diff --git a/include/ewmh.h b/include/ewmh.h
index 0a0cbc29..bde8f319 100644
--- a/include/ewmh.h
+++ b/include/ewmh.h
@@ -28,16 +28,6 @@ void ewmh_update_current_desktop();
  */
 void ewmh_update_active_window(xcb_window_t window);
 
-/**
- * Updates the workarea for each desktop.
- *
- * EWMH: Contains a geometry for each desktop. These geometries specify an area
- * that is completely contained within the viewport. Work area SHOULD be used by
- * desktop applications to place desktop icons appropriately.
- *
- */
-void ewmh_update_workarea();
-
 /**
  * Updates the _NET_CLIENT_LIST_STACKING hint. Necessary to move tabs in
  * Chromium correctly.
diff --git a/src/con.c b/src/con.c
index 8ecc2401..f29f9e1d 100644
--- a/src/con.c
+++ b/src/con.c
@@ -1066,7 +1066,6 @@ static void con_on_remove_child(Con *con) {
             LOG("Closing old workspace (%p / %s), it is empty\n", con, con->name);
             tree_close(con, DONT_KILL_WINDOW, false, false);
             ipc_send_event("workspace", I3_IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE, "{\"change\":\"empty\"}");
-            ewmh_update_workarea();
         }
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/ewmh.c b/src/ewmh.c
index 85daa433..92ad88b8 100644
--- a/src/ewmh.c
+++ b/src/ewmh.c
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ void ewmh_update_active_window(xcb_window_t window) {
 /*
  * Updates the workarea for each desktop.
  *
+ * This function is not called at the moment due to:
+ * http://bugs.i3wm.org/539
+ * http://bugs.i3wm.org/301
+ *
  * EWMH: Contains a geometry for each desktop. These geometries specify an area
  * that is completely contained within the viewport. Work area SHOULD be used by
  * desktop applications to place desktop icons appropriately.
diff --git a/src/randr.c b/src/randr.c
index e4bff1ff..d1683e9f 100644
--- a/src/randr.c
+++ b/src/randr.c
@@ -808,8 +808,6 @@ void randr_query_outputs() {
         disable_randr(conn);
     }
 
-    ewmh_update_workarea();
-
     /* Just go through each active output and assign one workspace */
     TAILQ_FOREACH(output, &outputs, outputs) {
         if (!output->active)
diff --git a/src/workspace.c b/src/workspace.c
index 6bfc7a6d..1ccae967 100644
--- a/src/workspace.c
+++ b/src/workspace.c
@@ -240,8 +240,6 @@ static void _workspace_show(Con *workspace, bool changed_num_workspaces) {
     }
 
     /* Update the EWMH hints */
-    if (changed_num_workspaces)
-        ewmh_update_workarea();
     ewmh_update_current_desktop();
 
     ipc_send_event("workspace", I3_IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE, "{\"change\":\"focus\"}");