diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
index ca923e325a..c5e3dbd80d 100644
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ public:
     void setupWindowRules(bool ignore_temporary);
     void evaluateWindowRules();
     virtual void applyWindowRules();
-    virtual void takeFocus() = 0;
+    virtual bool takeFocus() = 0;
     virtual bool wantsInput() const = 0;
     /**
      * Whether a dock window wants input.
diff --git a/activation.cpp b/activation.cpp
index c2218069c6..f0b7d19b80 100644
--- a/activation.cpp
+++ b/activation.cpp
@@ -340,12 +340,12 @@ void Workspace::activateClient(AbstractClient* c, bool force)
  *
  * @see activateClient
  */
-void Workspace::requestFocus(AbstractClient* c, bool force)
+bool Workspace::requestFocus(AbstractClient* c, bool force)
 {
-    takeActivity(c, force ? ActivityFocusForce : ActivityFocus);
+    return takeActivity(c, force ? ActivityFocusForce : ActivityFocus);
 }
 
-void Workspace::takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags)
+bool Workspace::takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags)
 {
     // the 'if ( c == active_client ) return;' optimization mustn't be done here
     if (!focusChangeEnabled() && (c != active_client))
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ void Workspace::takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags)
 
     if (!c) {
         focusToNull();
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     if (flags & ActivityFocus) {
@@ -390,16 +390,20 @@ void Workspace::takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags)
     }
     if (!c->isShown(true)) {  // shouldn't happen, call activateClient() if needed
         qCWarning(KWIN_CORE) << "takeActivity: not shown" ;
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
+    bool ret = true;
+
     if (flags & ActivityFocus)
-        c->takeFocus();
+        ret &= c->takeFocus();
     if (flags & ActivityRaise)
         workspace()->raiseClient(c);
 
     if (!c->isOnActiveScreen())
         screens()->setCurrent(c->screen());
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -660,9 +664,13 @@ bool Workspace::allowFullClientRaising(const KWin::AbstractClient *c, xcb_timest
     return NET::timestampCompare(time, user_time) >= 0;   // time >= user_time
 }
 
-// called from Client after FocusIn that wasn't initiated by KWin and the client
-// wasn't allowed to activate
-void Workspace::restoreFocus()
+/**
+ * Called from X11Client after FocusIn that wasn't initiated by KWin and the client wasn't
+ * allowed to activate.
+ *
+ * Returns @c true if the focus has been restored successfully; otherwise returns @c false.
+ */
+bool Workspace::restoreFocus()
 {
     // this updateXTime() is necessary - as FocusIn events don't have
     // a timestamp *sigh*, kwin's timestamp would be older than the timestamp
@@ -670,9 +678,10 @@ void Workspace::restoreFocus()
     // the attempt to restore the focus would fail due to old timestamp
     updateXTime();
     if (should_get_focus.count() > 0)
-        requestFocus(should_get_focus.last());
+        return requestFocus(should_get_focus.last());
     else if (last_active_client)
-        requestFocus(last_active_client);
+        return requestFocus(last_active_client);
+    return true;
 }
 
 void Workspace::clientAttentionChanged(AbstractClient* c, bool set)
diff --git a/autotests/integration/x11_client_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/x11_client_test.cpp
index 31e7dd9f1a..2e078e50d3 100644
--- a/autotests/integration/x11_client_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/x11_client_test.cpp
@@ -1008,8 +1008,6 @@ void X11ClientTest::testActivateFocusedWindow()
     // case no FocusIn event will be generated and the window won't be marked as active. This test
     // verifies that we handle that subtle case properly.
 
-    QSKIP("Focus is not restored properly when the active client is about to be unmapped");
-
     QScopedPointer<xcb_connection_t, XcbConnectionDeleter> connection(xcb_connect(nullptr, nullptr));
     QVERIFY(!xcb_connection_has_error(connection.data()));
 
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 3ac3ffc062..57d87033b7 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -1146,11 +1146,15 @@ void X11Client::focusInEvent(xcb_focus_in_event_t *e)
     // check if this client is in should_get_focus list or if activation is allowed
     bool activate =  workspace()->allowClientActivation(this, -1U, true);
     workspace()->gotFocusIn(this);   // remove from should_get_focus list
-    if (activate)
+    if (activate) {
         setActive(true);
-    else {
-        workspace()->restoreFocus();
-        demandAttention();
+    } else {
+        if (workspace()->restoreFocus()) {
+            demandAttention();
+        } else {
+            qCWarning(KWIN_CORE, "Failed to restore focus. Activating 0x%x", windowId());
+            setActive(true);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/internal_client.cpp b/internal_client.cpp
index 958ce3b47e..120f537def 100644
--- a/internal_client.cpp
+++ b/internal_client.cpp
@@ -353,8 +353,9 @@ void InternalClient::setOnAllActivities(bool set)
     // Internal clients do not support activities.
 }
 
