diff --git a/src/effects.cpp b/src/effects.cpp
index c4ce52e312..c773245ba8 100644
--- a/src/effects.cpp
+++ b/src/effects.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ EffectsHandlerImpl::EffectsHandlerImpl(Compositor *compositor, WorkspaceScene *s
     });
     connect(ws, &Workspace::deletedRemoved, this, [this](KWin::Window *d) {
         Q_EMIT windowDeleted(d->effectWindow());
-        elevated_windows.removeAll(d->effectWindow());
     });
     connect(ws->sessionManager(), &SessionManager::stateChanged, this, &KWin::EffectsHandler::sessionStateChanged);
     connect(vds, &VirtualDesktopManager::countChanged, this, &EffectsHandler::numberDesktopsChanged);
@@ -1097,11 +1096,13 @@ EffectWindowList EffectsHandlerImpl::stackingOrder() const
 
 void EffectsHandlerImpl::setElevatedWindow(KWin::EffectWindow *w, bool set)
 {
-    elevated_windows.removeAll(w);
+    WindowItem *item = static_cast<EffectWindowImpl *>(w)->windowItem();
+
     if (set) {
-        elevated_windows.append(w);
+        item->elevate();
+    } else {
+        item->deelevate();
     }
-    addRepaint(w->expandedGeometry());
 }
 
 void EffectsHandlerImpl::setTabBoxWindow(EffectWindow *w)
diff --git a/src/effects.h b/src/effects.h
index e78601e3c7..e1b6c61169 100644
--- a/src/effects.h
+++ b/src/effects.h
@@ -183,8 +183,6 @@ public:
     QStringList loadedEffects() const;
     QStringList listOfEffects() const;
     void unloadAllEffects();
-
-    QList<EffectWindow *> elevatedWindows() const;
     QStringList activeEffects() const;
 
     /**
@@ -313,7 +311,6 @@ protected:
 
     Effect *keyboard_grab_effect;
     Effect *fullscreen_effect;
-    QList<EffectWindow *> elevated_windows;
     QMultiMap<int, EffectPair> effect_order;
     QHash<long, int> registered_atoms;
 
@@ -621,14 +618,6 @@ private:
     QRect m_geometry;
 };
 
-inline QList<EffectWindow *> EffectsHandlerImpl::elevatedWindows() const
-{
-    if (isScreenLocked()) {
-        return QList<EffectWindow *>();
-    }
-    return elevated_windows;
-}
-
 inline xcb_window_t EffectsHandlerImpl::x11RootWindow() const
 {
     return kwinApp()->x11RootWindow();
diff --git a/src/scene/windowitem.cpp b/src/scene/windowitem.cpp
index 3659d6543d..2b8cb9ee4e 100644
--- a/src/scene/windowitem.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/windowitem.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,24 @@ void WindowItem::unrefVisible(int reason)
     updateVisibility();
 }
 
+void WindowItem::elevate()
+{
+    // Not ideal, but it's also highly unlikely that there are more than 1000 windows. The
+    // elevation constantly increases so it's possible to force specific stacking order. It
+    // can potentially overflow, but it's unlikely to happen because windows are elevated
+    // rarely.
+    static int elevation = 1000;
+
+    m_elevation = elevation++;
+    updateStackingOrder();
+}
+
+void WindowItem::deelevate()
+{
+    m_elevation.reset();
+    updateStackingOrder();
+}
+
 void WindowItem::handleWindowClosed(Window *original, Window *deleted)
 {
     m_window = deleted;
@@ -262,7 +280,11 @@ void WindowItem::updateOpacity()
 
 void WindowItem::updateStackingOrder()
 {
-    setZ(m_window->stackingOrder());
+    if (m_elevation.has_value()) {
+        setZ(m_elevation.value());
+    } else {
+        setZ(m_window->stackingOrder());
+    }
 }
 
 void WindowItem::markDamaged()
diff --git a/src/scene/windowitem.h b/src/scene/windowitem.h
index 1971f9e29d..2ebde224e0 100644
--- a/src/scene/windowitem.h
+++ b/src/scene/windowitem.h
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ public:
     void refVisible(int reason);
     void unrefVisible(int reason);
 
+    void elevate();
+    void deelevate();
+
 protected:
     explicit WindowItem(Window *window, Scene *scene, Item *parent = nullptr);
     void updateSurfaceItem(SurfaceItem *surfaceItem);
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ private:
     std::unique_ptr<SurfaceItem> m_surfaceItem;
     std::unique_ptr<DecorationItem> m_decorationItem;
     std::unique_ptr<ShadowItem> m_shadowItem;
+    std::optional<int> m_elevation;
     int m_forceVisibleByHiddenCount = 0;
     int m_forceVisibleByDeleteCount = 0;
     int m_forceVisibleByDesktopCount = 0;
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene.cpp b/src/scene/workspacescene.cpp
index f44174145d..bdc9b23eff 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene.cpp
@@ -427,23 +427,7 @@ void WorkspaceScene::paintSimpleScreen(const RenderTarget &renderTarget, const R
 
 void WorkspaceScene::createStackingOrder()
 {
-    // Create a list of all windows in the stacking order
     QList<Item *> items = m_containerItem->sortedChildItems();
-
-    // Move elevated windows to the top of the stacking order
-    const QList<EffectWindow *> elevatedList = static_cast<EffectsHandlerImpl *>(effects)->elevatedWindows();
-    for (EffectWindow *c : elevatedList) {
-        WindowItem *item = static_cast<EffectWindowImpl *>(c)->windowItem();
-        items.removeAll(item);
-        items.append(item);
-    }
-
-    // Skip windows that are not yet ready for being painted and if screen is locked skip windows
-    // that are neither lockscreen nor inputmethod windows.
-    //
-    // TODO? This cannot be used so carelessly - needs protections against broken clients, the
-    // window should not get focus before it's displayed, handle unredirected windows properly and
-    // so on.
     for (Item *item : std::as_const(items)) {
         WindowItem *windowItem = static_cast<WindowItem *>(item);
         if (windowItem->isVisible()) {