diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 8f569314..39893136 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 #include <xcb/damage.h>
 #include <xcb/randr.h>
 #include <xcb/shape.h>
+#include <xcb/sync.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_XINERAMA
 #include <xcb/xinerama.h>
@@ -421,6 +422,7 @@ typedef struct session {
   void *backend_data;
   /// libev mainloop
   struct ev_loop *loop;
+
   // === Display related ===
   /// Display in use.
   Display *dpy;
@@ -466,6 +468,8 @@ typedef struct session {
   // XXX should be in glx_session_t
   glx_prog_main_t glx_prog_win;
 #endif
+  /// Sync fence to sync draw operations
+  xcb_sync_fence_t sync_fence;
 
   // === Operation related ===
   /// Program options.
diff --git a/src/compton.c b/src/compton.c
index 8bbf8442..6b521a41 100644
--- a/src/compton.c
+++ b/src/compton.c
@@ -957,11 +957,6 @@ unmap_win(session_t *ps, win **_w) {
 
   if (w->destroyed) return;
 
-  // One last synchronization
-  if (w->paint.pixmap && ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-    x_fence_sync(ps, w->paint.pixmap);
-  }
-
   // Set focus out
   win_set_focused(ps, w, false);
 
@@ -2770,6 +2765,7 @@ session_init(session_t *ps_old, int argc, char **argv) {
   xcb_prefetch_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_randr_id);
   xcb_prefetch_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_xinerama_id);
   xcb_prefetch_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_present_id);
+  xcb_prefetch_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_sync_id);
 
   ext_info = xcb_get_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_render_id);
   if (!ext_info || !ext_info->present) {
@@ -2880,17 +2876,33 @@ session_init(session_t *ps_old, int argc, char **argv) {
   }
 
   // Query X Sync
-  if (XSyncQueryExtension(ps->dpy, &ps->xsync_event, &ps->xsync_error)) {
-    // TODO: Fencing may require version >= 3.0?
-    int major_version_return = 0, minor_version_return = 0;
-    if (XSyncInitialize(ps->dpy, &major_version_return, &minor_version_return))
+  ext_info = xcb_get_extension_data(ps->c, &xcb_sync_id);
+  if (ext_info && ext_info->present) {
+    ps->xsync_error = ext_info->first_error;
+    ps->xsync_event = ext_info->first_event;
+    // Need X Sync 3.1 for fences
+    auto r = xcb_sync_initialize_reply(ps->c, xcb_sync_initialize(ps->c, 3, 1), NULL);
+    if (r) {
       ps->xsync_exists = true;
+      free(r);
+    }
   }
 
+  ps->sync_fence = XCB_NONE;
   if (!ps->xsync_exists && ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-    log_fatal("X Sync extension not found. No X Sync fence sync is "
+    log_error("XSync extension not found. No XSync fence sync is "
               "possible. (xrender-sync-fence can't be enabled)");
-    exit(1);
+    ps->o.xrender_sync_fence = false;
+  }
+
+  if (ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
+    ps->sync_fence = xcb_generate_id(ps->c);
+    auto e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_sync_create_fence(ps->c, ps->root, ps->sync_fence, 0));
+    if (e) {
+      log_error("Failed to create a XSync fence. xrender-sync-fence will be disabled");
+      ps->o.xrender_sync_fence = false;
+      free(e);
+    }
   }
 
   // Query X RandR
@@ -3188,6 +3200,11 @@ session_destroy(session_t *ps) {
     ps->overlay = XCB_NONE;
   }
 
+  if (ps->sync_fence) {
+    xcb_sync_destroy_fence(ps->c, ps->sync_fence);
+    ps->sync_fence = XCB_NONE;
+  }
+
   // Free reg_win
   if (ps->reg_win) {
     xcb_destroy_window(ps->c, ps->reg_win);
diff --git a/src/render.c b/src/render.c
index 8fdf735e..e3af1301 100644
--- a/src/render.c
+++ b/src/render.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ void paint_one(session_t *ps, win *w, const region_t *reg_paint) {
 		    ps, xcb_composite_name_window_pixmap(ps->c, w->id, w->paint.pixmap));
 	}
 
-	Drawable draw = w->paint.pixmap;
+	xcb_drawable_t draw = w->paint.pixmap;
 	if (!draw)
 		draw = w->id;
 
@@ -181,10 +181,6 @@ void paint_one(session_t *ps, win *w, const region_t *reg_paint) {
 		    ps, w->pictfmt, draw, XCB_RENDER_CP_SUBWINDOW_MODE, &pa);
 	}
 
