diff --git a/include/view.h b/include/view.h
index 0c2f621a..a5106d5a 100644
--- a/include/view.h
+++ b/include/view.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ enum three_state {
  * Therefore when parsing rc.xml, "None" means "Invalid".
  */
 enum view_axis {
+	VIEW_AXIS_INVALID = -1,
 	VIEW_AXIS_NONE = 0,
 	VIEW_AXIS_HORIZONTAL = (1 << 0),
 	VIEW_AXIS_VERTICAL = (1 << 1),
@@ -291,9 +292,7 @@ struct view_query {
 	char *sandbox_engine;
 	char *sandbox_app_id;
 	enum three_state shaded;
-	enum three_state maximized_full;
-	enum three_state maximized_vertical;
-	enum three_state maximized_horizontal;
+	enum view_axis maximized;
 	enum three_state iconified;
 	enum three_state focused;
 	enum three_state omnipresent;
diff --git a/src/action.c b/src/action.c
index 0c5c7c7d..5816226c 100644
--- a/src/action.c
+++ b/src/action.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ action_arg_from_xml_node(struct action *action, const char *nodename, const char
 	case ACTION_TYPE_UNMAXIMIZE:
 		if (!strcmp(argument, "direction")) {
 			enum view_axis axis = view_axis_parse(content);
-			if (axis == VIEW_AXIS_NONE) {
+			if (axis == VIEW_AXIS_NONE || axis == VIEW_AXIS_INVALID) {
 				wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Invalid argument for action %s: '%s' (%s)",
 					action_names[action->type], argument, content);
 			} else {
diff --git a/src/config/rcxml.c b/src/config/rcxml.c
index 7ab3aa1c..83eee9c7 100644
--- a/src/config/rcxml.c
+++ b/src/config/rcxml.c
@@ -119,33 +119,6 @@ parse_window_type(const char *type)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
-parse_maximized_query(const char *content, struct view_query *query)
-{
-	if (!query || !content) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	query->maximized_full = LAB_STATE_UNSPECIFIED;
-	query->maximized_vertical = LAB_STATE_UNSPECIFIED;
-	query->maximized_horizontal = LAB_STATE_UNSPECIFIED;
-
-	if (!strcasecmp(content, "yes") || !strcasecmp(content, "full")) {
-		query->maximized_full = LAB_STATE_ENABLED;
-	} else if (!strcasecmp(content, "horizontal")) {
-		query->maximized_horizontal = LAB_STATE_ENABLED;
-	} else if (!strcasecmp(content, "vertical")) {
-		query->maximized_vertical = LAB_STATE_ENABLED;
-	} else if (!strcasecmp(content, "no") || !strcasecmp(content, "none")) {
-		query->maximized_full = LAB_STATE_DISABLED;
-		query->maximized_vertical = LAB_STATE_DISABLED;
-		query->maximized_horizontal = LAB_STATE_DISABLED;
-	} else {
-		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR,
-			"(%s) is not a valid maximized query state", content);
-	}
-}
-
 /*
  * Openbox/labwc comparison
  *
@@ -503,7 +476,7 @@ fill_action_query(char *nodename, char *content, struct action *action)
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "shaded")) {
 		current_view_query->shaded = parse_bool(content, -1);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "maximized")) {
-		parse_maximized_query(content, current_view_query);
+		current_view_query->maximized = view_axis_parse(content);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "iconified")) {
 		current_view_query->iconified = parse_bool(content, -1);
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(nodename, "focused")) {
diff --git a/src/view.c b/src/view.c
index 11c5b5e6..c72b1893 100644
--- a/src/view.c
+++ b/src/view.c
@@ -155,25 +155,11 @@ view_matches_query(struct view *view, struct view_query *query)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	match =
-		match_tristate(query->maximized_full,
-			(view->maximized == VIEW_AXIS_BOTH), match);
-	if (match == LAB_STATE_DISABLED) {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	match =
-		match_tristate(query->maximized_horizontal,
-			(view->maximized == VIEW_AXIS_HORIZONTAL), match);
-	if (match == LAB_STATE_DISABLED) {
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	match =
-		match_tristate(query->maximized_vertical,
-			(view->maximized == VIEW_AXIS_VERTICAL), match);
-	if (match == LAB_STATE_DISABLED) {
-		return false;
+	if (query->maximized != VIEW_AXIS_INVALID) {
+		match = bool_to_tristate(view->maximized == query->maximized);
+		if (match == LAB_STATE_DISABLED) {
+			return false;
+		}
 	}
 
 	match = match_tristate(query->iconified, view->minimized, match);
@@ -2066,7 +2052,7 @@ enum view_axis
 view_axis_parse(const char *direction)
 {
 	if (!direction) {
-		return VIEW_AXIS_NONE;
+		return VIEW_AXIS_INVALID;
 	}
 	if (!strcasecmp(direction, "horizontal")) {
 		return VIEW_AXIS_HORIZONTAL;
@@ -2074,8 +2060,10 @@ view_axis_parse(const char *direction)
 		return VIEW_AXIS_VERTICAL;
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(direction, "both")) {
 		return VIEW_AXIS_BOTH;
-	} else {
+	} else if (!strcasecmp(direction, "none")) {
 		return VIEW_AXIS_NONE;
+	} else {
+		return VIEW_AXIS_INVALID;
 	}
 }