diff --git a/src/ClientMessage.cxx b/src/ClientMessage.cxx
index 6fbcf3371..619964b3c 100644
--- a/src/ClientMessage.cxx
+++ b/src/ClientMessage.cxx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #include "ClientMessage.hxx"
 
-#include <assert.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 
 G_GNUC_PURE
diff --git a/src/Idle.cxx b/src/Idle.cxx
index fce0cb7da..f1423ebeb 100644
--- a/src/Idle.cxx
+++ b/src/Idle.cxx
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@
 #include "Idle.hxx"
 #include "GlobalEvents.hxx"
 
-#include <assert.h>
-#include <glib.h>
+#include <atomic>
 
-static unsigned idle_flags;
-static GMutex *idle_mutex = NULL;
+#include <assert.h>
+
+static std::atomic_uint idle_flags;
 
 static const char *const idle_names[] = {
 	"database",
@@ -44,32 +44,15 @@ static const char *const idle_names[] = {
 	"update",
 	"subscription",
 	"message",
-        NULL
+	nullptr
 };
 
-void
-idle_init(void)
-{
-	g_assert(idle_mutex == NULL);
-	idle_mutex = g_mutex_new();
-}
-
-void
-idle_deinit(void)
-{
-	g_assert(idle_mutex != NULL);
-	g_mutex_free(idle_mutex);
-	idle_mutex = NULL;
-}
-
 void
 idle_add(unsigned flags)
 {
 	assert(flags != 0);
 
-	g_mutex_lock(idle_mutex);
 	idle_flags |= flags;
-	g_mutex_unlock(idle_mutex);
 
 	GlobalEvents::Emit(GlobalEvents::IDLE);
 }
@@ -77,14 +60,7 @@ idle_add(unsigned flags)
 unsigned
 idle_get(void)
 {
-	unsigned flags;
-
-	g_mutex_lock(idle_mutex);
-	flags = idle_flags;
-	idle_flags = 0;
-	g_mutex_unlock(idle_mutex);
-
-	return flags;
+	return idle_flags.fetch_and(0);
 }
 
 const char*const*
diff --git a/src/Idle.hxx b/src/Idle.hxx
index e77061300..6e4fbf787 100644
--- a/src/Idle.hxx
+++ b/src/Idle.hxx
@@ -61,18 +61,6 @@ enum {
 	IDLE_MESSAGE = 0x400,
 };
 
-/**
- * Initialize the mutex
- */
-void
-idle_init(void);
-
-/**
- * Destroy the mutex
- */
-void
-idle_deinit(void);
-
 /**
  * Adds idle flag (with bitwise "or") and queues notifications to all
  * clients.
diff --git a/src/Main.cxx b/src/Main.cxx
index a07e8fefa..6ccede6f1 100644
--- a/src/Main.cxx
+++ b/src/Main.cxx
@@ -375,7 +375,6 @@ int mpd_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	io_thread_init();
 	winsock_init();
-	idle_init();
 	config_global_init();
 
 	success = parse_cmdline(argc, argv, &options, &error);
@@ -565,7 +564,6 @@ int mpd_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	archive_plugin_deinit_all();
 #endif
 	config_global_finish();
-	idle_deinit();
 	stats_global_finish();
 	io_thread_deinit();
 	daemonize_finish();