diff -upr marco-1.7.0-orig/src/Makefile.am marco-1.7.0/src/Makefile.am
--- marco-1.7.0-orig/src/Makefile.am	2014-01-25 11:38:54.000000000 +0100
+++ marco-1.7.0/src/Makefile.am	2014-02-10 19:16:21.430872812 +0100
@@ -191,14 +191,27 @@ xml_in_files = \
 	50-marco-global-key.xml.in
 xml_DATA = $(xml_in_files:.xml.in=.xml)
 
-BUILT_SOURCES =
+@INTLTOOL_SCHEMAS_RULE@
+
+IMAGES=stock_maximize.png stock_minimize.png stock_delete.png window.png mini-window.png
+VARIABLES=stock_maximize_data $(srcdir)/stock_maximize.png \
+          stock_minimize_data $(srcdir)/stock_minimize.png \
+          stock_delete_data $(srcdir)/stock_delete.png \
+          mini_window_data $(srcdir)/mini-window.png \
+          window_data $(srcdir)/window.png
+
+BUILT_SOURCES = inlinepixbufs.h
 CLEANFILES = \
+	inlinepixbufs.h \
 	marco.desktop \
 	marco-wm.desktop \
 	50-marco-desktop-key.xml \
 	50-marco-global-key.xml \
 	50-marco-window-key.xml
 
+inlinepixbufs.h: $(IMAGES)
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(GDK_PIXBUF_CSOURCE) --raw --build-list $(VARIABLES) >$(srcdir)/inlinepixbufs.h
+
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 
 pkgconfig_DATA = libmarco-private.pc
diff -upr marco-1.7.0-orig/src/ui/ui.c marco-1.7.0/src/ui/ui.c
--- marco-1.7.0-orig/src/ui/ui.c	2014-01-25 11:38:54.000000000 +0100
+++ marco-1.7.0/src/ui/ui.c	2014-02-10 19:30:19.805185197 +0100
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "core.h"
 #include "theme.h"
 
+#include "inlinepixbufs.h"
+
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <cairo-xlib.h>
 #endif
 
+static void meta_stock_icons_init (void);
 static void meta_ui_accelerator_parse(const char* accel, guint* keysym, guint* keycode, GdkModifierType* keymask);
 
 struct _MetaUI {
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ void meta_ui_init(int* argc, char*** arg
 	if (!gtk_init_check (argc, argv))
 	{
 		meta_fatal ("Unable to open X display %s\n", XDisplayName (NULL));
+		meta_stock_icons_init ();
 	}
 }
 
@@ -626,6 +630,7 @@ meta_image_window_set (MetaImageWindow *
                        int              x,
                        int              y)
 {
+  GdkWindow *window;
 #if GTK_CHECK_VERSION (3, 0, 0)
   cairo_t *cr;
 #endif
@@ -652,7 +657,8 @@ meta_image_window_set (MetaImageWindow *
   cairo_destroy (cr);
 #endif
 
-  gdk_window_set_back_pixmap (gtk_widget_get_window (iw->window),
+  window = gtk_widget_get_window (iw->window);
+  gdk_window_set_back_pixmap (window,
                               iw->pixmap,
                               FALSE);
 
@@ -845,11 +851,9 @@ meta_ui_get_default_window_icon (MetaUI
                                                    0,
                                                    NULL);
       else
-          default_icon = gtk_icon_theme_load_icon (theme,
-                                                   "image-missing",
-                                                   META_ICON_WIDTH,
-                                                   0,
-                                                   NULL);
+          default_icon = gdk_pixbuf_new_from_inline (-1, window_data,
+                                                     FALSE,
+                                                     NULL);
 
       g_assert (default_icon);
     }
@@ -880,11 +884,9 @@ meta_ui_get_default_mini_icon (MetaUI *u
                                                    0,
                                                    NULL);
       else
-          default_icon = gtk_icon_theme_load_icon (theme,
-                                                   "image-missing",
-                                                   META_MINI_ICON_WIDTH,
-                                                   0,
-                                                   NULL);
+          default_icon = gdk_pixbuf_new_from_inline (-1, window_data,
+                                                     FALSE,
+                                                     NULL);
 
       g_assert (default_icon);
     }
@@ -1194,6 +1196,41 @@ typedef struct {
 	const guint8* icon_data;
 } MetaStockIcon;
 
+static void
+meta_stock_icons_init (void)
+{
+  GtkIconFactory *factory;
+  int i;
+
+  MetaStockIcon items[] =
+  {
+    { MARCO_STOCK_DELETE,   stock_delete_data   },
+    { MARCO_STOCK_MINIMIZE, stock_minimize_data },
+    { MARCO_STOCK_MAXIMIZE, stock_maximize_data }
+  };
+
+  factory = gtk_icon_factory_new ();
+  gtk_icon_factory_add_default (factory);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < (gint) G_N_ELEMENTS (items); i++)
+    {
+      GtkIconSet *icon_set;
+      GdkPixbuf *pixbuf;
+
+      pixbuf = gdk_pixbuf_new_from_inline (-1, items[i].icon_data,
+					   FALSE,
+					   NULL);
+
+      icon_set = gtk_icon_set_new_from_pixbuf (pixbuf);
+      gtk_icon_factory_add (factory, items[i].stock_id, icon_set);
+      gtk_icon_set_unref (icon_set);
+      
+      g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (pixbuf));
+    }
+
+  g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (factory));
+}
+
 int meta_ui_get_drag_threshold(MetaUI* ui)
 {
 	int threshold = 8;