diff --git a/src/WindowMaker.h b/src/WindowMaker.h
index eb72dccc..da8093d3 100644
--- a/src/WindowMaker.h
+++ b/src/WindowMaker.h
@@ -570,6 +570,23 @@ extern struct wmaker_global_variables {
 		XContext stack;
 	} context;
 
+	/* X Extensions */
+	struct {
+#ifdef SHAPE
+		struct {
+			Bool supported;
+			int event_base;
+		} shape;
+#endif
+
+		/*
+		 * If no extension were activated, we would end up with an empty
+		 * structure, which old compilers may not appreciate, so let's
+		 * work around this with a simple:
+		 */
+		int dummy;
+	} xext;
+
 	/* Session related */
 	WMPropList *session_state;
 
diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index 6ec7458c..05b10498 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@
 #include "wmspec.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 
-/****** Global Variables ******/
-
-#ifdef SHAPE
-extern Bool wShapeSupported;
-#endif
 
 /*
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -172,7 +167,7 @@ void wClientConfigure(WWindow * wwin, XConfigureRequestEvent * xcre)
 		return;
 	}
 #ifdef SHAPE
-	if (wShapeSupported) {
+	if (w_global.xext.shape.supported) {
 		int junk;
 		unsigned int ujunk;
 		int b_shaped;
diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index 780bab25..3968639c 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -81,11 +81,6 @@ extern WShortKey wKeyBindings[WKBD_LAST];
 
 #define MOD_MASK wPreferences.modifier_mask
 
-#ifdef SHAPE
-extern Bool wShapeSupported;
-extern int wShapeEventBase;
-#endif
-
 #ifdef KEEP_XKB_LOCK_STATUS
 extern int wXkbEventBase;
 #endif
@@ -551,7 +546,7 @@ static void handleExtensions(XEvent * event)
 	xkbevent = (XkbEvent *) event;
 #endif				/*KEEP_XKB_LOCK_STATUS */
 #ifdef SHAPE
-	if (wShapeSupported && event->type == (wShapeEventBase + ShapeNotify)) {
+	if (w_global.xext.shape.supported && event->type == (w_global.xext.shape.event_base + ShapeNotify)) {
 		handleShapeNotify(event);
 	}
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 79899a09..b668cf5c 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -88,11 +88,6 @@ WDDomain *WDWindowMaker = NULL;
 WDDomain *WDWindowAttributes = NULL;
 WDDomain *WDRootMenu = NULL;
 
-#ifdef SHAPE
-Bool wShapeSupported;
-int wShapeEventBase;
-#endif
-
 #ifdef KEEP_XKB_LOCK_STATUS
 Bool wXkbSupported;
 int wXkbEventBase;
diff --git a/src/startup.c b/src/startup.c
index eaa8634c..4d6799f1 100644
--- a/src/startup.c
+++ b/src/startup.c
@@ -90,11 +90,6 @@ extern WDDomain *WDRootMenu;
 extern WDDomain *WDWindowAttributes;
 extern WShortKey wKeyBindings[WKBD_LAST];
 
-#ifdef SHAPE
-extern Bool wShapeSupported;
-extern int wShapeEventBase;
-#endif
-
 #ifdef KEEP_XKB_LOCK_STATUS
 extern Bool wXkbSupported;
 extern int wXkbEventBase;
@@ -633,7 +628,7 @@ void StartUp(Bool defaultScreenOnly)
 
 #ifdef SHAPE
 	/* ignore j */
-	wShapeSupported = XShapeQueryExtension(dpy, &wShapeEventBase, &j);
+	w_global.xext.shape.supported = XShapeQueryExtension(dpy, &w_global.xext.shape.event_base, &j);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_XRANDR
diff --git a/src/switchpanel.c b/src/switchpanel.c
index a0f2195d..af32171d 100644
--- a/src/switchpanel.c
+++ b/src/switchpanel.c
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@
 
 #ifdef SHAPE
 #include <X11/extensions/shape.h>
-
-extern Bool wShapeSupported;
 #endif
 
 struct SwitchPanel {
@@ -522,7 +520,7 @@ WSwitchPanel *wInitSwitchPanel(WScreen *scr, WWindow *curwin, Bool class_only)
 		XSetWindowBackgroundPixmap(dpy, WMWidgetXID(panel->win), pixmap);
 
 #ifdef SHAPE
-		if (mask && wShapeSupported)
+		if (mask && w_global.xext.shape.supported)
 			XShapeCombineMask(dpy, WMWidgetXID(panel->win), ShapeBounding, 0, 0, mask, ShapeSet);
 #endif
 		if (pixmap)
diff --git a/src/window.c b/src/window.c
index be5af546..d1d7a5d2 100644
--- a/src/window.c
+++ b/src/window.c
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@
 /****** Global Variables ******/
 extern WShortKey wKeyBindings[WKBD_LAST];
 
-#ifdef SHAPE
-extern Bool wShapeSupported;
-#endif
-
 /***** Local Stuff *****/
 static WWindowState *windowState = NULL;
 static FocusMode getFocusMode(WWindow *wwin);
@@ -621,7 +617,7 @@ WWindow *wManageWindow(WScreen *scr, Window window)
 	XSaveContext(dpy, window, w_global.context.client_win, (XPointer) & wwin->client_descriptor);
 
 #ifdef SHAPE
-	if (wShapeSupported) {
+	if (w_global.xext.shape.supported) {
 		int junk;
 		unsigned int ujunk;
 		int b_shaped;
@@ -2042,7 +2038,7 @@ void wWindowConfigure(WWindow *wwin, int req_x, int req_y, int req_width, int re
 		wwin->client.y += wwin->screen_ptr->frame_border_width;
 	}
 #ifdef SHAPE
-	if (wShapeSupported && wwin->flags.shaped && resize)
+	if (w_global.xext.shape.supported && wwin->flags.shaped && resize)
 		wWindowSetShape(wwin);
 #endif
 
@@ -2266,7 +2262,7 @@ void wWindowConfigureBorders(WWindow *wwin)
 			wFrameWindowHideButton(wwin->frame, flags);
 
 #ifdef SHAPE
-		if (wShapeSupported && wwin->flags.shaped)
+		if (w_global.xext.shape.supported && wwin->flags.shaped)
 			wWindowSetShape(wwin);
 #endif
 	}