-	if (IsViewable == w->a.map_state && ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-		x_fence_sync(ps, draw);
-	}
-
 	// GLX: Build texture
 	// Let glx_bind_pixmap() determine pixmap size, because if the user
 	// is resizing windows, the width and height we get may not be up-to-date,
@@ -605,11 +601,6 @@ static bool win_build_shadow(session_t *ps, win *w, double opacity) {
 	assert(!w->shadow_paint.pict);
 	w->shadow_paint.pict = shadow_picture_argb;
 
-	// Sync it once and only once
-	if (ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-		x_fence_sync(ps, w->shadow_paint.pixmap);
-	}
-
 	xcb_free_gc(ps->c, gc);
 	xcb_image_destroy(shadow_image);
 	xcb_free_pixmap(ps->c, shadow_pixmap);
@@ -822,8 +813,17 @@ win_blur_background(session_t *ps, win *w, xcb_render_picture_t tgt_buffer,
 /// region = ??
 /// region_real = the damage region
 void paint_all(session_t *ps, region_t *region, const region_t *region_real, win *const t) {
-	if (!region_real)
+	if (ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
+		if (!x_fence_sync(ps, ps->sync_fence)) {
+			log_error("x_fence_sync failed, xrender-sync-fence will be disabled from now on.");
+			xcb_sync_destroy_fence(ps->c, ps->sync_fence);
+			ps->o.xrender_sync_fence = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!region_real) {
 		region_real = region;
+	}
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_REPAINT
 	static struct timespec last_paint = {0};
@@ -1027,15 +1027,8 @@ void paint_all(session_t *ps, region_t *region, const region_t *region_real, win
 			glFlush();
 		glXWaitX();
 		assert(ps->tgt_buffer.pixmap);
-		if (ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-			x_fence_sync(ps, ps->tgt_buffer.pixmap);
-		}
 		paint_bind_tex(ps, &ps->tgt_buffer, ps->root_width, ps->root_height,
 		               ps->depth, !ps->o.glx_no_rebind_pixmap);
-		// See #163
-		if (ps->o.xrender_sync_fence) {
-			x_fence_sync(ps, ps->tgt_buffer.pixmap);
-		}
 		if (ps->o.vsync_use_glfinish)
 			glFinish();
 		else
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 390b8724..ee9cf1e8 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -454,46 +454,36 @@ bool x_atom_is_background_prop(session_t *ps, xcb_atom_t atom) {
   return false;
 }
 
-/**
- * Free a XSync fence.
- */
-static inline void
-x_free_fence(session_t *ps, xcb_sync_fence_t *pfence) {
-  if (*pfence) {
-    xcb_sync_destroy_fence(ps->c, *pfence);
-  }
-  *pfence = XCB_NONE;
-}
-
 /**
  * Synchronizes a X Render drawable to ensure all pending painting requests
  * are completed.
  */
-void x_fence_sync(session_t *ps, xcb_drawable_t d) {
-  x_sync(ps->c);
+bool x_fence_sync(session_t *ps, xcb_sync_fence_t f) {
   if (ps->xsync_exists) {
     // TODO(richardgv): If everybody just follows the rules stated in X Sync
     // prototype, we need only one fence per screen, but let's stay a bit
     // cautious right now
-    xcb_sync_fence_t tmp_fence = xcb_generate_id(ps->c);
-    xcb_generic_error_t *e =
-      xcb_request_check(ps->c,
-                        xcb_sync_create_fence(ps->c, d, tmp_fence, 0));
+
+    auto e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_sync_trigger_fence_checked(ps->c, f));
     if (e) {
-      log_error("Failed to create a XSync fence for %#010x", d);
+      log_error("Failed to trigger the fence.");
       free(e);
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
 
-    e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_sync_trigger_fence(ps->c, tmp_fence));
+    e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_sync_await_fence_checked(ps->c, 1, &f));
     if (e) {
-      log_error("Failed to trigger the fence");
+      log_error("Failed to await on a fence.");
       free(e);
-      x_free_fence(ps, &tmp_fence);
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
 
-    xcb_sync_await_fence(ps->c, 1, &tmp_fence);
-    x_free_fence(ps, &tmp_fence);
+    e = xcb_request_check(ps->c, xcb_sync_reset_fence_checked(ps->c, f));
+    if (e) {
+      log_error("Failed to reset the fence.");
+      free(e);
+      return false;
+    }
   }
+  return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 03ba5ca8..937f1a6f 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -169,4 +169,4 @@ xcb_pixmap_t x_get_root_back_pixmap(session_t *ps);
 /// root window background pixmap
 bool x_atom_is_background_prop(session_t *ps, xcb_atom_t atom);
 
-void x_fence_sync(session_t *, xcb_sync_fence_t);
+bool x_fence_sync(session_t *, xcb_sync_fence_t);