diff --git a/src/ewmh.c b/src/ewmh.c
index 52f7e53..bdda6a7 100644
--- a/src/ewmh.c
+++ b/src/ewmh.c
@@ -93,7 +93,12 @@ void ewmh_update_current_desktop(void)
 	if (mon == NULL) {
 		return;
 	}
-	uint32_t i = ewmh_get_desktop_index(mon->desk);
+	ewmh_set_current_desktop(mon->desk);
+}
+
+void ewmh_set_current_desktop(desktop_t *d)
+{
+	uint32_t i = ewmh_get_desktop_index(d);
 	xcb_ewmh_set_current_desktop(ewmh, default_screen, i);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ewmh.h b/src/ewmh.h
index 3b50e35..0781eb6 100644
--- a/src/ewmh.h
+++ b/src/ewmh.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ void ewmh_update_number_of_desktops(void);
 uint32_t ewmh_get_desktop_index(desktop_t *d);
 bool ewmh_locate_desktop(uint32_t i, coordinates_t *loc);
 void ewmh_update_current_desktop(void);
+void ewmh_set_current_desktop(desktop_t *d);
 void ewmh_set_wm_desktop(node_t *n, desktop_t *d);
 void ewmh_update_wm_desktops(void);
 void ewmh_update_desktop_names(void);
diff --git a/src/tree.c b/src/tree.c
index 52055c5..3762335 100644
--- a/src/tree.c
+++ b/src/tree.c
@@ -643,14 +643,18 @@ bool focus_node(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n)
 	}
 
 	if (m->desk != d) {
+		ewmh_set_current_desktop(d);
+		put_status(SBSC_MASK_DESKTOP_FOCUS, "desktop_focus 0x%08X 0x%08X\n", m->id, d->id);
+
 		show_desktop(d);
 		set_input_focus(n);
 		has_input_focus = true;
 		hide_desktop(m->desk);
 		m->desk = d;
+
 	}
 
-	if (desk_changed) {
+	if (m != mon) {
 		ewmh_update_current_desktop();
 		put_status(SBSC_MASK_DESKTOP_FOCUS, "desktop_focus 0x%08X 0x%08X\n", m->id, d->id);
 	}