diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index d853863..a601b44 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -465,9 +465,6 @@ typedef struct options_t {
   bool fork_after_register;
   /// Whether to detect rounded corners.
   bool detect_rounded_corners;
-  /// Whether to paint on X Composite overlay window instead of root
-  /// window.
-  bool paint_on_overlay;
   /// Force painting of window content with blending.
   bool force_win_blend;
   /// Resize damage for a specific number of pixels.
@@ -1371,7 +1368,7 @@ get_atom(session_t *ps, const char *atom_name) {
  */
 static inline Window
 get_tgt_window(session_t *ps) {
-  return ps->o.paint_on_overlay ? ps->overlay: ps->root;
+  return ps->overlay != XCB_NONE ? ps->overlay: ps->root;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/compton.c b/src/compton.c
index f086eb5..ab777ed 100644
--- a/src/compton.c
+++ b/src/compton.c
@@ -3869,7 +3869,9 @@ get_cfg(session_t *ps, int argc, char *const *argv, bool first_pass) {
       case 272:
         printf_errf("(): use of --dbe is deprecated");
         break;
-      P_CASEBOOL(273, paint_on_overlay);
+      case 273:
+        printf_errf("(): --paint-on-overlay is removed, and is enabled when possible");
+        break;
       P_CASEBOOL(274, sw_opti);
       P_CASEBOOL(275, vsync_aggressive);
       P_CASEBOOL(276, use_ewmh_active_win);
@@ -4494,11 +4496,9 @@ init_overlay(session_t *ps) {
     // xcb_unmap_window(c, ps->overlay);
     // XFlush(ps->dpy);
   }
-  else {
+  else
     fprintf(stderr, "Cannot get X Composite overlay window. Falling "
         "back to painting on root window.\n");
-    ps->o.paint_on_overlay = false;
-  }
 #ifdef DEBUG_REDIR
   printf_dbgf("(): overlay = %#010lx\n", ps->overlay);
 #endif
@@ -4842,7 +4842,6 @@ session_init(session_t *ps_old, int argc, char **argv) {
       .fork_after_register = false,
       .synchronize = false,
       .detect_rounded_corners = false,
-      .paint_on_overlay = false,
       .resize_damage = 0,
       .unredir_if_possible = false,
       .unredir_if_possible_blacklist = NULL,
@@ -5160,8 +5159,7 @@ session_init(session_t *ps_old, int argc, char **argv) {
 
   // Overlay must be initialized before double buffer, and before creation
   // of OpenGL context.
-  if (ps->o.paint_on_overlay)
-    init_overlay(ps);
+  init_overlay(ps);
 
   // Initialize OpenGL as early as possible
   if (bkend_use_glx(ps)) {
@@ -5217,7 +5215,7 @@ session_init(session_t *ps_old, int argc, char **argv) {
 
     ps->root_picture = x_create_picture_with_visual_and_pixmap(ps,
       ps->vis, ps->root, XCB_RENDER_CP_SUBWINDOW_MODE, &pa);
-    if (ps->o.paint_on_overlay) {
+    if (ps->overlay != XCB_NONE) {
       ps->tgt_picture = x_create_picture_with_visual_and_pixmap(ps,
         ps->vis, ps->overlay, XCB_RENDER_CP_SUBWINDOW_MODE, &pa);
     } else
diff --git a/src/config_libconfig.c b/src/config_libconfig.c
index 13d612a..e50bea2 100644
--- a/src/config_libconfig.c
+++ b/src/config_libconfig.c
@@ -297,8 +297,6 @@ parse_config(session_t *ps, struct options_tmp *pcfgtmp) {
     exit(1);
   // --alpha-step
   config_lookup_float(&cfg, "alpha-step", &ps->o.alpha_step);
-  // --paint-on-overlay
-  lcfg_lookup_bool(&cfg, "paint-on-overlay", &ps->o.paint_on_overlay);
   // --sw-opti
   lcfg_lookup_bool(&cfg, "sw-opti", &ps->o.sw_opti);
   // --use-ewmh-active-win
@@ -359,6 +357,9 @@ parse_config(session_t *ps, struct options_tmp *pcfgtmp) {
   if (lcfg_lookup_bool(&cfg, "clear-shadow", &bval))
     printf_errf("(): \"clear-shadow\" is removed as an option, and is always"
                 " enabled now. Consider removing it from your config file");
+  if (lcfg_lookup_bool(&cfg, "paint-on-overlay", &bval))
+    printf_errf("(): \"paint-on-overlay\" has been removed as an option, and "
+                "is enabled whenever possible");
 
   const char *deprecation_message = "has been removed. If you encounter problems "
     "without this feature, please feel free to open a bug report.";
diff --git a/src/dbus.c b/src/dbus.c
index a226c05..fe453e0 100644
--- a/src/dbus.c
+++ b/src/dbus.c
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ cdbus_process_opts_get(session_t *ps, DBusMessage *msg) {
   cdbus_m_opts_get_do(mark_ovredir_focused, cdbus_reply_bool);
   cdbus_m_opts_get_do(fork_after_register, cdbus_reply_bool);
   cdbus_m_opts_get_do(detect_rounded_corners, cdbus_reply_bool);
-  cdbus_m_opts_get_do(paint_on_overlay, cdbus_reply_bool);
+  cdbus_m_opts_get_stub(paint_on_overlay, cdbus_reply_bool, ps->overlay != XCB_NONE);
   // paint_on_overlay_id: Get ID of the X composite overlay window
   if (!strcmp("paint_on_overlay_id", target)) {
     cdbus_reply_uint32(ps, msg, ps->overlay);