diff --git a/activation.cpp b/activation.cpp
index 2e477d29be..676a310e2e 100644
--- a/activation.cpp
+++ b/activation.cpp
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ void Client::setActive( bool act)
     if( decoration != NULL )
         decoration->activeChange();
     updateMouseGrab();
+    updateUrgency(); // demand attention again if it's still urgent
     }
 
 void Client::startupIdChanged()
@@ -749,5 +750,10 @@ void Client::startupIdChanged()
         }
     }
 
-
+void Client::updateUrgency()
+    {
+    if( urgency )
+        demandAttention();
+    }
+    
 } // namespace
diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 176b2c9f5e..92f78aca9e 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ Client::Client( Workspace *ws )
     noborder = false;
     user_noborder = false;
     not_obscured = false;
+    urgency = false;
 
     Pdeletewindow = 0;
     Ptakefocus = 0;
@@ -1224,15 +1225,18 @@ void Client::getWMHints()
     XWMHints *hints = XGetWMHints(qt_xdisplay(), window() );
     input = true;
     window_group = None;
+    urgency = false;
     if ( hints )
         {
-        if ( hints->flags & InputHint )
+        if( hints->flags & InputHint )
             input = hints->input;
         if( hints->flags & WindowGroupHint )
             window_group = hints->window_group;
-        XFree((char*)hints);
+        urgency = ( hints->flags & UrgencyHint ) ? true : false; // true/false needed, it's uint bitfield
+        XFree( (char*)hints );
         }
     checkGroup();
+    updateUrgency();
     updateAllowedActions(); // group affects isMinimizable()
     }
 
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index 5218b9b75a..63b261a9c0 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ class Client : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
 
         void pingWindow();
         void killProcess( bool ask, Time timestamp = CurrentTime );
+        void updateUrgency();
 
         void embedClient( Window w );    
         void detectNoBorder();
@@ -424,6 +425,7 @@ class Client : public QObject, public KDecorationDefines
         uint noborder : 1;
         uint user_noborder : 1;
         uint not_obscured : 1;
+        uint urgency : 1; // XWMHints, UrgencyHint
         void getWMHints();
         void readIcons();
         void getWindowProtocols();
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index f8f423622d..d2ae3e8a98 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ class KWinSelectionOwner
 QCString getStringProperty(WId w, Atom prop, char separator=0);
 void kwin_updateTime();
 
+// the docs say it's UrgencyHint, but it's often #defined as XUrgencyHint
+#ifndef UrgencyHint
+#define UrgencyHint XUrgencyHint
+#endif
 
 // for STL-like algo's
 #define KWIN_CHECK_PREDICATE( name, check ) \