diff --git a/gdk/gdkinternals.h b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
index fdcd374254..acff6f0da2 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkinternals.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkinternals.h
@@ -392,6 +392,10 @@ void       _gdk_screen_set_resolution    (GdkScreen      *screen,
                                           gdouble         dpi);
 void       _gdk_screen_close             (GdkScreen      *screen);
 
+GdkWindow *gdk_screen_get_root_window (GdkScreen *screen);
+GdkWindow *gdk_get_default_root_window (void);
+
+
 /*****************************************
  * Interfaces provided by windowing code *
  *****************************************/
diff --git a/gdk/gdkscreen.c b/gdk/gdkscreen.c
index 35bf2add58..3648f7d782 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkscreen.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkscreen.c
@@ -261,16 +261,6 @@ gdk_screen_get_display (GdkScreen *screen)
   return GDK_SCREEN_GET_CLASS (screen)->get_display (screen);
 }
 
-/**
- * gdk_screen_get_root_window:
- * @screen: a #GdkScreen
- *
- * Gets the root window of @screen.
- *
- * Returns: (transfer none): the root window
- *
- * Since: 2.2
- **/
 GdkWindow *
 gdk_screen_get_root_window (GdkScreen *screen)
 {
diff --git a/gdk/gdkscreen.h b/gdk/gdkscreen.h
index c62b318337..61e9e0e236 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkscreen.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkscreen.h
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GType        gdk_screen_get_type              (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-GdkWindow *  gdk_screen_get_root_window       (GdkScreen   *screen);
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GdkDisplay * gdk_screen_get_display           (GdkScreen   *screen);
 
diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.c b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
index 2f427d3f35..0d6a82fba2 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.c
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.c
@@ -1159,8 +1159,7 @@ gdk_window_new_toplevel (GdkDisplay *display,
   attr.height = height;
   attr.window_type = GDK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL;
 
-  return gdk_window_new (gdk_screen_get_root_window (gdk_display_get_default_screen (display)),
-                         &attr);
+  return gdk_window_new (NULL, &attr);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1194,8 +1193,7 @@ gdk_window_new_popup (GdkDisplay         *display,
   attr.height = position->height;
   attr.window_type = GDK_WINDOW_TEMP;
 
-  return gdk_window_new (gdk_screen_get_root_window (gdk_display_get_default_screen (display)),
-                         &attr);
+  return gdk_window_new (NULL, &attr);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1226,8 +1224,7 @@ gdk_window_new_temp (GdkDisplay *display)
   attr.height = 10;
   attr.window_type = GDK_WINDOW_TEMP;
 
-  return gdk_window_new (gdk_screen_get_root_window (gdk_display_get_default_screen (display)),
-                         &attr);
+  return gdk_window_new (NULL, &attr);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1938,8 +1935,7 @@ gdk_window_remove_filter (GdkWindow     *window,
  * @screen: The #GdkScreen where the toplevels are located.
  *
  * Obtains a list of all toplevel windows known to GDK on the screen @screen.
- * A toplevel window is a child of the root window (see
- * gdk_get_default_root_window()).
+ * A toplevel window has no parent window.
  *
  * The returned list should be freed with g_list_free(), but
  * its elements need not be freed.
@@ -3446,14 +3442,6 @@ gdk_window_get_device_position (GdkWindow       *window,
   return window;
 }
 
-/**
- * gdk_get_default_root_window:
- *
- * Obtains the root window (parent all other windows are inside)
- * for the default display and screen.
- *
- * Returns: (transfer none): the default root window
- **/
 GdkWindow *
 gdk_get_default_root_window (void)
 {
diff --git a/gdk/gdkwindow.h b/gdk/gdkwindow.h
index fc45232da5..c16a731f06 100644
--- a/gdk/gdkwindow.h
+++ b/gdk/gdkwindow.h
@@ -884,9 +884,6 @@ void       gdk_window_constrain_size      (GdkGeometry    *geometry,
                                            gint           *new_width,
                                            gint           *new_height);
 
-GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-GdkWindow *gdk_get_default_root_window (void);
-
 /* Multidevice support */
 GDK_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 void       gdk_window_set_support_multidevice (GdkWindow *window,