diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 79343ab0..55d597eb 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include "i3.h"
 
 typedef struct Config Config;
-extern const char *current_configpath;
+extern char *current_configpath;
 extern Config config;
 extern SLIST_HEAD(modes_head, Mode) modes;
 
diff --git a/include/x.h b/include/x.h
index da4147cc..6b0bae0e 100644
--- a/include/x.h
+++ b/include/x.h
@@ -79,4 +79,10 @@ void x_raise_con(Con *con);
  */
 void x_set_name(Con *con, const char *name);
 
+/**
+ * Sets up i3 specific atoms (I3_SOCKET_PATH and I3_CONFIG_PATH)
+ *
+ */
+void x_set_i3_atoms();
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/cmdparse.y b/src/cmdparse.y
index 37605bb8..e15410a4 100644
--- a/src/cmdparse.y
+++ b/src/cmdparse.y
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ reload:
     {
         printf("reloading\n");
         load_configuration(conn, NULL, true);
+        x_set_i3_atoms();
         /* Send an IPC event just in case the ws names have changed */
         ipc_send_event("workspace", I3_IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE, "{\"change\":\"reload\"}");
     }
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 20b077b7..572b4ab9 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 #include "all.h"
 
-const char *current_configpath = NULL;
+char *current_configpath = NULL;
 Config config;
 struct modes_head modes;
 
@@ -170,60 +170,72 @@ void switch_mode(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *new_mode) {
 }
 
 /*
- * Get the path of the first configuration file found. Checks the home directory
- * first, then the system directory first, always taking into account the XDG
- * Base Directory Specification ($XDG_CONFIG_HOME, $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS)
+ * Get the path of the first configuration file found. If override_configpath
+ * is specified, that path is returned and saved for further calls. Otherwise,
+ * checks the home directory first, then the system directory first, always
+ * taking into account the XDG Base Directory Specification ($XDG_CONFIG_HOME,
+ * $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS)
  *
  */
-static char *get_config_path() {
-        char *xdg_config_home, *xdg_config_dirs, *config_path;
+static char *get_config_path(const char *override_configpath) {
+    char *xdg_config_home, *xdg_config_dirs, *config_path;
 
-        /* 1: check the traditional path under the home directory */
-        config_path = resolve_tilde("~/.i3/config");
-        if (path_exists(config_path))
-                return config_path;
+    static const char *saved_configpath = NULL;
 
-        /* 2: check for $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config */
-        if ((xdg_config_home = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME")) == NULL)
-                xdg_config_home = "~/.config";
+    if (override_configpath != NULL) {
+        saved_configpath = override_configpath;
+        return sstrdup(saved_configpath);
+    }
 
-        xdg_config_home = resolve_tilde(xdg_config_home);
-        if (asprintf(&config_path, "%s/i3/config", xdg_config_home) == -1)
-                die("asprintf() failed");
-        free(xdg_config_home);
+    if (saved_configpath != NULL)
+        return sstrdup(saved_configpath);
 
-        if (path_exists(config_path))
-                return config_path;
-        free(config_path);
+    /* 1: check the traditional path under the home directory */
+    config_path = resolve_tilde("~/.i3/config");
+    if (path_exists(config_path))
+        return config_path;
 
-        /* 3: check the traditional path under /etc */
-        config_path = SYSCONFDIR "/i3/config";
-        if (path_exists(config_path))
-                return sstrdup(config_path);
+    /* 2: check for $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config */
+    if ((xdg_config_home = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME")) == NULL)
+        xdg_config_home = "~/.config";
 
-        /* 4: check for $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/i3/config */
-        if ((xdg_config_dirs = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS")) == NULL)
-                xdg_config_dirs = "/etc/xdg";
+    xdg_config_home = resolve_tilde(xdg_config_home);
+    if (asprintf(&config_path, "%s/i3/config", xdg_config_home) == -1)
+        die("asprintf() failed");
+    free(xdg_config_home);
 
