diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index a1ca7fc7..19feb3e3 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -834,9 +834,9 @@ void ev_handle(session_t *ps, xcb_generic_event_t *ev) {
 			ev_shape_notify(ps, (xcb_shape_notify_event_t *)ev);
 			break;
 		}
-		if (ps->randr_exists &&
+		if (ps->randr_exists && ps->o.crop_shadow_to_monitor &&
 		    ev->response_type == (ps->randr_event + XCB_RANDR_SCREEN_CHANGE_NOTIFY)) {
-			set_root_flags(ps, ROOT_FLAGS_SCREEN_CHANGE);
+			x_update_monitors_async(&ps->c, &ps->monitors);
 			break;
 		}
 		if (ps->damage_event + XCB_DAMAGE_NOTIFY == ev->response_type) {
diff --git a/src/picom.c b/src/picom.c
index e94eafac..b9f5250c 100644
--- a/src/picom.c
+++ b/src/picom.c
@@ -734,13 +734,6 @@ static void configure_root(session_t *ps) {
 }
 
 static void handle_root_flags(session_t *ps) {
-	if ((ps->root_flags & ROOT_FLAGS_SCREEN_CHANGE) != 0) {
-		if (ps->o.crop_shadow_to_monitor && ps->randr_exists) {
-			x_update_monitors(&ps->c, &ps->monitors);
-		}
-		ps->root_flags &= ~(uint64_t)ROOT_FLAGS_SCREEN_CHANGE;
-	}
-
 	if ((ps->root_flags & ROOT_FLAGS_CONFIGURED) != 0) {
 		configure_root(ps);
 		ps->root_flags &= ~(uint64_t)ROOT_FLAGS_CONFIGURED;
@@ -2330,7 +2323,7 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 	if (ps->randr_exists && ps->o.crop_shadow_to_monitor) {
 		xcb_randr_select_input(ps->c.c, ps->c.screen_info->root,
 		                       XCB_RANDR_NOTIFY_MASK_SCREEN_CHANGE);
-		x_update_monitors(&ps->c, &ps->monitors);
+		x_update_monitors_async(&ps->c, &ps->monitors);
 	}
 
 	{
diff --git a/src/picom.h b/src/picom.h
index f6f7b309..9be745e0 100644
--- a/src/picom.h
+++ b/src/picom.h
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@
 #include "x.h"
 
 enum root_flags {
-	ROOT_FLAGS_SCREEN_CHANGE = 1,        // Received RandR screen change notify, we
-	                                     // use this to track refresh rate changes
 	ROOT_FLAGS_CONFIGURED = 2        // Received configure notify on the root window
 };
 
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 62913069..538eab63 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -904,25 +904,43 @@ struct xvisual_info x_get_visual_info(struct x_connection *c, xcb_visualid_t vis
 	};
 }
 
-void x_update_monitors(struct x_connection *c, struct x_monitors *m) {
-	x_free_monitor_info(m);
+struct x_update_monitors_request {
+	struct x_async_request_base base;
+	struct x_monitors *monitors;
+};
 
-	xcb_randr_get_monitors_reply_t *r = xcb_randr_get_monitors_reply(
-	    c->c, xcb_randr_get_monitors(c->c, c->screen_info->root, true), NULL);
-	if (!r) {
+static void x_handle_update_monitors_reply(struct x_connection * /*c*/,
+                                           struct x_async_request_base *req_base,
+                                           xcb_raw_generic_event_t *reply_or_error) {
+	auto m = ((struct x_update_monitors_request *)req_base)->monitors;
+	free(req_base);
+
+	if (reply_or_error->response_type == 0) {
+		log_warn("Failed to get monitor information using RandR: %s",
+		         x_strerror((xcb_generic_error_t *)reply_or_error));
 		return;
 	}
 
-	m->count = xcb_randr_get_monitors_monitors_length(r);
+	x_free_monitor_info(m);
+
+	auto reply = (xcb_randr_get_monitors_reply_t *)reply_or_error;
+
+	m->count = xcb_randr_get_monitors_monitors_length(reply);
 	m->regions = ccalloc(m->count, region_t);
 	xcb_randr_monitor_info_iterator_t monitor_info_it =
-	    xcb_randr_get_monitors_monitors_iterator(r);
+	    xcb_randr_get_monitors_monitors_iterator(reply);
 	for (int i = 0; monitor_info_it.rem; xcb_randr_monitor_info_next(&monitor_info_it)) {
 		xcb_randr_monitor_info_t *mi = monitor_info_it.data;
 		pixman_region32_init_rect(&m->regions[i++], mi->x, mi->y, mi->width, mi->height);
 	}
+}
 
-	free(r);
+void x_update_monitors_async(struct x_connection *c, struct x_monitors *m) {
+	auto req = ccalloc(1, struct x_update_monitors_request);
+	req->base.callback = x_handle_update_monitors_reply;
+	req->base.sequence = xcb_randr_get_monitors(c->c, c->screen_info->root, 1).sequence;
+	req->monitors = m;
+	x_await_request(c, &req->base);
 }
 
 void x_free_monitor_info(struct x_monitors *m) {
diff --git a/src/x.h b/src/x.h
index 6afc5ddc..68bedccb 100644
--- a/src/x.h
+++ b/src/x.h
@@ -419,8 +419,8 @@ xcb_visualid_t x_get_visual_for_depth(xcb_screen_t *screen, uint8_t depth);
 xcb_render_pictformat_t
 x_get_pictfmt_for_standard(struct x_connection *c, xcb_pict_standard_t std);
 
-/// Populates a `struct x_monitors` with the current monitor configuration.
-void x_update_monitors(struct x_connection *, struct x_monitors *);
+/// Populates a `struct x_monitors` with the current monitor configuration asynchronously.
+void x_update_monitors_async(struct x_connection *, struct x_monitors *);
 /// Free memory allocated for a `struct x_monitors`.
 void x_free_monitor_info(struct x_monitors *);