--- x.c
+++ x.c
@@ -1013,11 +1022,23 @@ xinit(int cols, int rows)
 	Window parent;
 	pid_t thispid = getpid();
 	XColor xmousefg, xmousebg;
+	XWindowAttributes attr;
+	XVisualInfo vis;
 
 	if (!(xw.dpy = XOpenDisplay(NULL)))
 		die("can't open display\n");
 	xw.scr = XDefaultScreen(xw.dpy);
-	xw.vis = XDefaultVisual(xw.dpy, xw.scr);
+
+	if (!(opt_embed && (parent = strtol(opt_embed, NULL, 0)))) {
+		parent = XRootWindow(xw.dpy, xw.scr);
+		xw.depth = 32;
+	} else {
+		XGetWindowAttributes(xw.dpy, parent, &attr);
+		xw.depth = attr.depth;
+	}
+
+	XMatchVisualInfo(xw.dpy, xw.scr, xw.depth, TrueColor, &vis);
+	xw.vis = vis.visual;
 
 	/* font */
 	if (!FcInit())