diff --git a/WINGs/userdefaults.c b/WINGs/userdefaults.c
index 465d6bf9..479a30ee 100644
--- a/WINGs/userdefaults.c
+++ b/WINGs/userdefaults.c
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ extern char *WMGetApplicationName();
 
 #define DEFAULTS_DIR "/Defaults"
 
-#define UD_SYNC_INTERVAL  2000
 
 
 
@@ -135,17 +134,6 @@ synchronizeUserDefaults(void *foo)
 }
 
 
-static void
-addSynchronizeTimerHandler(void)
-{
-    static Bool initialized = False;
-
-    if (!initialized) {
-        WMAddPersistentTimerHandler(UD_SYNC_INTERVAL, synchronizeUserDefaults,
-                                    NULL);
-        initialized = True;
-    }
-}
 
 
 void
@@ -335,7 +323,6 @@ WMGetStandardUserDefaults(void)
         defaults->next = sharedUserDefaults;
     sharedUserDefaults = defaults;
 
-    addSynchronizeTimerHandler();
     registerSaveOnExit();
 
     return defaults;
@@ -412,7 +399,6 @@ WMGetDefaultsFromPath(char *path)
         defaults->next = sharedUserDefaults;
     sharedUserDefaults = defaults;
 
-    addSynchronizeTimerHandler();
     registerSaveOnExit();
 
     return defaults;
diff --git a/src/WindowMaker.h b/src/WindowMaker.h
index 342e244e..3e2035be 100644
--- a/src/WindowMaker.h
+++ b/src/WindowMaker.h
@@ -483,7 +483,6 @@ typedef struct WPreferences {
         unsigned int noautolaunch:1;   /* don't autolaunch apps */
         unsigned int norestore:1;      /* don't restore session */
         unsigned int create_stdcmap:1; /* create std colormap */
-        unsigned int nopolling:1;      /* don't poll for defaults changes */
         unsigned int restarting:2;
     } flags;			       /* internal flags */
 } WPreferences;
diff --git a/src/defaults.c b/src/defaults.c
index 0ceecacd..c07ad37b 100644
--- a/src/defaults.c
+++ b/src/defaults.c
@@ -1348,8 +1348,6 @@ wDefaultsCheckDomains(void *foo)
     }
 #endif /* !LITE */
 
-    if (!foo)
-        WMAddTimerHandler(DEFAULTS_CHECK_INTERVAL, wDefaultsCheckDomains, foo);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index 85046d49..a4f614f4 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -319,10 +319,22 @@ void
 EventLoop()
 {
     XEvent event;
+    extern volatile int filesChanged;
+    extern void wDefaultsCheckDomains();
 
     for(;;) {
         WMNextEvent(dpy, &event);
         WMHandleEvent(&event);
+
+	/*
+	 * If dnotify detects changes in configuration
+	 * files we have to read them again.
+	 */
+	if (filesChanged){
+		fprintf(stdout,"wmaker: reading config files in defaults database.\n");
+		wDefaultsCheckDomains(NULL);
+		filesChanged = 0;
+	}
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index de630907..d54a6315 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
  *  USA.
  */
 
+#define _GNU_SOURCE	/* needed to get the defines in glibc 2.2 */
+#include <fcntl.h>	/* this has the needed values defined */
+#include <signal.h>
+
 #include "wconfig.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -62,6 +66,7 @@ Display	*dpy;
 char *ProgName;
 
 unsigned int ValidModMask = 0xff;
+volatile int filesChanged;
 
 /* locale to use. NULL==POSIX or C */
 char *Locale=NULL;
@@ -451,7 +456,6 @@ print_help()
     puts(_(" --create-stdcmap	create the standard colormap hint in PseudoColor visuals"));
     puts(_(" --visual-id visualid	visual id of visual to use"));
     puts(_(" --static		do not update or save configurations"));
-    puts(_(" --no-polling		do not periodically check for configuration updates"));
 #ifdef DEBUG
     puts(_(" --synchronous		turn on synchronous display mode"));
 #endif
@@ -490,10 +494,34 @@ check_defaults()
 }
 
 
+/*
+ * This is the handler used to notify if configuration
+ * files have changed, using linux kernel'l dnotify
+ * mechanism (from Documentation/dnotify.txt)
+ */
+void handler(int sig, siginfo_t *si, void *data)
+{
+	filesChanged = si->si_fd;
+}
+
 static void
 execInitScript()
 {
-    char *file, *paths;
+	char *file, *path, *paths;
+	struct sigaction act;
+	volatile int fd;
+
+	path = wstrconcat(wusergnusteppath(), "/Defaults");
+
+	act.sa_sigaction = handler;
+	sigemptyset(&act.sa_mask);
+	act.sa_flags = SA_SIGINFO;
+	sigaction(SIGRTMIN + 1, &act, NULL);
+
+	fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
+	fcntl(fd, F_SETSIG, SIGRTMIN + 1);
+	fcntl(fd, F_NOTIFY, DN_MODIFY|DN_MULTISHOT);
+	wfree(path);
 
     paths = wstrconcat(wusergnusteppath(), "/Library/WindowMaker");
     paths = wstrappend(paths, ":"DEF_CONFIG_PATHS);
@@ -746,10 +774,6 @@ real_main(int argc, char **argv)
                            || strcmp(argv[i], "--static")==0) {
 
                     wPreferences.flags.noupdates = 1;
-                } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-nopolling")==0
-                           || strcmp(argv[i], "--no-polling")==0) {
-
-                    wPreferences.flags.nopolling = 1;
 #ifdef XSMP_ENABLED
                 } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-clientid")==0
                            || strcmp(argv[i], "-restore")==0) {
diff --git a/src/startup.c b/src/startup.c
index 8d3f5212..12d001de 100644
--- a/src/startup.c
+++ b/src/startup.c
@@ -695,8 +695,6 @@ StartUp(Bool defaultScreenOnly)
         XFreePixmap(dpy, cur);
     }
 
-    /* signal handler stuff that gets called when a signal is caught */
-    WMAddPersistentTimerHandler(500, delayedAction, NULL);
 
     /* emergency exit... */
     sig_action.sa_handler = handleSig;
@@ -886,10 +884,6 @@ StartUp(Bool defaultScreenOnly)
         Exit(1);
     }
 
-    if (!wPreferences.flags.nopolling && !wPreferences.flags.noupdates) {
-        /* setup defaults file polling */
-        WMAddTimerHandler(3000, wDefaultsCheckDomains, NULL);
-    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/wconfig.h.in b/src/wconfig.h.in
index 2d10d469..d299e51e 100644
--- a/src/wconfig.h.in
+++ b/src/wconfig.h.in
@@ -457,8 +457,6 @@
 #define MAX_WINDOWLIST_WIDTH	160     /* max width of window title in
                                          * window list */
 
-#define DEFAULTS_CHECK_INTERVAL 2000	/* how often wmaker will check for
-                                         * changes in the config files */
 
 /* if your keyboard don't have arrow keys */
 #undef ARROWLESS_KBD