diff --git a/src/sugar/activity/activity.py b/src/sugar/activity/activity.py
index 9784b28e..f46d3193 100644
--- a/src/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/src/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -425,13 +425,6 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
         'joined': (gobject.SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST, gobject.TYPE_NONE, ([]))
     }
 
-    __gproperties__ = {
-        'active'          : (bool, None, None, False,
-                             gobject.PARAM_READWRITE),
-        'max-participants': (int, None, None, 0, 1000, 0,
-                             gobject.PARAM_READWRITE)
-    }
-
     def __init__(self, handle, create_jobject=True):
         """Initialise the Activity 
         
@@ -570,24 +563,27 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
             # https://dev.laptop.org/ticket/3071
             datastore.write(self._jobject)
 
-    def do_set_property(self, pspec, value):
-        if pspec.name == 'active':
-            if self._active != value:
-                self._active = value
-                if not self._active and self._jobject:
-                    self.save()
-        elif pspec.name == 'max-participants':
-            self._max_participants = value
-        else:
-            Window.do_set_property(self, pspec, value)
+    def get_active(self):
+        return self._active
 
-    def do_get_property(self, pspec):
-        if pspec.name == 'active':
-            return self._active
-        elif pspec.name == 'max-participants':
-            return self._max_participants
-        else:
-            return Window.do_get_property(self, pspec)
+    def set_active(self, active):
+        if self._active != active:
+            self._active = active
+            if not self._active and self._jobject:
+                self.save()
+
+    active = gobject.property(
+        type=bool, default=False, getter=get_active, setter=set_active)
+
+    def get_max_participants(self):
+        return self._max_participants
+
+    def set_max_participants(self, participants):
+        self._max_participants = participants
+
+    max_participants = gobject.property(
+            type=int, default=0, getter=get_max_participants,
+            setter=set_max_participants)
 
     def get_id(self):
         """Returns the activity id of the current instance of your activity.
diff --git a/src/sugar/graphics/combobox.py b/src/sugar/graphics/combobox.py
index 2924fb35..68a71062 100644
--- a/src/sugar/graphics/combobox.py
+++ b/src/sugar/graphics/combobox.py
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ import gtk
 class ComboBox(gtk.ComboBox):
     __gtype_name__ = 'SugarComboBox'    
 
-    __gproperties__ = {
-        'value'    : (object, None, None,
-                      gobject.PARAM_READABLE)
-    }
     def __init__(self):
         gtk.ComboBox.__init__(self)
 
@@ -39,14 +35,14 @@ class ComboBox(gtk.ComboBox):
 
         self.set_row_separator_func(self._is_separator)
 
-    def do_get_property(self, pspec):
-        if pspec.name == 'value':
-            row = self.get_active_item()
-            if not row:
-                return None
-            return row[0]
-        else:
-            return gtk.ComboBox.do_get_property(self, pspec)
+    def get_value(self):
+        row = self.get_active_item()
+        if not row:
+            return None
+        return row[0]
+
+    value = gobject.property(
+        type=object, getter=get_value, setter=None)
 
     def _get_real_name_from_theme(self, name, size):
         icon_theme = gtk.icon_theme_get_default()
diff --git a/src/sugar/graphics/icon.py b/src/sugar/graphics/icon.py
index f99eadee..0dc82bba 100644
--- a/src/sugar/graphics/icon.py
+++ b/src/sugar/graphics/icon.py
@@ -293,17 +293,6 @@ class _IconBuffer(object):
 class Icon(gtk.Image):
     __gtype_name__ = 'SugarIcon'
 
-    __gproperties__ = {
-        'xo-color'      : (object, None, None,
-                           gobject.PARAM_WRITABLE),
-        'fill-color'    : (object, None, None,
-                           gobject.PARAM_READWRITE),
-        'stroke-color'  : (object, None, None,
-                           gobject.PARAM_READWRITE),
-        'badge-name'    : (str, None, None, None,
-                           gobject.PARAM_READWRITE)
-    }
-
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self._buffer = _IconBuffer()
 
@@ -368,35 +357,46 @@ class Icon(gtk.Image):
         cr.set_source_surface(surface, x, y)
         cr.paint()
 
-    def do_set_property(self, pspec, value):
-        if pspec.name == 'xo-color':
-            if self._buffer.xo_color != value:
-                self._buffer.xo_color = value
-                self.queue_draw()
-        elif pspec.name == 'fill-color':
-            if self._buffer.fill_color != value:
-                self._buffer.fill_color = value
-                self.queue_draw()
-        elif pspec.name == 'stroke-color':
-            if self._buffer.stroke_color != value:
-                self._buffer.stroke_color = value
-                self.queue_draw()
-        elif pspec.name == 'badge-name':
-            if self._buffer.badge_name != value:
-                self._buffer.badge_name = value
-                self.queue_resize()
-        else:
-            gtk.Image.do_set_property(self, pspec, value)
+    def set_xo_color(self, value):
+        if self._buffer.xo_color != value:
+            self._buffer.xo_color = value
+            self.queue_draw()
 
-    def do_get_property(self, pspec):
-        if pspec.name == 'fill-color':
-            return self._buffer.fill_color
-        elif pspec.name == 'stroke-color':
-            return self._buffer.stroke_color
-        elif pspec.name == 'badge-name':
-            return self._buffer.badge_name
-        else:
-            return gtk.Image.do_get_property(self, pspec)
+    xo_color = gobject.property(
+        type=object, getter=None, setter=set_xo_color)
+
+    def set_fill_color(self, value):
+        if self._buffer.fill_color != value:
+            self._buffer.fill_color = value
+            self.queue_draw()
+
+    def get_fill_color(self):
+        return self._buffer.fill_color
+
+    fill_color = gobject.property(
+        type=object, getter=get_fill_color, setter=set_fill_color)
+
+    def set_stroke_color(self, value):
+        if self._buffer.stroke_color != value:
+            self._buffer.stroke_color = value
+            self.queue_draw()
+
+    def get_stroke_color(self):
+        return self._buffer.stroke_color
+
+    stroke_color = gobject.property(
+        type=object, getter=get_stroke_color, setter=set_stroke_color)
+
+    def set_badge_name(self, value):
+        if self._buffer.badge_name != value:
+            self._buffer.badge_name = value
+            self.queue_resize()
+
+    def get_badge_name(self):
+        return self._buffer.badge_name
+
+    badge_name = gobject.property(
+        type=str, getter=get_badge_name, setter=set_badge_name)
 
 class CanvasIcon(hippo.CanvasBox, hippo.CanvasItem):
     __gtype_name__ = 'CanvasIcon'