diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkprivate-x11.h b/gdk/x11/gdkprivate-x11.h
index 00cde1b6e2..2e2cdc0e42 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkprivate-x11.h
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkprivate-x11.h
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ struct _GdkVisualPrivate
   GdkScreen *screen;
 };
 
-#define XID_FONT_BIT (1<<31)
 
 void _gdk_xid_table_insert (GdkDisplay *display,
 			    XID        *xid,
diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkxid.c b/gdk/x11/gdkxid.c
index 85c82bb44c..a4a2cd8775 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkxid.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkxid.c
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ static gboolean  gdk_xid_equal (XID *a,
 				XID *b);
 
 
-/* The 3 high bits of XIDs are unused. We use one to mark fonts, 
- * since we must be able to skip fonts when iterating over all XIDs.
- */
-#define XID_FONT_BIT (1<<31)
-
 void
 _gdk_xid_table_insert (GdkDisplay *display,
 		       XID	  *xid,
@@ -135,7 +130,7 @@ static gboolean
 gdk_xid_equal (XID *a,
 	       XID *b)
 {
-  return ((*a & ~XID_FONT_BIT) == (*b & ~XID_FONT_BIT));
+  return (*a == *b);
 }
 
 #define __GDK_XID_C__