diff -up gtk+-2.17.11/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c.event-mask gtk+-2.17.11/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c
--- gtk+-2.17.11/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c.event-mask	2009-09-06 21:31:08.926764157 -0400
+++ gtk+-2.17.11/gdk/x11/gdkwindow-x11.c	2009-09-06 21:32:03.142614346 -0400
@@ -455,8 +455,12 @@ _gdk_windowing_window_init (GdkScreen * 
   private->width = WidthOfScreen (screen_x11->xscreen);
   private->height = HeightOfScreen (screen_x11->xscreen);
   private->viewable = TRUE;
+
+  /* see init_randr_support() in gdkscreen-x11.c */
+  private->event_mask = GDK_STRUCTURE_MASK;
+
   _gdk_window_update_size (screen_x11->root_window);
-  
+
   _gdk_xid_table_insert (screen_x11->display,
 			 &screen_x11->xroot_window,
 			 screen_x11->root_window);