diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 3a085920fd..bdcef8e554 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ void Client::detectNoBorder()
     // NET::Override is some strange beast without clear definition, usually
     // just meaning "noborder", so let's treat it only as such flag, and ignore it as
     // a window type otherwise (SUPPORTED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK doesn't include it)
-    if( info->windowType( SUPPORTED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK | NET::OverrideMask ) == NET::Override )
+    if( info->windowType( SUPPORTED_MANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK | NET::OverrideMask ) == NET::Override )
         noborder = true;
     }
 
diff --git a/kcmkwin/kwinrules/ruleswidget.cpp b/kcmkwin/kwinrules/ruleswidget.cpp
index b516c1b29c..8047f87ede 100644
--- a/kcmkwin/kwinrules/ruleswidget.cpp
+++ b/kcmkwin/kwinrules/ruleswidget.cpp
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ void RulesWidget::prefillUnusedValues( const KWindowInfo& info )
     //LINEEDIT_PREFILL( shortcut, );
     //COMBOBOX_PREFILL( fsplevel, );
     //COMBOBOX_PREFILL( moveresizemode, moveresizeToCombo );
-    COMBOBOX_PREFILL( type, typeToCombo, info.windowType( SUPPORTED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK ) );
+    COMBOBOX_PREFILL( type, typeToCombo, info.windowType( SUPPORTED_MANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK ) );
     //CHECKBOX_PREFILL( ignoreposition, );
     LINEEDIT_PREFILL( minsize, sizeToStr, info.frameGeometry().size() );
     LINEEDIT_PREFILL( maxsize, sizeToStr, info.frameGeometry().size() );
diff --git a/toplevel.cpp b/toplevel.cpp
index c1edcf1d1e..cdf72cdc72 100644
--- a/toplevel.cpp
+++ b/toplevel.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ void Toplevel::disownDataPassedToDeleted()
 
 NET::WindowType Toplevel::windowType( bool direct, int supported_types ) const
     {
+    if( supported_types == 0 )
+        supported_types = dynamic_cast< const Client* >( this ) != NULL
+            ? SUPPORTED_MANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK : SUPPORTED_UNMANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK;
     NET::WindowType wt = info->windowType( supported_types );
     if( direct )
         return wt;
diff --git a/toplevel.h b/toplevel.h
index b3ce73b8a6..6df7e8fac9 100644
--- a/toplevel.h
+++ b/toplevel.h
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@ class Toplevel
         virtual QPoint clientPos() const = 0; // inside of geometry()
         virtual QSize clientSize() const = 0;
 
-    // prefer isXXX() instead
-        NET::WindowType windowType( bool direct = false, int supported_types = SUPPORTED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK ) const;
+        // prefer isXXX() instead
+        // 0 for supported types means default for managed/unmanaged types
+        NET::WindowType windowType( bool direct = false, int supported_types = 0 ) const;
         bool hasNETSupport() const;
         bool isDesktop() const;
         bool isDock() const;
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index dfa1c0caa5..09b7bb5206 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -51,7 +51,12 @@ struct XDamageNotifyEvent
     };
 #endif
 
-const int SUPPORTED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK = NET::NormalMask | NET::DesktopMask | NET::DockMask
+// window types that are supported as normal windows (i.e. KWin actually manages them)
+const int SUPPORTED_MANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK = NET::NormalMask | NET::DesktopMask | NET::DockMask
+    | NET::ToolbarMask | NET::MenuMask | NET::DialogMask /*| NET::OverrideMask*/ | NET::TopMenuMask
+    | NET::UtilityMask | NET::SplashMask;
+// window types that are supported as unmanaged (mainly for compositing)
+const int SUPPORTED_UNMANAGED_WINDOW_TYPES_MASK = NET::NormalMask | NET::DesktopMask | NET::DockMask
     | NET::ToolbarMask | NET::MenuMask | NET::DialogMask /*| NET::OverrideMask*/ | NET::TopMenuMask
     | NET::UtilityMask | NET::SplashMask | NET::DropdownMenuMask | NET::PopupMenuMask
     | NET::TooltipMask | NET::NotificationMask | NET::ComboBoxMask | NET::DNDIconMask;
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
index 9e5ed965ca..d5589afef6 100644
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ void Workspace::init()
         NET::TopMenuMask |
         NET::UtilityMask |
         NET::SplashMask |
+    // No compositing window types here unless we support them also as managed window types
         0
         ,
         NET::Modal |