKTOP");
+    _NET_WM_STRUT = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_STRUT");
+    _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL");
+    _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW = get_atom(conn, "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW");
+    _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP = get_atom(conn, "_NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP");
+    _NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME");
+    _NET_WM_NAME = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_NAME");
+    _NET_WM_PID = get_atom(conn, "_NET_WM_PID");
+
+    xcb_disconnect(conn);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 xcb_atom_t
 get_atom(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *name)
 {
diff --git a/xcb.h b/xcb.h
index 76c6fd7..ce84759 100644
--- a/xcb.h
+++ b/xcb.h
@@ -1,6 +1,25 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <xcb/xcb.h>
 
+bool xcb_init(void);
+
 xcb_atom_t get_atom(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *name);
-char * get_atom_name(xcb_connection_t *conn, xcb_atom_t atom);
+char *get_atom_name(xcb_connection_t *conn, xcb_atom_t atom);
+
+/* Cached atoms */
+xcb_atom_t UTF8_STRING;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_PID;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_ABOVE;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STATE_STICKY;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_DESKTOP;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_VISIBLE_NAME;
+xcb_atom_t _NET_WM_NAME;