diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.h b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.h
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.h
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 class KConfig;
 
 #include <kcmodule.h>
-#include <KComboBox>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 
 #include "ui_actions.h"
@@ -68,12 +67,6 @@
 
     KWinMouseConfigForm *m_ui;
     KWinOptionsSettings *m_settings;
-
-    void createMaximizeButtonTooltips(KComboBox* combo);
-
-private Q_SLOTS:
-    void paletteChanged();
-
 };
 
 class KWindowActionsConfig : public KCModule
diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.cpp b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.cpp
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.cpp
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.cpp
@@ -19,100 +19,13 @@
 
 #include "mouse.h"
 
-#include <QLabel>
-#include <KComboBox>
-
-#include <QLayout>
-#include <QSizePolicy>
-#include <QBitmap>
-
-#include <QGroupBox>
-#include <QPixmap>
-#include <QVBoxLayout>
-#include <QHBoxLayout>
-#include <QFormLayout>
-
 #include <QDebug>
-#include <kcolorscheme.h>
-#include <kseparator.h>
 #include <QtDBus>
 
 #include <cstdlib>
 
 #include "kwinoptions_settings.h"
 
-
-namespace
-{
-
-QPixmap maxButtonPixmaps[3];
-
-void createMaxButtonPixmaps()
-{
-    char const *maxButtonXpms[][3 + 13] = {
-        {
-            nullptr, nullptr, nullptr,
-            "...............",
-            ".......#.......",
-            "......###......",
-            ".....#####.....",
-            "..#....#....#..",
-            ".##....#....##.",
-            "###############",
-            ".##....#....##.",
-            "..#....#....#..",
-            ".....#####.....",
-            "......###......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            "..............."
-        },
-        {
-            nullptr, nullptr, nullptr,
-            "...............",
-            ".......#.......",
-            "......###......",
-            ".....#####.....",
-            ".......#.......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            ".....#####.....",
-            "......###......",
-            ".......#.......",
-            "..............."
-        },
-        {
-            nullptr, nullptr, nullptr,
-            "...............",
-            "...............",
-            "...............",
-            "...............",
-            "..#.........#..",
-            ".##.........##.",
-            "###############",
-            ".##.........##.",
-            "..#.........#..",
-            "...............",
-            "...............",
-            "...............",
-            "..............."
-        },
-    };
-
-    QByteArray baseColor(". c " + KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::View).background().color().name().toLatin1());
-    QByteArray textColor("# c " + KColorScheme(QPalette::Active, KColorScheme::View).foreground().color().name().toLatin1());
-    for (int t = 0; t < 3; ++t) {
-        maxButtonXpms[t][0] = "15 13 2 1";
-        maxButtonXpms[t][1] = baseColor.constData();
-        maxButtonXpms[t][2] = textColor.constData();
-        maxButtonPixmaps[t] = QPixmap(maxButtonXpms[t]);
-        maxButtonPixmaps[t].setMask(maxButtonPixmaps[t].createHeuristicMask());
-    }
-}
-
-} // namespace
-
 KWinMouseConfigForm::KWinMouseConfigForm(QWidget *parent)
     : QWidget(parent)
 {
@@ -125,45 +38,15 @@
     setupUi(parent);
 }
 
-void KTitleBarActionsConfig::paletteChanged()
-{
-    createMaxButtonPixmaps();
-    for (int i=0; i<3; ++i) {
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonLeftClickCommand->setItemIcon(i, maxButtonPixmaps[i]);
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonMiddleClickCommand->setItemIcon(i, maxButtonPixmaps[i]);
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonRightClickCommand->setItemIcon(i, maxButtonPixmaps[i]);
-    }
-
-}
-
 KTitleBarActionsConfig::KTitleBarActionsConfig(bool _standAlone, KWinOptionsSettings *settings, QWidget *parent)
     : KCModule(parent), standAlone(_standAlone)
     , m_ui(new KWinMouseConfigForm(this))
     , m_settings(settings)
 {
     addConfig(m_settings, this);
-
-    // create the items for the maximize button actions
-    createMaxButtonPixmaps();
-    for (int i=0; i<3; ++i) {
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonLeftClickCommand->addItem(maxButtonPixmaps[i], QString());
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonMiddleClickCommand->addItem(maxButtonPixmaps[i], QString());
-        m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonRightClickCommand->addItem(maxButtonPixmaps[i], QString());
-    }
-    createMaximizeButtonTooltips(m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonLeftClickCommand);
-    createMaximizeButtonTooltips(m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonMiddleClickCommand);
-    createMaximizeButtonTooltips(m_ui->kcfg_MaximizeButtonRightClickCommand);
-
     load();
 }
 
-void KTitleBarActionsConfig::createMaximizeButtonTooltips(KComboBox *combo)
-{
-    combo->setItemData(0, i18n("Maximize"), Qt::ToolTipRole);
-    combo->setItemData(1, i18n("Maximize (vertical only)"), Qt::ToolTipRole);
-    combo->setItemData(2, i18n("Maximize (horizontal only)"), Qt::ToolTipRole);
-}
-
 void KTitleBarActionsConfig::showEvent(QShowEvent *ev)
 {
     if (!standAlone) {
@@ -176,9 +59,6 @@
 
 void KTitleBarActionsConfig::changeEvent(QEvent *ev)
 {
-    if (ev->type() == QEvent::PaletteChange) {
-        paletteChanged();
-    }
     ev->accept();
 }
 
diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.ui b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.ui
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.ui
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinoptions/mouse.ui
@@ -607,15 +607,24 @@
       </item>
       <item row="0" column="1">
        <widget class="KComboBox" name="kcfg_MaximizeButtonLeftClickCommand">
-        <property name="sizePolicy">
-         <sizepolicy hsizetype="Fixed" vsizetype="Fixed">
-          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-         </sizepolicy>
-        </property>
         <property name="whatsThis">
          <string>Behavior on &lt;em&gt;left&lt;/em&gt; click onto the maximize button.</string>
         </property>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (vertical only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (horizontal only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
        </widget>
       </item>
       <item row="1" column="0">
@@ -633,15 +642,24 @@
       </item>
       <item row="1" column="1">
        <widget class="KComboBox" name="kcfg_MaximizeButtonMiddleClickCommand">
-        <property name="sizePolicy">
-         <sizepolicy hsizetype="Fixed" vsizetype="Fixed">
-          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-         </sizepolicy>
-        </property>
         <property name="whatsThis">
          <string>Behavior on &lt;em&gt;middle&lt;/em&gt; click onto the maximize button.</string>
         </property>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (vertical only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (horizontal only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
        </widget>
       </item>
       <item row="2" column="0">
@@ -659,15 +677,24 @@
       </item>
       <item row="2" column="1">
        <widget class="KComboBox" name="kcfg_MaximizeButtonRightClickCommand">
-        <property name="sizePolicy">
-         <sizepolicy hsizetype="Fixed" vsizetype="Fixed">
-          <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-          <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-         </sizepolicy>
-        </property>
         <property name="whatsThis">
          <string>Behavior on &lt;em&gt;right&lt;/em&gt; click onto the maximize button.</string>
         </property>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (vertical only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
+        <item>
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Maximize (horizontal only)</string>
+         </property>
+        </item>
        </widget>
       </item>
      </layout>