diff --git a/awesome/background_widget.lua b/awesome/background_widget.lua
index 4e3b1bc..593fe4d 100644
--- a/awesome/background_widget.lua
+++ b/awesome/background_widget.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ local json = require('jsonutils')
 local home = os.getenv('HOME')
 local todo_path = home .. '/.config/todo/todo.json'
 
-function todo_list_widget(index, todo, s)
+local widget = nil
+
+function todo_list_widget(index, todo)
 
     local text = '\n    <b>' .. index .. '. ' .. todo.title .. '</b>    \n'
 
@@ -35,10 +37,14 @@ function todo_list_widget(index, todo, s)
 
 end
 
-function add_background_widget(s)
+function update_background_widget(s)
 
     awful.spawn.easy_async_with_shell(":", function()
 
+        if widget ~= nil then
+            widget:remove()
+        end
+
         local f = io.open(todo_path, "rb")
 
         if f ~= nil then
@@ -62,7 +68,7 @@ function add_background_widget(s)
             local widgets = {}
 
             for key, val in pairs(todo) do
-                l:add(todo_list_widget(key, val, s))
+                l:add(todo_list_widget(key, val))
             end
 
             background_widget = awful.wibar({
@@ -78,6 +84,8 @@ function add_background_widget(s)
 
             background_widget:struts({left=0, right=0, top=0, bottom=0})
 
+            widget = background_widget
+
         end
 
     end)
diff --git a/awesome/rc.lua b/awesome/rc.lua
index e7d9e2d..f93c416 100644
--- a/awesome/rc.lua
+++ b/awesome/rc.lua
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ awful.screen.connect_for_each_screen(function(s)
         },
     }
 
-    add_background_widget(s)
+    update_background_widget(s)
 
 end)
 -- }}}