-        char *buf = sstrdup(xdg_config_dirs);
-        char *tok = strtok(buf, ":");
-        while (tok != NULL) {
-                tok = resolve_tilde(tok);
-                if (asprintf(&config_path, "%s/i3/config", tok) == -1)
-                        die("asprintf() failed");
-                free(tok);
-                if (path_exists(config_path)) {
-                        free(buf);
-                        return config_path;
-                }
-                free(config_path);
-                tok = strtok(NULL, ":");
+    if (path_exists(config_path))
+        return config_path;
+    free(config_path);
+
+    /* 3: check the traditional path under /etc */
+    config_path = SYSCONFDIR "/i3/config";
+    if (path_exists(config_path))
+        return sstrdup(config_path);
+
+    /* 4: check for $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/i3/config */
+    if ((xdg_config_dirs = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS")) == NULL)
+        xdg_config_dirs = "/etc/xdg";
+
+    char *buf = sstrdup(xdg_config_dirs);
+    char *tok = strtok(buf, ":");
+    while (tok != NULL) {
+        tok = resolve_tilde(tok);
+        if (asprintf(&config_path, "%s/i3/config", tok) == -1)
+            die("asprintf() failed");
+        free(tok);
+        if (path_exists(config_path)) {
+            free(buf);
+            return config_path;
         }
-        free(buf);
+        free(config_path);
+        tok = strtok(NULL, ":");
+    }
+    free(buf);
 
-        die("Unable to find the configuration file (looked at "
-                "~/.i3/config, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config, "
-                SYSCONFDIR "i3/config and $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/i3/config)");
+    die("Unable to find the configuration file (looked at "
+            "~/.i3/config, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config, "
+            SYSCONFDIR "i3/config and $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/i3/config)");
 }
 
 /*
@@ -233,25 +245,11 @@ static char *get_config_path() {
  *
  */
 static void parse_configuration(const char *override_configpath) {
-    static const char *saved_configpath = NULL;
-
-    if (override_configpath != NULL) {
-        saved_configpath = override_configpath;
-        current_configpath = override_configpath;
-        parse_file(override_configpath);
-        return;
-    }
-    else if (saved_configpath != NULL) {
-        current_configpath = saved_configpath;
-        parse_file(saved_configpath);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    char *path = get_config_path();
+    char *path = get_config_path(override_configpath);
     DLOG("Parsing configfile %s\n", path);
+    FREE(current_configpath);
     current_configpath = path;
     parse_file(path);
-    free(path);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 309fdaac..2f632dd6 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -351,11 +351,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     xcb_change_property(conn, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, root, A__NET_WM_NAME, A_UTF8_STRING, 8, strlen("i3"), "i3");
 
     /* Set up i3 specific atoms like I3_SOCKET_PATH and I3_CONFIG_PATH */
-    xcb_change_property(conn, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, root, A_I3_SOCKET_PATH, A_UTF8_STRING, 8,
-                        (config.ipc_socket_path != NULL ? strlen(config.ipc_socket_path) : 0),
-                        config.ipc_socket_path);
-    xcb_change_property(conn, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, root, A_I3_CONFIG_PATH, A_UTF8_STRING, 8,
-                        strlen(current_configpath), current_configpath);
+    x_set_i3_atoms();
 
     keysyms = xcb_key_symbols_alloc(conn);
 
diff --git a/src/x.c b/src/x.c
index 188be5fb..8af2e62e 100644
--- a/src/x.c
+++ b/src/x.c
@@ -703,3 +703,15 @@ void x_set_name(Con *con, const char *name) {
     FREE(state->name);
     state->name = sstrdup(name);
 }
+
+/*
+ * Sets up i3 specific atoms (I3_SOCKET_PATH and I3_CONFIG_PATH)
+ *
+ */
+void x_set_i3_atoms() {
+    xcb_change_property(conn, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, root, A_I3_SOCKET_PATH, A_UTF8_STRING, 8,
+                        (config.ipc_socket_path != NULL ? strlen(config.ipc_socket_path) : 0),
+                        config.ipc_socket_path);
+    xcb_change_property(conn, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, root, A_I3_CONFIG_PATH, A_UTF8_STRING, 8,
+                        strlen(current_configpath), current_configpath);
+}