diff --git a/autostart/autostart/compositing.sh b/autostart/autostart/compositing.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5208828
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/compositing.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+log "starting composite manager"
+xcompmgr & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/keyboard.sh b/autostart/autostart/keyboard.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ba6289a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/keyboard.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+keyboard_layout=de
+keyboard_variant=nodeadkeys
+keyboard_repeat_delay=150
+keyboard_repeat_speed=50
+
+log "setting keyboard layout"
+setxkbmap -layout "$keyboard_layout" -variant "$keyboard_variant" & &>> $LOGFILE
+
+log "setting key repeat delay"
+xset r rate "$keyboard_repeat_delay" "$keyboard_repeat_speed" & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/network.sh b/autostart/autostart/network.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3e769dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/network.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+log "starting network tray application"
+nm-applet & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/pasystray.sh b/autostart/autostart/pasystray.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..03a343e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/pasystray.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+log "starting pasystray"
+pasystray & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/redshift.sh b/autostart/autostart/redshift.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d9cff15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/redshift.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# redshift settings
+redshift_lat_long="49.5:11"
+redshift_colortemp="5500:3700"
+
+log "starting redshift-gtk"
+redshift-gtk -l "$redshift_lat_long" -t "$redshift_colortemp" & &>> "$LOGFILE"
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/screen.sh b/autostart/autostart/screen.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..805d342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/screen.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+log "disable screen blanking"
+xset -dpms & &>> $LOGFILE
+xset s off & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/seafile.sh b/autostart/autostart/seafile.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2985064
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/seafile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+log "starting seafile"
+seafile-applet & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/synclient.sh b/autostart/autostart/synclient.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e711bcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/synclient.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+log "configuring synclient"
+synclient VertEdgeScroll=0
+synclient VertTwoFingerScroll=1
+synclient MaxSpeed=2.2
+synclient AccelFactor=0.08
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/wallchanger.sh b/autostart/autostart/wallchanger.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5c5ebbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/wallchanger.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+path_wallchanger="$HOME/projects/wallchanger/wallchanger"
+wallchanger_pidfile="$RUNDIR/wallchanger.pid"
+wallpaper_directory="$HOME/pictures/wallpaper/misc"
+wallpaper_logfile="$LOGDIR/wallpaper.log"
+wallpaper_fallback="$HOME/.i3/data/wallpaper/"
+wallpaper_interval="10800"
+
+log "starting $path_wallchanger"
+{
+    sleep 0
+    $path_wallchanger "$wallpaper_directory" "$wallpaper_interval" "$wallpaper_fallback" &
+    echo $! > "$wallchanger_pidfile"
+} & &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/autostart/autostart/xresources.sh b/autostart/autostart/xresources.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a7010ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autostart/autostart/xresources.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+log "parsing .Xresources"
+xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources &>> $LOGFILE
diff --git a/scripts/setup.bash b/scripts/setup.bash
index 9dc26b6..340bb8d 100755
--- a/scripts/setup.bash
+++ b/scripts/setup.bash
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ backup_dir="$HOME/.dotfiles.bak/"
 
 # the following folders inside $config_dir will be inspected and the
 # contents symlinked:
-symlink_folders='git i3 vim zsh x tmux'
+symlink_folders='git i3 vim zsh x tmux autostart'
 
 MAPPING_SEPARATOR='::'
 
diff --git a/x/xinitrc b/x/xinitrc
index 8606a3a..af0861b 100755
--- a/x/xinitrc
+++ b/x/xinitrc
@@ -1,20 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 export LOGDIR="$HOME/.var/log"
-export RUNDIR="$HOME/.var/run"
-
-[[ ! -d "LOGDIR" ]] && mkdir -p "$LOGDIR"
-[[ ! -d "RUNDIR" ]] && mkdir -p "$RUNDIR"
-
 LOGFILE="$LOGDIR/xinitrc.log"
 
 log() {
     echo "[$(date +%FT%T)] $*" >> "$LOGFILE"
 }
 
-log "xinitrc startup"
-
-xsetroot -solid '#333333'
 
 if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ]; then
   for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/*; do
@@ -26,103 +18,23 @@ fi
 [ -f /etc/xprofile ] && source /etc/xprofile
 [ -f ~/.xprofile ] && source ~/.xprofile
 
-export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
-
 start_wm() {
     log "starting i3"
     exec i3 -c "$HOME/.i3/config" >> "$LOGDIR/i3/i3.log"
 }
 
+autostart() {
+    if [[ -d "$HOME/.autostart" ]] ; then
+        log "Looking for autostart files."
+        for f in "$HOME/.autostart/"*.sh ; do
+            if [[ -x "$f" ]] ; then
+                log "Executing autostart file \"$f\""
+                . "$f"
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
+}
 
-# keyboard options
-keyboard_layout=de
-keyboard_variant=nodeadkeys
-keyboard_repeat_delay=150
-keyboard_repeat_speed=50
-
-# path and options for the wallpaper changer script
-path_wallchanger="$HOME/projects/wallchanger/wallchanger"
-wallchanger_pidfile="$RUNDIR/wallchanger.pid"
-wallpaper_directory="$HOME/pictures/wallpaper/misc"
-wallpaper_logfile="$LOGDIR/wallpaper.log"
-wallpaper_fallback="$HOME/.i3/data/wallpaper/"
-wallpaper_interval="10800"
-
-# redshift settings
-redshift_lat_long="49.5:11"
-redshift_colortemp="5500:3700"
-
-# start mpd
-if ! pgrep --euid hannes --exact '^mpd$' ; then
-    log "mpd is not running, starting mpd"
-    mpd "$HOME/.mpd/mpd.conf" & &>> $LOGFILE
-else
-    log "mpd already running, will not start another instance"
-fi
-
-log "starting zim in tray"
-zim --plugin trayicon & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# start the pulseaudio volume control tray applet
-log "starting pasystray"
-pasystray & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# start dropbox
-log "starting dropboxd"
-nice -n 10 ionice -c 3 dropboxd & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-#log "starting conky clock on desktop"
-#{
-#    sleep 1
-#    conky -c "$HOME/.conky/clock.conkyrc"
-#} & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# start the wallpaper changer
-log "starting $path_wallchanger"
-{
-    sleep 0
-    $path_wallchanger "$wallpaper_directory" "$wallpaper_interval" "$wallpaper_fallback" &
-    echo $! > "$wallchanger_pidfile"
-} & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# start redshift
-log "starting redshift-gtk"
-redshift-gtk -l "$redshift_lat_long" -t "$redshift_colortemp" & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# set keyboard layout
-log "setting keyboard layout"
-setxkbmap -layout "$keyboard_layout" -variant "$keyboard_variant" & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# set key repeat delay
-log "setting key repeat delay"
-xset r rate "$keyboard_repeat_delay" "$keyboard_repeat_speed" & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-log "starting alarm clock applet"
-alarm-clock-applet --hidden & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-log "starting composite manager"
-xcompmgr & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-log "starting network tray application"
-nm-applet & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-log "starting seafile"
-seafile-applet & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-# disable auto screen disable
-xset -dpms & &>> $LOGFILE
-xset s off & &>> $LOGFILE
-
-if [[ -f ~/.Xresources ]] ; then
-    log "found ~/.Xresources, merging it into xrdb"
-    xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources &>> $LOGFILE
-else
-    log "~/.Xresources not found"
-fi
-
-synclient VertEdgeScroll=0
-synclient VertTwoFingerScroll=1
-synclient MaxSpeed=2.2
-synclient AccelFactor=0.08
+autostart
 
 start_wm