diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 0009f11..889ca88 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -150,8 +150,6 @@ typedef struct session {
 	// === Event handlers ===
 	/// ev_io for X connection
 	ev_io xiow;
-	/// Timer for checking DPMS power level
-	ev_timer dpms_check_timer;
 	/// Timeout for delayed unredirection.
 	ev_timer unredir_timer;
 	/// Timer for fading
diff --git a/src/picom.c b/src/picom.c
index 71178fe..2cfa08e 100644
--- a/src/picom.c
+++ b/src/picom.c
@@ -122,27 +122,6 @@ static inline int64_t get_time_ms(void) {
 	return (int64_t)tp.tv_sec * 1000 + (int64_t)tp.tv_nsec / 1000000;
 }
 
-static inline bool dpms_screen_is_off(xcb_dpms_info_reply_t *info) {
-	// state is a bool indicating whether dpms is enabled
-	return info->state && (info->power_level != XCB_DPMS_DPMS_MODE_ON);
-}
-
-void check_dpms_status(EV_P attr_unused, ev_timer *w, int revents attr_unused) {
-	auto ps = session_ptr(w, dpms_check_timer);
-	auto r = xcb_dpms_info_reply(ps->c.c, xcb_dpms_info(ps->c.c), NULL);
-	if (!r) {
-		log_fatal("Failed to query DPMS status.");
-		abort();
-	}
-	auto now_screen_is_off = dpms_screen_is_off(r);
-	if (ps->screen_is_off != now_screen_is_off) {
-		log_debug("Screen is now %s", now_screen_is_off ? "off" : "on");
-		ps->screen_is_off = now_screen_is_off;
-		queue_redraw(ps);
-	}
-	free(r);
-}
-
 /**
  * Find matched window.
  *
@@ -329,18 +308,6 @@ void handle_end_of_vblank(session_t *ps) {
 }
 
 void queue_redraw(session_t *ps) {
-	if (ps->screen_is_off) {
-		// The screen is off, if there is a draw queued for the next frame (i.e.
-		// ps->redraw_needed == true), it won't be triggered until the screen is
-		// on again, because the abnormal Present events we will receive from the
-		// X server when the screen is off. Yet we need the draw_callback to be
-		// called as soon as possible so the screen can be unredirected.
-		// So here we unconditionally start the draw timer.
-		ev_timer_stop(ps->loop, &ps->draw_timer);
-		ev_timer_set(&ps->draw_timer, 0, 0);
-		ev_timer_start(ps->loop, &ps->draw_timer);
-		return;
-	}
 	// Whether we have already rendered for the current frame.
 	// If frame pacing is not enabled, pretend this is false.
 	// If --benchmark is used, redraw is always queued
@@ -1047,19 +1014,6 @@ static bool paint_preprocess(session_t *ps, bool *fade_running, bool *animation,
 		// If there's no window to paint, and the screen isn't redirected,
 		// don't redirect it.
 		unredir_possible = true;
-	} else if (ps->screen_is_off) {
-		// Screen is off, unredirect
-		// We do this unconditionally disregarding "unredir_if_possible"
-		// because it's important for correctness, because we need to
-		// workaround problems X server has around screen off.
-		//
-		// Known problems:
-		//   1. Sometimes OpenGL front buffer can lose content, and if we
-		//      are doing partial updates (i.e. use-damage = true), the
-		//      result will be wrong.
-		//   2. For frame pacing, X server sends bogus
-		//      PresentCompleteNotify events when screen is off.
-		unredir_possible = true;
 	}
 	if (unredir_possible) {
 		if (ps->redirected) {
@@ -1569,6 +1523,8 @@ handle_present_complete_notify(session_t *ps, xcb_present_complete_notify_event_
 		return;
 	}
 
+	x_check_dpms_status(ps);
+
 	if (ps->last_msc_instant != 0) {
 		auto frame_count = cne->msc - ps->last_msc;
 		int frame_time = (int)((cne->ust - ps->last_msc_instant) / frame_count);
@@ -2192,17 +2148,9 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 
 	ext_info = xcb_get_extension_data(ps->c.c, &xcb_dpms_id);
 	ps->dpms_exists = ext_info && ext_info->present;
-	if (ps->dpms_exists) {
-		auto r = xcb_dpms_info_reply(ps->c.c, xcb_dpms_info(ps->c.c), NULL);
-		if (!r) {
-			log_fatal("Failed to query DPMS info");
-			goto err;
-		}
-		ps->screen_is_off = dpms_screen_is_off(r);
-		// Check screen status every half second
-		ev_timer_init(&ps->dpms_check_timer, check_dpms_status, 0, 0.5);
-		ev_timer_start(ps->loop, &ps->dpms_check_timer);
-		free(r);
+	if (!ps->dpms_exists) {
+		log_fatal("No DPMS extension");
+		exit(1);
 	}
 
 	// Parse configuration file
@@ -2811,7 +2759,6 @@ static void session_destroy(session_t *ps) {
 	// Stop libev event handlers
 	ev_timer_stop(ps->loop, &ps->unredir_timer);
 	ev_timer_stop(ps->loop, &ps->fade_timer);
-	ev_timer_stop(ps->loop, &ps->dpms_check_timer);
 	ev_timer_stop(ps->loop, &ps->draw_timer);
 	ev_prepare_stop(ps->loop, &ps->event_check);
 	ev_signal_stop(ps->loop, &ps->usr1_signal);
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 54cf702..89786e1 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <pixman.h>
 #include <xcb/composite.h>
 #include <xcb/damage.h>
+#include <xcb/dpms.h>
 #include <xcb/glx.h>
 #include <xcb/present.h>
 #include <xcb/randr.h>
@@ -789,6 +790,25 @@ void x_request_vblank_event(session_t *ps, uint64_t msc) {
 	ps->vblank_event_requested = true;
 }
 
+static inline bool dpms_screen_is_off(xcb_dpms_info_reply_t *info) {
+	// state is a bool indicating whether dpms is enabled
+	return info->state && (info->power_level != XCB_DPMS_DPMS_MODE_ON);
+}
+
+void x_check_dpms_status(session_t *ps) {
+	auto r = xcb_dpms_info_reply(ps->c.c, xcb_dpms_info(ps->c.c), NULL);
+	if (!r) {
+		log_fatal("Failed to query DPMS status.");
+		abort();
+	}
+	auto now_screen_is_off = dpms_screen_is_off(r);
+	if (ps->screen_is_off != now_screen_is_off) {
+		log_debug("Screen is now %s", now_screen_is_off ? "off" : "on");
+		ps->screen_is_off = now_screen_is_off;
+	}
+	free(r);
+}
+
 /**
  * Convert a struct conv to a X picture convolution filter, normalizing the kernel
  * in the process. Allow the caller to specify the element at the center of the kernel,
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 39bf5ab..60bcfef 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -422,3 +422,6 @@ uint32_t attr_deprecated xcb_generate_id(xcb_connection_t *c);
 
 /// Ask X server to send us a notification for the next end of vblank.
 void x_request_vblank_event(session_t *ps, uint64_t msc);
+
+/// Update ps->screen_is_off to reflect the current DPMS state.
+void x_check_dpms_status(session_t *ps);