diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f8725b52..061f85af 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ mod x11;
 mod events;
 mod hints;
 
-pub struct MonitorID(uint);
+/// Identifier for a monitor.
+pub struct MonitorID(winimpl::MonitorID);
 
 /// Represents an OpenGL context and the Window or environment around it.
 ///
@@ -85,7 +86,12 @@ impl Window {
         hints: &Hints, monitor: Option<MonitorID>)
         -> Result<Window, String>
     {
+        // extracting the monitor ID
+        let monitor = monitor.map(|id| { let MonitorID(id) = id; id });
+
+        // creating the window
         let win = try!(winimpl::Window::new(dimensions, title, hints, monitor));
+
         Ok(Window{
             window: win,
             nosend: std::kinds::marker::NoSend,
diff --git a/src/win32/mod.rs b/src/win32/mod.rs
index 65374b76..a5df94cf 100644
--- a/src/win32/mod.rs
+++ b/src/win32/mod.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::kinds::marker::NoSend;
 use std::sync::Mutex;
 use std::sync::atomics::AtomicBool;
 use std::ptr;
-use {Event, Hints, MonitorID};
+use {Event, Hints};
 
 mod event;
 mod ffi;
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ pub struct Window {
     nosend: NoSend,
 }
 
+pub struct MonitorID(uint);
+
 /// Stores the list of all the windows.
 /// Only available on callback thread.
 local_data_key!(pub WINDOWS_LIST: Mutex<Vec<(ffi::HWND, Sender<Event>)>>)
diff --git a/src/x11/mod.rs b/src/x11/mod.rs
index cc70a019..e00dc501 100644
--- a/src/x11/mod.rs
+++ b/src/x11/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use {Event, Hints, MonitorID};
+use {Event, Hints};
 use libc;
 use std::{mem, ptr};
 use std::sync::atomics::AtomicBool;
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ pub struct Window {
     wm_delete_window: ffi::Atom,
 }
 
+pub struct MonitorID(uint);
+
 impl Window {
     pub fn new(dimensions: Option<(uint, uint)>, title: &str, hints: &Hints, _: Option<MonitorID>)
         -> Result<Window, String>