diff --git a/icccm/icccm.c b/icccm/icccm.c
index cf22a25..eb8f850 100644
--- a/icccm/icccm.c
+++ b/icccm/icccm.c
@@ -524,6 +524,7 @@ xcb_get_wm_size_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 {
         xcb_get_property_cookie_t cookie;
 	xcb_get_property_reply_t *rep;
+	long length;
 
 	cookie = xcb_get_property (c, 0, window,
 				 property, WM_SIZE_HINTS,
@@ -532,28 +533,21 @@ xcb_get_wm_size_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 	if (!rep)
 	        return 0;
 
+	length = xcb_get_property_value_length (rep);
 	if ((rep->type == WM_SIZE_HINTS) &&
 	    ((rep->format == 8)  ||
 	     (rep->format == 16) ||
 	     (rep->format == 32)) &&
-	    (rep->value_len >= 15)) /* OldNumPropSizeElements = 15 (pre-ICCCM) */
+	    (length >= 15)) /* OldNumPropSizeElements = 15 (pre-ICCCM) */
 	{
-                char *prop;
-	        long  length;
-
-		length = xcb_get_property_value_length (rep);
-		/* FIXME: in GetProp.c of xcl, one move the memory.
-		 * Should we do that too ? */
-		prop = (char *)malloc(sizeof(char)*length);
-		memcpy(prop, xcb_get_property_value (rep), length);
-		prop[length] = '\0';
-		hints = (xcb_size_hints_t *)strdup (prop);
+		memcpy (hints, (xcb_size_hints_t *) xcb_get_property_value (rep),
+			length * rep->format >> 3);
 
 		*supplied = (USPosition | USSize   |
 			     PPosition  | PSize    |
 			     PMinSize   | PMaxSize |
 			     PResizeInc | PAspect);
-		if (rep->value_len >= 18) /* NumPropSizeElements = 18 (ICCCM version 1) */
+		if (length >= 18) /* NumPropSizeElements = 18 (ICCCM version 1) */
 		        *supplied |= (PBaseSize | PWinGravity);
 		else
 		{
@@ -568,7 +562,6 @@ xcb_get_wm_size_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	hints = NULL;
 	free (rep);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -826,7 +819,6 @@ xcb_get_wm_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 	xcb_get_property_cookie_t cookie;
 	xcb_get_property_reply_t *rep;
 	xcb_wm_hints_t           *hints;
-        char                     *prop;
 	long                      length;
 
 	cookie = xcb_get_property (c, 0, window,
@@ -836,8 +828,9 @@ xcb_get_wm_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 	if (!rep)
 		return NULL;
 
+	length = xcb_get_property_value_length (rep);
 	if ((rep->type != WM_HINTS) ||
-	    (rep->value_len < (XCB_NUM_WM_HINTS_ELEMENTS - 1)) ||
+	    (length < (XCB_NUM_WM_HINTS_ELEMENTS - 1)) ||
 	    (rep->format != 32))
 	{
 		free (rep);
@@ -850,11 +843,9 @@ xcb_get_wm_hints (xcb_connection_t *c,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	length = xcb_get_property_value_length (rep);
-	prop = (char *) xcb_get_property_value (rep);
-	prop[length] = '\0';
-	hints = (xcb_wm_hints_t *)strdup (prop);
-	if (rep->value_len < XCB_NUM_WM_HINTS_ELEMENTS)
+	memcpy(hints, (xcb_size_hints_t *) xcb_get_property_value (rep),
+	       length * rep->format >> 3);
+	if (length < XCB_NUM_WM_HINTS_ELEMENTS)
 		hints->window_group = XCB_NONE;
 
 	return hints;