diff --git a/server/atom.c b/server/atom.c
index eb32bfab112..eda4a64d748 100644
--- a/server/atom.c
+++ b/server/atom.c
@@ -286,18 +286,12 @@ static atom_t find_atom( struct atom_table *table, const WCHAR *str, size_t len
 
 static struct atom_table *get_global_table( struct winstation *winstation, int create )
 {
-    struct atom_table *global_table;
-
-    if (!(global_table = get_winstation_atom_table( winstation )))
+    if (!winstation->atom_table)
     {
-        if (create)
-        {
-            global_table = create_table( HASH_SIZE );
-            if (global_table) set_winstation_atom_table( winstation, global_table );
-        }
+        if (create) winstation->atom_table = create_table( HASH_SIZE );
         else set_error( STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND );
     }
-    return global_table;
+    return winstation->atom_table;
 }
 
 static struct atom_table *get_table( obj_handle_t h, int create )
diff --git a/server/clipboard.c b/server/clipboard.c
index 9b3cac07c82..efa5b7b7e63 100644
--- a/server/clipboard.c
+++ b/server/clipboard.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static struct clipboard *get_process_clipboard(void)
 
     if (!winstation) return NULL;
 
-    if (!(clipboard = get_winstation_clipboard( winstation )))
+    if (!(clipboard = winstation->clipboard))
     {
         if ((clipboard = alloc_object( &clipboard_ops )))
         {
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static struct clipboard *get_process_clipboard(void)
             clipboard->viewer = 0;
             clipboard->seqno = 0;
             clipboard->seqno_timestamp = 0;
-            set_winstation_clipboard( winstation, clipboard );
+            winstation->clipboard = clipboard;
         }
     }
     release_object( winstation );
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void cleanup_clipboard_thread(struct thread *thread)
 
     if (!winstation) return;
 
-    if ((clipboard = get_winstation_clipboard( winstation )))
+    if ((clipboard = winstation->clipboard))
     {
         if (thread == clipboard->open_thread)
         {
diff --git a/server/user.h b/server/user.h
index 5bf3735e3a5..7e1f64af4fe 100644
--- a/server/user.h
+++ b/server/user.h
@@ -40,6 +40,24 @@ enum user_object
 
 #define DESKTOP_ATOM  ((atom_t)32769)
 
+struct winstation
+{
+    struct object      obj;                /* object header */
+    unsigned int       flags;              /* winstation flags */
+    struct list        entry;              /* entry in global winstation list */
+    struct list        desktops;           /* list of desktops of this winstation */
+    struct clipboard  *clipboard;          /* clipboard information */
+    struct atom_table *atom_table;         /* global atom table */
+};
+
+struct desktop
+{
+    struct object      obj;           /* object header */
+    unsigned int       flags;         /* desktop flags */
+    struct winstation *winstation;    /* winstation this desktop belongs to */
+    struct list        entry;         /* entry in winstation list of desktops */
+};
+
 /* user handles functions */
 
 extern user_handle_t alloc_user_handle( void *ptr, enum user_object type );
@@ -125,10 +143,7 @@ extern void *get_class_client_ptr( struct window_class *class );
 /* windows station functions */
 
 extern struct winstation *get_process_winstation( struct process *process, unsigned int access );
-extern void set_winstation_clipboard( struct winstation *winstation, struct clipboard *clipboard );
-extern void set_winstation_atom_table( struct winstation *winstation, struct atom_table *table );
-extern struct clipboard *get_winstation_clipboard( struct winstation *winstation );
-extern struct atom_table *get_winstation_atom_table( struct winstation *winstation );
+extern struct desktop *get_thread_desktop( struct thread *thread, unsigned int access );
 extern void connect_process_winstation( struct process *process, const WCHAR *name, size_t len );
 extern void connect_process_desktop( struct process *process, const WCHAR *name, size_t len );
 extern void close_thread_desktop( struct thread *thread );
diff --git a/server/winstation.c b/server/winstation.c
index 0d473cad506..8c67d59ed45 100644
--- a/server/winstation.c
+++ b/server/winstation.c
@@ -35,23 +35,6 @@
 #include "user.h"
 #include "wine/unicode.h"
 
-struct winstation
-{
-    struct object      obj;                /* object header */
-    unsigned int       flags;              /* winstation flags */
-    struct list        entry;              /* entry in global winstation list */
-    struct list        desktops;           /* list of desktops of this winstation */
-    struct clipboard  *clipboard;          /* clipboard information */
-    struct atom_table *atom_table;         /* global atom table */
-};
-
-struct desktop
-{
-    struct object      obj;           /* object header */
-    unsigned int       flags;         /* desktop flags */
-    struct winstation *winstation;    /* winstation this desktop belongs to */
-    struct list        entry;         /* entry in winstation list of desktops */
-};
 
 static struct list winstation_list = LIST_INIT(winstation_list);
 static struct winstation *interactive_winstation;
@@ -155,30 +138,6 @@ struct winstation *get_process_winstation( struct process *process, unsigned int
                                                 access, &winstation_ops );
 }
 
-/* set the pointer to the (opaque) clipboard info */
-void set_winstation_clipboard( struct winstation *winstation, struct clipboard *clipboard )
-{
-    winstation->clipboard = clipboard;
-}
-
-/* retrieve the pointer to the (opaque) clipboard info */
-struct clipboard *get_winstation_clipboard( struct winstation *winstation )
-{
-    return winstation->clipboard;
-}
-
-/* set the pointer to the (opaque) atom table */
-void set_winstation_atom_table( struct winstation *winstation, struct atom_table *table )
-{
-    winstation->atom_table = table;
-}
-
-/* retrieve the pointer to the (opaque) clipboard info */
-struct atom_table *get_winstation_atom_table( struct winstation *winstation )
-{
-    return winstation->atom_table;
-}
-
 /* build the full name of a desktop object */
 static WCHAR *build_desktop_name( const WCHAR *name, size_t len,
                                   struct winstation *winstation, size_t *res_len )
@@ -263,6 +222,12 @@ static void desktop_destroy( struct object *obj )
     release_object( desktop->winstation );
 }
 
+/* retrieve the thread desktop, checking the handle access rights */
+struct desktop *get_thread_desktop( struct thread *thread, unsigned int access )
+{
+    return get_desktop_obj( thread->process, thread->desktop, access );
+}
+
 /* connect a process to its window station */
 void connect_process_winstation( struct process *process, const WCHAR *name, size_t len )
 {