diff --git a/wmix/include/misc.h b/wmix/include/misc.h
index 5a70664..7794111 100644
--- a/wmix/include/misc.h
+++ b/wmix/include/misc.h
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ double		get_current_time(void);
 void		add_region	(int index, int x, int y, int width, int height);
 int		check_region	(int x, int y);
 void		config_read	(void);
+void		create_pid_file	(void);
diff --git a/wmix/misc.c b/wmix/misc.c
index 3c7e854..544a6e9 100644
--- a/wmix/misc.c
+++ b/wmix/misc.c
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 
 #include "include/common.h"
@@ -161,3 +163,24 @@ void config_read(void)
     }
     fclose(fp);
 }
+
+/* handle writing PID file, silently ignore if we can't do it */
+void create_pid_file(void)
+{
+    char *home;
+    char *pid;
+    FILE *fp;
+
+    home = getenv("HOME");
+    if (home == NULL)
+	return;
+
+    pid = calloc(1, strlen(home) + 10);
+    sprintf(pid, "%s/.wmix.pid", home);
+    fp = fopen(pid, "w");
+    if (fp) {
+	fprintf(fp, "%d\n", getpid());
+	fclose(fp);
+    }
+    free(pid);
+}
diff --git a/wmix/wmix.c b/wmix/wmix.c
index eed28b6..84b1e42 100644
--- a/wmix/wmix.c
+++ b/wmix/wmix.c
@@ -121,8 +121,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     XEvent event;
     char *home;
-    char *pid;
-    FILE *fp;
 
     memset(&config, 0, sizeof(config));
 
@@ -133,16 +131,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	sprintf(config.file, "%s/.wmixrc", home);
     }
 
-    /* handle writing PID file, silently ignore if we can't do it */
-    pid = calloc(1, strlen(home) + 10);
-    sprintf(pid, "%s/.wmix.pid", home);
-    fp = fopen(pid, "w");
-    if (fp) {
-	fprintf(fp, "%d\n", getpid());
-	fclose(fp);
-    }
-    free(pid);
-
     /* default values */
     config.mousewheel = 1;
     config.scrolltext = 1;
@@ -197,6 +185,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     add_region(10, 3, 4, 56, 7);	/* re-scroll current channel name */
 
     /* setup up/down signal handler */
+    create_pid_file();
     signal(SIGUSR1, (void *) signal_catch);
     signal(SIGUSR2, (void *) signal_catch);