diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
index 6e082507a6..cb26ee5ef1 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
@@ -1353,8 +1353,7 @@ gdk_x11_screen_get_setting (GdkScreen   *screen,
 {
   GdkX11Screen *x11_screen = GDK_X11_SCREEN (screen);
   const char *xsettings_name = NULL;
-  XSettingsResult result;
-  XSettingsSetting *setting = NULL;
+  const XSettingsSetting *setting;
   gboolean success = FALSE;
   GValue tmp_val = G_VALUE_INIT;
 
@@ -1362,9 +1361,8 @@ gdk_x11_screen_get_setting (GdkScreen   *screen,
   if (!xsettings_name)
     goto out;
 
-  result = xsettings_client_get_setting (x11_screen->xsettings_client,
-					 xsettings_name, &setting);
-  if (result != XSETTINGS_SUCCESS)
+  setting = xsettings_client_get_setting (x11_screen->xsettings_client, xsettings_name);
+  if (setting == NULL)
     goto out;
 
   switch (setting->type)
@@ -1413,9 +1411,6 @@ gdk_x11_screen_get_setting (GdkScreen   *screen,
   g_value_unset (&tmp_val);
 
  out:
-  if (setting)
-    xsettings_setting_free (setting);
-
   if (success)
     return TRUE;
   else
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
index 77aef1e166..87b7b0d2e4 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.c
@@ -531,25 +531,11 @@ xsettings_client_destroy (XSettingsClient *client)
   free (client);
 }
 
-XSettingsResult
+const XSettingsSetting *
 xsettings_client_get_setting (XSettingsClient   *client,
-			      const char        *name,
-			      XSettingsSetting **setting)
+			      const char        *name)
 {
-  XSettingsSetting *search;
-  
-  if (client->settings == NULL)
-    return XSETTINGS_NO_ENTRY;
-
-  search = g_hash_table_lookup (client->settings, name);
-
-  if (search)
-    {
-      *setting = xsettings_setting_copy (search);
-      return *setting ? XSETTINGS_SUCCESS : XSETTINGS_NO_MEM;
-    }
-  else
-    return XSETTINGS_NO_ENTRY;
+  return g_hash_table_lookup (client->settings, name);
 }
 
 Bool
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
index 0e30641cf5..629e28079c 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-client.h
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ void             xsettings_client_set_ungrab_func (XSettingsClient     *client,
 void             xsettings_client_destroy         (XSettingsClient     *client);
 Bool             xsettings_client_process_event   (XSettingsClient     *client,
 						   XEvent              *xev);
-XSettingsResult  xsettings_client_get_setting     (XSettingsClient     *client,
-						   const char          *name,
-						   XSettingsSetting   **setting);
+const XSettingsSetting *
+                 xsettings_client_get_setting     (XSettingsClient     *client,
+						   const char          *name);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.c b/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.c
index a57269f4d7..d8f3d37569 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.c
@@ -31,53 +31,6 @@
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <X11/Xmd.h>		/* For CARD32 */
 
-XSettingsSetting *
-xsettings_setting_copy (XSettingsSetting *setting)
-{
-  XSettingsSetting *result;
-  size_t str_len;
-  
-  result = malloc (sizeof *result);
-  if (!result)
-    return NULL;
-
-  str_len = strlen (setting->name);
-  result->name = malloc (str_len + 1);
-  if (!result->name)
-    goto err;
-
-  memcpy (result->name, setting->name, str_len + 1);
-
-  result->type = setting->type;
-
-  switch (setting->type)
-    {
-    case XSETTINGS_TYPE_INT:
-      result->data.v_int = setting->data.v_int;
-      break;
-    case XSETTINGS_TYPE_COLOR:
-      result->data.v_color = setting->data.v_color;
-      break;
-    case XSETTINGS_TYPE_STRING:
-      str_len = strlen (setting->data.v_string);
-      result->data.v_string = malloc (str_len + 1);
-      if (!result->data.v_string)
-	goto err;
-
-      memcpy (result->data.v_string, setting->data.v_string, str_len + 1);
-      break;
-    }
-
-  return result;
-
- err:
-  if (result->name)
-    free (result->name);
-  free (result);
-  
-  return NULL;
-}
-
 int
 xsettings_setting_equal (XSettingsSetting *setting_a,
 			 XSettingsSetting *setting_b)
diff --git a/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.h b/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.h
index 5fac6c63c7..e90471b9b0 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.h
+++ b/gdk/x11/xsettings-common.h
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define xsettings_client_set_grab_func   _gdk_x11_xsettings_client_set_grab_func
 #define xsettings_client_set_ungrab_func _gdk_x11_xsettings_client_set_ungrab_func
 #define xsettings_client_process_event   _gdk_x11_xsettings_client_process_event
-#define xsettings_setting_copy           _gdk_x11_xsettings_setting_copy
 #define xsettings_setting_equal          _gdk_x11_xsettings_setting_equal
 #define xsettings_setting_free           _gdk_x11_xsettings_setting_free
 
@@ -91,7 +90,6 @@ struct _XSettingsSetting
   } data;
 };
 
-XSettingsSetting *xsettings_setting_copy  (XSettingsSetting *setting);
 void              xsettings_setting_free  (XSettingsSetting *setting);
 int               xsettings_setting_equal (XSettingsSetting *setting_a,
 					   XSettingsSetting *setting_b);