diff --git a/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.cpp b/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.cpp
index 47525a98e6..132b4fe71b 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ RootLayer::RootLayer(const char *name, int32 workspaceCount,
 {
 	fDesktop = desktop;
 
-	fWinBorderList	= NULL;
+	fWinBorderListLength	= 64;
+	fWinBorderList2	= (WinBorder**)malloc(fWinBorderListLength * sizeof(WinBorder*));
+	fWinBorderList	= (WinBorder**)malloc(fWinBorderListLength * sizeof(WinBorder*));
 	fWinBorderCount	= 0;
 	fWinBorderIndex	= 0;
 	fWsCount		= 0;
@@ -321,15 +323,6 @@ void RootLayer::ResizeBy(float x, float y)
 
 Layer* RootLayer::VirtualTopChild() const
 {
-	if (fWinBorderList)
-	{
-		free(fWinBorderList);
-		fWinBorderList = NULL;
-	}
-
-	void	**list;
-	ActiveWorkspace()->GetWinBorderList(list, &fWinBorderCount);
-	fWinBorderList	= (WinBorder**)list;
 	fWinBorderIndex	= fWinBorderCount-1;
 
 	if (fWinBorderIndex < fWinBorderCount && fWinBorderIndex >= 0)
@@ -356,15 +349,6 @@ Layer* RootLayer::VirtualUpperSibling() const
 
 Layer* RootLayer::VirtualBottomChild() const
 {
-	if (fWinBorderList)
-	{
-		free(fWinBorderList);
-		fWinBorderList = NULL;
-	}
-
-	void	**list;
-	ActiveWorkspace()->GetWinBorderList(list, &fWinBorderCount);
-	fWinBorderList	= (WinBorder**)list;
 	fWinBorderIndex	= 0;
 
 	if (fWinBorderIndex < fWinBorderCount && fWinBorderIndex >= 0)
@@ -906,6 +890,8 @@ void RootLayer::MouseEventHandler(int32 code, BPortLink& msg)
 						exFocus->fDecorator->SetFocus(false);
 					if (focus && exFocus != focus && focus->fDecorator)
 						focus->fDecorator->SetFocus(true);
+
+					get_workspace_windows();
 					
 					BRegion		reg(target->fFull);
 					reg.Include(&target->fTopLayer->fFull);
@@ -1554,6 +1540,8 @@ void RootLayer::show_winBorder(WinBorder *winBorder)
 			invalidate = invalid;
 	}
 
+	get_workspace_windows();
+
 	if (invalidate)
 	{
 		BRegion		reg(winBorder->fFull);
@@ -1581,9 +1569,29 @@ void RootLayer::hide_winBorder(WinBorder *winBorder)
 			invalidate = invalid;
 	}
 
+	get_workspace_windows();
+
 	if (invalidate)
 	{
 		invalidate_layer(this, winBorder->fFullVisible);
 	}
 }
 
+void RootLayer::get_workspace_windows()
+{
+	int32	bufferSize = fWinBorderListLength;
+
+	memcpy(fWinBorderList2, fWinBorderList, fWinBorderCount);
+
+	if (!(ActiveWorkspace()->GetWinBorderList((void**)fWinBorderList, &bufferSize)))
+	{
+		fWinBorderList2	= (WinBorder**)realloc(fWinBorderList2, bufferSize);
+		fWinBorderList	= (WinBorder**)realloc(fWinBorderList, bufferSize);
+		fWinBorderListLength = bufferSize;
+		ActiveWorkspace()->GetWinBorderList((void**)fWinBorderList, &bufferSize);
+	}
+	
+	fWinBorderCount = bufferSize;
+
+	fWinBorderIndex	= 0;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.h b/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.h
index fe012bc514..f7275e440b 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/server/RootLayer.h
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ friend class Desktop;
 			void			show_winBorder(WinBorder* winBorder);
 			void			hide_winBorder(WinBorder* winBorder);
 
+			void			get_workspace_windows();
+
 			void			invalidate_layer(Layer *layer, const BRegion &region);
 			void			redraw_layer(Layer *layer, const BRegion &region);
 
@@ -162,9 +164,11 @@ friend class Desktop;
 	int32			fActiveWksIndex;
 	int32			fWsCount;
 	Workspace*		fWorkspace[32];
+	mutable WinBorder**		fWinBorderList2;
 	mutable WinBorder**		fWinBorderList;
 	mutable int32			fWinBorderCount;
 	mutable int32			fWinBorderIndex;
+			int32			fWinBorderListLength;
 
 	int32 fScreenShotIndex;
 	bool fQuiting;
diff --git a/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.cpp b/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.cpp
index 64ab589789..ee55a1e233 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ WinBorder *Workspace::Front() const
 	\param	list The list of visible WinBorders found in this workspace.
 	\param	itemCount Number of WinBorder pointers found in the list.
 */
-void Workspace::GetWinBorderList(void **&list, int32 *itemCount ) const
+bool Workspace::GetWinBorderList(void **list, int32 *itemCount ) const
 {
 	int32		count = 0;
 	ListData	*cursor;
@@ -228,18 +228,15 @@ void Workspace::GetWinBorderList(void **&list, int32 *itemCount ) const
 		cursor = cursor->upperItem;
 	}
 
-	if (count == 0)
+	if (*itemCount < count)
 	{
-		*itemCount = 0;
-		list = NULL;
-		return;
+		// buffer not big enough. buffer must be count high
+		*itemCount = count;
+		return false;
 	}
 
-	void		**mylist;
-	mylist		= (void**)malloc(sizeof(void*) * count);
-	if (mylist)
+	if (list)
 	{
-		list		= mylist;
 		*itemCount	= count;
 
 		cursor = fBottomItem;
@@ -247,17 +244,14 @@ void Workspace::GetWinBorderList(void **&list, int32 *itemCount ) const
 		{
 			if (!cursor->layerPtr->IsHidden())
 			{
-				*mylist	= cursor->layerPtr;
-				mylist++;
+				*list	= cursor->layerPtr;
+				list++;
 			}
 			cursor = cursor->upperItem;
 		}
 	}
-	else
-	{
-		list = NULL;
-		itemCount = 0;
-	}
+
+	return false;
 }
 	
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.h b/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.h
index 365ef46acc..d40298bb25 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/server/Workspace.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 
 			WinBorder*			Focus(void) const;
 			WinBorder*			Front(void) const;
-			void				GetWinBorderList(void **&list, int32 *itemCount ) const;
+			bool				GetWinBorderList(void **list, int32 *itemCount ) const;
 	
 			bool				MoveToBack(WinBorder *newLast);
 			bool				MoveToFront(WinBorder *newFront, bool doNotDisturb = false);