diff --git a/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp b/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
index 84da10d65a..0307377a3f 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/ServerApp.cpp
@@ -400,47 +400,48 @@ ServerApp::_MessageLooper()
 					frame.right = frame.left + 1;
 					frame.bottom = frame.top + 1;
 				}
-				
-				bool success = false;
+
+				status_t status = B_ERROR;
 				ServerWindow *window = NULL;
-				
+
 				if (code == AS_CREATE_OFFSCREEN_WINDOW) {
 					ServerBitmap* bitmap = FindBitmap(bitmapToken);
-				
-					if (bitmap != NULL)
-						// ServerWindow constructor will reply with port_id of a newly created port
-						window = new OffscreenServerWindow(title, this, clientReplyPort, 
-																looperPort, token, bitmap);
-					else
-						free(title);
+
+					if (bitmap != NULL) {
+						window = new OffscreenServerWindow(title, this, clientReplyPort,
+							looperPort, token, bitmap);
+					}
 				} else {
 					window = new ServerWindow(title, this, clientReplyPort, looperPort, token);
 					STRACE(("\nServerApp %s: New Window %s (%.1f,%.1f,%.1f,%.1f)\n",
-							fSignature(), title, frame.left, frame.top, frame.right, frame.bottom));
+						fSignature(), title, frame.left, frame.top, frame.right, frame.bottom));
 				}
-				
-				// NOTE: the reply to the client is handled in window->Run()				
+
+				free(title);
+
+				// NOTE: the reply to the client is handled in ServerWindow::Run()
 				if (window != NULL) {
-					success = window->Init(frame, look, feel, flags, workspaces) >= B_OK && window->Run();
+					status = window->Init(frame, look, feel, flags, workspaces);
+					if (status == B_OK && !window->Run())
+						status = B_ERROR;
 
 					// add the window to the list
-					if (success && fWindowListLock.Lock()) {
-						success = fWindowList.AddItem(window);
+					if (status == B_OK && fWindowListLock.Lock()) {
+						status = fWindowList.AddItem(window) ? B_OK : B_NO_MEMORY;
 						fWindowListLock.Unlock();
 					}
 
-					if (!success)
+					if (status < B_OK)
 						delete window;
 				}
-				
-				if (!success) {
+
+				// if sucessful, ServerWindow::Run() will already have replied
+				if (status < B_OK) {
 					// window creation failed, we need to notify the client
 					BPrivate::LinkSender reply(clientReplyPort);
-					reply.StartMessage(SERVER_FALSE);
+					reply.StartMessage(status);
 					reply.Flush();
 				}
-
-				// We don't have to free the title, as it's owned by the ServerWindow now
 				break;
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
index 1b3b69d918..f33f527aa0 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ struct dw_sync_data {
 ServerWindow::ServerWindow(const char *title, ServerApp *app,
 						   port_id clientPort, port_id looperPort, int32 handlerID)
 	: MessageLooper(title && *title ? title : "Unnamed Window"),
-	fTitle(title),
+	fTitle(NULL),
 	fDesktop(app->GetDesktop()),
 	fServerApp(app),
 	fWinBorder(NULL),
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ ServerWindow::ServerWindow(const char *title, ServerApp *app,
 {
 	STRACE(("ServerWindow(%s)::ServerWindow()\n", title));
 
+	SetTitle(title);
 	fServerToken = BPrivate::gDefaultTokens.NewToken(B_SERVER_TOKEN, this);
 }
 
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@ ServerWindow::~ServerWindow()
 
 	delete fWinBorder;
 
-	free(const_cast<char *>(fTitle));
+	free(fTitle);
 	delete_port(fMessagePort);
 
 	BPrivate::gDefaultTokens.RemoveToken(fServerToken);
@@ -173,8 +174,6 @@ ServerWindow::~ServerWindow()
 status_t
 ServerWindow::Init(BRect frame, uint32 look, uint32 feel, uint32 flags, uint32 workspace)
 {
-	if (fTitle == NULL)
-		fTitle = strdup("Unnamed Window");
 	if (fTitle == NULL)
 		return B_NO_MEMORY;
 
@@ -240,7 +239,11 @@ ServerWindow::_PrepareQuit()
 void
 ServerWindow::_GetLooperName(char* name, size_t length)
 {
-	snprintf(name, length, "w:%ld:%s", ClientTeam(), Title());
+	const char *title = Title();
+	if (title == NULL || !title[0])
+		title = "Unnamed Window";
+
+	snprintf(name, length, "w:%ld:%s", ClientTeam(), title);
 }
 
 
@@ -301,23 +304,23 @@ ServerWindow::Hide()
 void
 ServerWindow::SetTitle(const char* newTitle)
 {
-	const char* oldTitle = fTitle;
+	char* oldTitle = fTitle;
 
-	if (newTitle == NULL || !newTitle[0])
-		fTitle = strdup("Unnamed Window");
-	else
-		fTitle = strdup(newTitle);
+	if (newTitle == NULL)
+		newTitle = "";
 
+	fTitle = strdup(newTitle);
 	if (fTitle == NULL) {
+		// out of memory condition
 		fTitle = oldTitle;
 		return;
 	}
 
-	free(const_cast<char*>(oldTitle));
+	free(oldTitle);
 
 	if (Thread() >= B_OK) {
 		char name[B_OS_NAME_LENGTH];
-		snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "w:%ld:%s", ClientTeam(), fTitle);
+		_GetLooperName(name, sizeof(name));
 		rename_thread(Thread(), name);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.h b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.h
index 536bc7dba9..4ac592bcdb 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/ServerWindow.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ private:
 												BPoint where);
 
 private:
-			const char*			fTitle;
+			char*				fTitle;
 
 			Desktop*			fDesktop;
 			ServerApp*			fServerApp;