diff --git a/src/compositor.c b/src/compositor.c
index 917774075d912bf20bcddae8d4f101104dfce7ae..ad8f280d467a297be06e83307057b4cad43a9830 100644
--- a/src/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor.c
@@ -3770,8 +3770,7 @@ compositorCheckCMSelection (ScreenInfo *screen_info)
     }
 
     /* Older property "COMPOSITING_MANAGER" */
-    a = XInternAtom (display_info->dpy, COMPOSITING_MANAGER, FALSE);
-    if (XGetSelectionOwner (display_info->dpy, a) != None)
+    if (XGetSelectionOwner (display_info->dpy, display_info->atoms[COMPOSITING_MANAGER]) != None)
     {
         return TRUE;
     }