diff --git a/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp b/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
index b78c1f5ce4..adeeca608d 100644
--- a/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ int ClientModel::rowCount(const QModelIndex& parent) const
         count = qRound(sqrt(float(m_clientList.count())));
         break;
     }
-    return qMax(count, 1);
+    return count;
 }
 
 QModelIndex ClientModel::parent(const QModelIndex& child) const
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ void ClientModel::createClientList(int desktop, bool partialReset)
     switch(tabBox->config().clientSwitchingMode()) {
     case TabBoxConfig::FocusChainSwitching: {
         TabBoxClient* c = tabBox->nextClientFocusChain(start).data();
+        if (!c) {
+            QSharedPointer<TabBoxClient> firstClient = tabBox->firstClientFocusChain().toStrongRef();
+            if (firstClient) {
+                c = firstClient.data();
+            }
+        }
         TabBoxClient* stop = c;
         while (c) {
             QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient> add = tabBox->clientToAddToList(c, desktop);
diff --git a/tabbox/tabbox.cpp b/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
index 098d7598c0..fda99da3f6 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,15 @@ QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient> TabBoxHandlerImpl::nextClientFocusChain(TabBoxClient*
     return QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient>();
 }
 
+QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > TabBoxHandlerImpl::firstClientFocusChain() const
+{
+    if (Client *c = m_tabBox->firstClientFocusChain()) {
+        return QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient>(c->tabBoxClient());
+    } else {
+        return QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient>();
+    }
+}
+
 int TabBoxHandlerImpl::nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const
 {
     return m_tabBox->nextDesktopFocusChain(desktop);
@@ -1519,6 +1528,14 @@ Client* TabBox::previousClientFocusChain(Client* c) const
     return globalFocusChain[ pos ];
 }
 
+Client *TabBox::firstClientFocusChain() const
+{
+    const ClientList &globalFocusChain = Workspace::self()->globalFocusChain();
+    if (globalFocusChain.isEmpty())
+        return NULL;
+    return globalFocusChain.first();
+}
+
 /*!
   auxiliary functions to travers all clients according to the static
   order. Useful for the CDE-style Alt-tab feature.
diff --git a/tabbox/tabbox.h b/tabbox/tabbox.h
index bf69ad9184..6652f93d05 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabbox.h
+++ b/tabbox/tabbox.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public:
     virtual QString desktopName(TabBoxClient* client) const;
     virtual QString desktopName(int desktop) const;
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > nextClientFocusChain(TabBoxClient* client) const;
+    virtual QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > firstClientFocusChain() const;
     virtual int nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const;
     virtual int numberOfDesktops() const;
     virtual TabBoxClientList stackingOrder() const;
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ public:
 
     Client* nextClientFocusChain(Client*) const;
     Client* previousClientFocusChain(Client*) const;
+    Client* firstClientFocusChain() const;
     Client* nextClientStatic(Client*) const;
     Client* previousClientStatic(Client*) const;
     int nextDesktopFocusChain(int iDesktop) const;
diff --git a/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h b/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
index 976f201735..7abddfcd0e 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
+++ b/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
@@ -111,6 +111,14 @@ public:
     * @return The next TabBoxClient in focus chain
     */
     virtual QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient> nextClientFocusChain(TabBoxClient* client) const = 0;
+    /**
+     * This method is used by the ClientModel to find an entrance into the focus chain in case
+     * there is no active Client.
+     *
+     * @return The first Client of the focus chain
+     * @since 4.9.1
+     **/
+    virtual QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient> firstClientFocusChain() const = 0;
     /**
     * @param client The client whose desktop name should be retrieved
     * @return The desktop name of the given TabBoxClient. If the client is
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp
index 1d27dc752b..c3ad7a9a46 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp
@@ -39,10 +39,12 @@ void MockTabBoxHandler::grabbedKeyEvent(QKeyEvent *event) const
 
 QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::activeClient() const
 {
-    if (!m_windows.isEmpty()) {
-        return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >(m_windows.first());
-    }
-    return QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient>();
+    return m_activeClient;
+}
+
+void MockTabBoxHandler::setActiveClient(const QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >& client)
+{
+    m_activeClient = client;
 }
 
 QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::clientToAddToList(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client, int desktop) const
@@ -59,11 +61,6 @@ QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::clientToAddToList(TabBox
 
 QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::nextClientFocusChain(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client) const
 {
-    if (!client) {
-        if (!m_windows.isEmpty()) {
-            return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >(m_windows.first());
-        }
-    }
     QList< QSharedPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > >::const_iterator it = m_windows.constBegin();
     for (; it != m_windows.constEnd(); ++it) {
         if ((*it).data() == client) {
@@ -78,10 +75,19 @@ QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::nextClientFocusChain(Tab
     return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >();
 }
 
+QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::firstClientFocusChain() const
+{
+    if (m_windows.isEmpty()) {
+        return QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient>();
+    }
+    return m_windows.first();
+}
+
 QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::createMockWindow(const QString &caption, WId id)
 {
     QSharedPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > client(new MockTabBoxClient(caption, id));
     m_windows.append(client);
+    m_activeClient = client;
     return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >(client);
 }
 
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
index f13a820aac..a2236486cb 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
+++ b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public:
     virtual void activateAndClose() {
     }
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > activeClient() const;
+    void setActiveClient(const QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> &client);
     virtual int activeScreen() const {
         return 0;
     }
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ public:
     virtual void hideOutline() {
     }
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > nextClientFocusChain(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client) const;
+    virtual QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> firstClientFocusChain() const;
     virtual int nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const {
         Q_UNUSED(desktop)
         return 1;
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@ public:
     void closeWindow(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client);
 private:
     QList< QSharedPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> > m_windows;
+    QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> m_activeClient;
 };
 } // namespace KWin
 #endif
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
index cd2c963629..79d02534e4 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
@@ -44,4 +44,23 @@ void TestTabBoxClientModel::testLongestCaptionWithNullClient()
     QCOMPARE(clientModel->longestCaption(), QString());
 }
 
+void TestTabBoxClientModel::testCreateClientListNoActiveClient()
+{
+    MockTabBoxHandler tabboxhandler;
+    tabboxhandler.setConfig(TabBox::TabBoxConfig());
+    TabBox::ClientModel *clientModel = new TabBox::ClientModel(&tabboxhandler);
+    clientModel->createClientList();
+    QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 0);
+    // create two windows, rowCount() should go to two
+    QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> client = tabboxhandler.createMockWindow(QString("test"), 1);
+    tabboxhandler.createMockWindow(QString("test2"), 2);
+    clientModel->createClientList();
+    QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 2);
+    // let's ensure there is no active client
+    tabboxhandler.setActiveClient(QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient>());
+    // now it should still have two members in the list
+    clientModel->createClientList();
+    QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 2);
+}
+
 QTEST_MAIN(TestTabBoxClientModel)
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
index 1bdf0d4aa4..2ec6608a34 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
+++ b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ private slots:
      * See bug #303840
      **/
     void testLongestCaptionWithNullClient();
+    /**
+     * Tests the creation of the Client list for the case that
+     * there is no active Client, but that Clients actually exist.
+     *
+     * See BUG: 305449
+     **/
+    void testCreateClientListNoActiveClient();
 };
 
 #endif