diff --git a/abstract_client.cpp b/abstract_client.cpp
index c4bedb91c6..8482d6db0e 100644
--- a/abstract_client.cpp
+++ b/abstract_client.cpp
@@ -141,4 +141,56 @@ void AbstractClient::updateLayer()
 {
 }
 
+void AbstractClient::setKeepAbove(bool b)
+{
+    b = rules()->checkKeepAbove(b);
+    if (b && !rules()->checkKeepBelow(false))
+        setKeepBelow(false);
+    if (b == keepAbove()) {
+        // force hint change if different
+        if (info && bool(info->state() & NET::KeepAbove) != keepAbove())
+            info->setState(keepAbove() ? NET::KeepAbove : NET::States(0), NET::KeepAbove);
+        return;
+    }
+    m_keepAbove = b;
+    if (info) {
+        info->setState(keepAbove() ? NET::KeepAbove : NET::States(0), NET::KeepAbove);
+    }
+    workspace()->updateClientLayer(this);
+    updateWindowRules(Rules::Above);
+
+    doSetKeepAbove();
+    emit keepAboveChanged(m_keepAbove);
+}
+
+void AbstractClient::doSetKeepAbove()
+{
+}
+
+void AbstractClient::setKeepBelow(bool b)
+{
+    b = rules()->checkKeepBelow(b);
+    if (b && !rules()->checkKeepAbove(false))
+        setKeepAbove(false);
+    if (b == keepBelow()) {
+        // force hint change if different
+        if (info && bool(info->state() & NET::KeepBelow) != keepBelow())
+            info->setState(keepBelow() ? NET::KeepBelow : NET::States(0), NET::KeepBelow);
+        return;
+    }
+    m_keepBelow = b;
+    if (info) {
+        info->setState(keepBelow() ? NET::KeepBelow : NET::States(0), NET::KeepBelow);
+    }
+    workspace()->updateClientLayer(this);
+    updateWindowRules(Rules::Below);
+
+    doSetKeepBelow();
+    emit keepBelowChanged(m_keepBelow);
+}
+
+void AbstractClient::doSetKeepBelow()
+{
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
index e9637d1761..80702ed3db 100644
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ class AbstractClient : public Toplevel
      **/
     Q_PROPERTY(bool closeable READ isCloseable)
     Q_PROPERTY(QIcon icon READ icon NOTIFY iconChanged)
+    /**
+     * Whether the Client is set to be kept above other windows.
+     **/
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool keepAbove READ keepAbove WRITE setKeepAbove NOTIFY keepAboveChanged)
+    /**
+     * Whether the Client is set to be kept below other windows.
+     **/
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool keepBelow READ keepBelow WRITE setKeepBelow NOTIFY keepBelowChanged)
 public:
     virtual ~AbstractClient();
 
@@ -90,6 +98,15 @@ public:
      **/
     void setActive(bool);
 
+    bool keepAbove() const {
+        return m_keepAbove;
+    }
+    void setKeepAbove(bool);
+    bool keepBelow() const {
+        return m_keepBelow;
+    }
+    void setKeepBelow(bool);
+
     virtual void updateMouseGrab();
     virtual QString caption(bool full = true, bool stripped = false) const = 0;
     virtual bool isMinimized() const = 0;
@@ -118,10 +135,6 @@ public:
     virtual void minimize(bool avoid_animation = false) = 0;
     virtual void unminimize(bool avoid_animation = false)= 0;
     virtual void setFullScreen(bool set, bool user = true) = 0;
-    virtual bool keepAbove() const = 0;
-    virtual void setKeepAbove(bool) = 0;
-    virtual bool keepBelow() const = 0;
-    virtual void setKeepBelow(bool) = 0;
     virtual TabGroup *tabGroup() const;
     Q_INVOKABLE virtual bool untab(const QRect &toGeometry = QRect(), bool clientRemoved = false);
     virtual bool isCurrentTab() const;
@@ -205,6 +218,8 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void skipSwitcherChanged();
     void iconChanged();
     void activeChanged();
+    void keepAboveChanged(bool);
+    void keepBelowChanged(bool);
 
 protected:
     AbstractClient();
@@ -219,6 +234,20 @@ protected:
      * Default implementation does nothing.
      **/
     virtual void doSetActive();
+    /**
+     * Called from ::setKeepAbove once the keepBelow value got updated, but before the changed signal
+     * is emitted.
+     *
+     * Default implementation does nothing.
+     **/
+    virtual void doSetKeepAbove();
+    /**
+     * Called from ::setKeepBelow once the keepBelow value got updated, but before the changed signal
+     * is emitted.
+     *
+     * Default implementation does nothing.
+     **/
+    virtual void doSetKeepBelow();
     // TODO: remove boolean trap
     virtual bool belongsToSameApplication(const AbstractClient *other, bool active_hack) const = 0;
 
@@ -228,6 +257,8 @@ private:
     bool m_skipSwitcher = false;
     QIcon m_icon;
     bool m_active = false;
+    bool m_keepAbove = false;
+    bool m_keepBelow = false;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 7563620cb1..4055593819 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -158,8 +158,6 @@ Client::Client()
 
     shade_mode = ShadeNone;
     deleting = false;
-    keep_above = false;
-    keep_below = false;
     fullscreen_mode = FullScreenNone;
     skip_taskbar = false;
     original_skip_taskbar = false;
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index d2e7801440..1c404baf45 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -105,14 +105,6 @@ class Client
      * might be emitted at each resize step or only at the end of the resize operation.
      **/
     Q_PROPERTY(QRect geometry READ geometry WRITE setGeometry)
-    /**
-     * Whether the Client is set to be kept above other windows.
-     **/
-    Q_PROPERTY(bool keepAbove READ keepAbove WRITE setKeepAbove NOTIFY keepAboveChanged)
-    /**
-     * Whether the Client is set to be kept below other windows.
-     **/
-    Q_PROPERTY(bool keepBelow READ keepBelow WRITE setKeepBelow NOTIFY keepBelowChanged)
     /**
      * Whether the Client can be maximized both horizontally and vertically.
      * The property is evaluated each time it is invoked.
@@ -385,10 +377,6 @@ public:
     bool skipPager() const;
     void setSkipPager(bool);
 
-    bool keepAbove() const override;
-    void setKeepAbove(bool) override;
-    bool keepBelow() const override;
-    void setKeepBelow(bool) override;
     virtual Layer layer() const;
     Layer belongsToLayer() const;
     void invalidateLayer();
@@ -656,6 +644,8 @@ protected:
     void addDamage(const QRegion &damage) override;
     bool belongsToSameApplication(const AbstractClient *other, bool active_hack) const override;
     void doSetActive() override;
+    void doSetKeepAbove() override;
+    void doSetKeepBelow() override;
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void delayedSetShortcut();
@@ -682,8 +672,6 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void transientChanged();
     void modalChanged();
     void shadeChanged();
-    void keepAboveChanged(bool);
-    void keepBelowChanged(bool);
     void minimizedChanged();
     void moveResizedChanged();
     void skipTaskbarChanged();
@@ -872,12 +860,10 @@ private:
     ShadeMode shade_mode;
     Client *shade_below;
     uint deleting : 1; ///< True when doing cleanup and destroying the client
-    uint keep_above : 1; ///< NET::KeepAbove (was stays_on_top)
     uint skip_taskbar : 1;
     uint original_skip_taskbar : 1; ///< Unaffected by KWin
     uint skip_pager : 1;
     Xcb::MotifHints m_motif;
-    uint keep_below : 1; ///< NET::KeepBelow
     uint minimized : 1;
     uint hidden : 1; ///< Forcibly hidden by calling hide()
     uint modal : 1; ///< NET::Modal
@@ -1089,16 +1075,6 @@ inline bool Client::skipPager() const
     return skip_pager;
 }
 
-inline bool Client::keepAbove() const
-{
-    return keep_above;
-}
-
-inline bool Client::keepBelow() const
-{
-    return keep_below;
-}
-
 inline bool Client::isFullScreen() const
 {
     return fullscreen_mode != FullScreenNone;
diff --git a/layers.cpp b/layers.cpp
index 5cfaadbd19..b1d0aa3a63 100644
--- a/layers.cpp
+++ b/layers.cpp
@@ -773,48 +773,18 @@ void Client::restackWindow(xcb_window_t above, int detail, NET::RequestSource sr
         sendSyntheticConfigureNotify();
 }
 
-void Client::setKeepAbove(bool b)
+void Client::doSetKeepAbove()
 {
-    b = rules()->checkKeepAbove(b);
-    if (b && !rules()->checkKeepBelow(false))
-        setKeepBelow(false);
-    if (b == keepAbove()) {
-        // force hint change if different
-        if (bool(info->state() & NET::KeepAbove) != keepAbove())
-            info->setState(keepAbove() ? NET::KeepAbove : NET::States(0), NET::KeepAbove);
-        return;
-    }
-    keep_above = b;
-    info->setState(keepAbove() ? NET::KeepAbove : NET::States(0), NET::KeepAbove);
-    workspace()->updateClientLayer(this);
-    updateWindowRules(Rules::Above);
-
     // Update states of all other windows in this group
     if (tabGroup())
         tabGroup()->updateStates(this, TabGroup::Layer);
-    emit keepAboveChanged(keep_above);
 }
 
-void Client::setKeepBelow(bool b)
+void Client::doSetKeepBelow()
 {
-    b = rules()->checkKeepBelow(b);
-    if (b && !rules()->checkKeepAbove(false))
-        setKeepAbove(false);
-    if (b == keepBelow()) {
-        // force hint change if different
-        if (bool(info->state() & NET::KeepBelow) != keepBelow())
-            info->setState(keepBelow() ? NET::KeepBelow : NET::States(0), NET::KeepBelow);
-        return;
-    }
-    keep_below = b;
-    info->setState(keepBelow() ? NET::KeepBelow : NET::States(0), NET::KeepBelow);
-    workspace()->updateClientLayer(this);
-    updateWindowRules(Rules::Below);
-
     // Update states of all other windows in this group
     if (tabGroup())
         tabGroup()->updateStates(this, TabGroup::Layer);
-    emit keepBelowChanged(keep_below);
 }
 
 Layer Client::layer() const