-void InternalClient::takeFocus()
+bool InternalClient::takeFocus()
 {
+    return false;
 }
 
 void InternalClient::setNoBorder(bool set)
diff --git a/internal_client.h b/internal_client.h
index b1b3b968fc..e131653c07 100644
--- a/internal_client.h
+++ b/internal_client.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public:
     bool supportsWindowRules() const override;
     AbstractClient *findModal(bool allow_itself = false) override;
     void setOnAllActivities(bool set) override;
-    void takeFocus() override;
+    bool takeFocus() override;
     void setNoBorder(bool set) override;
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
     void updateColorScheme() override;
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index e6884d6b92..9e3c1bb5b9 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -167,17 +167,17 @@ public:
     AbstractClient* clientUnderMouse(int screen) const;
 
     void activateClient(AbstractClient*, bool force = false);
-    void requestFocus(AbstractClient* c, bool force = false);
+    bool requestFocus(AbstractClient* c, bool force = false);
     enum ActivityFlag {
         ActivityFocus = 1 << 0, // focus the window
         ActivityFocusForce = 1 << 1 | ActivityFocus, // focus even if Dock etc.
         ActivityRaise = 1 << 2 // raise the window
     };
     Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(ActivityFlags, ActivityFlag)
-    void takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags);
+    bool takeActivity(AbstractClient* c, ActivityFlags flags);
     bool allowClientActivation(const AbstractClient* c, xcb_timestamp_t time = -1U, bool focus_in = false,
                                bool ignore_desktop = false);
-    void restoreFocus();
+    bool restoreFocus();
     void gotFocusIn(const AbstractClient*);
     void setShouldGetFocus(AbstractClient*);
     bool activateNextClient(AbstractClient* c);
diff --git a/x11client.cpp b/x11client.cpp
index 55ec57d3ed..8f48a26202 100644
--- a/x11client.cpp
+++ b/x11client.cpp
@@ -2021,12 +2021,20 @@ void X11Client::setOnAllActivities(bool on)
 /**
  * Performs the actual focusing of the window using XSetInputFocus and WM_TAKE_FOCUS
  */
-void X11Client::takeFocus()
+bool X11Client::takeFocus()
 {
-    if (rules()->checkAcceptFocus(info->input()))
-        m_client.focus();
-    else
+    if (rules()->checkAcceptFocus(info->input())) {
+        xcb_void_cookie_t cookie = xcb_set_input_focus_checked(connection(),
+                                                               XCB_INPUT_FOCUS_POINTER_ROOT,
+                                                               windowId(), XCB_TIME_CURRENT_TIME);
+        ScopedCPointer<xcb_generic_error_t> error(xcb_request_check(connection(), cookie));
+        if (error) {
+            qCWarning(KWIN_CORE, "Failed to focus 0x%x (error %d)", windowId(), error->error_code);
+            return false;
+        }
+    } else {
         demandAttention(false); // window cannot take input, at least withdraw urgency
+    }
     if (info->supportsProtocol(NET::TakeFocusProtocol)) {
         updateXTime();
         sendClientMessage(window(), atoms->wm_protocols, atoms->wm_take_focus);
@@ -2044,6 +2052,8 @@ void X11Client::takeFocus()
     }
     if (breakShowingDesktop)
         workspace()->setShowingDesktop(false);
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/x11client.h b/x11client.h
index 8c863f71b6..132584b542 100644
--- a/x11client.h
+++ b/x11client.h
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ public:
     bool isMovableAcrossScreens() const override;
     bool isCloseable() const override; ///< May be closed by the user (May have a close button)
 
-    void takeFocus() override;
+    bool takeFocus() override;
 
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
 
diff --git a/xdgshellclient.cpp b/xdgshellclient.cpp
index 5922a6d2c1..1399cbfca1 100644
--- a/xdgshellclient.cpp
+++ b/xdgshellclient.cpp
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ void XdgToplevelClient::doFinishMoveResize()
     scheduleConfigure();
 }
 
-void XdgToplevelClient::takeFocus()
+bool XdgToplevelClient::takeFocus()
 {
     if (wantsInput()) {
         sendPing(PingReason::FocusWindow);
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@ void XdgToplevelClient::takeFocus()
     if (!keepAbove() && !isOnScreenDisplay() && !belongsToDesktop()) {
         workspace()->setShowingDesktop(false);
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool XdgToplevelClient::wantsInput() const
@@ -2130,8 +2131,9 @@ bool XdgPopupClient::wantsInput() const
     return false;
 }
 
-void XdgPopupClient::takeFocus()
+bool XdgPopupClient::takeFocus()
 {
+    return false;
 }
 
 bool XdgPopupClient::acceptsFocus() const
diff --git a/xdgshellclient.h b/xdgshellclient.h
index 2e542f4aa5..b0a8e5ed12 100644
--- a/xdgshellclient.h
+++ b/xdgshellclient.h
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public:
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
     void updateColorScheme() override;
     bool supportsWindowRules() const override;
-    void takeFocus() override;
+    bool takeFocus() override;
     bool wantsInput() const override;
     bool dockWantsInput() const override;
     bool hasStrut() const override;
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public:
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
     void showOnScreenEdge() override;
     bool wantsInput() const override;
-    void takeFocus() override;
+    bool takeFocus() override;
     bool supportsWindowRules() const override;
 
 protected: