diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 44b4a4462b..57241afe18 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ Client::Client( Workspace *ws )
     modal = false;
     noborder = false;
     user_noborder = false;
-    not_obscured = false;
     urgency = false;
     ignore_focus_stealing = false;
     demands_attention = false;
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index 9d4b07bf89..1097efb26c 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -287,7 +287,6 @@ class Client
         void clientMessageEvent( XClientMessageEvent* e );
         void enterNotifyEvent( XCrossingEvent* e );
         void leaveNotifyEvent( XCrossingEvent* e );
-        void visibilityNotifyEvent( XVisibilityEvent* e );
         void focusInEvent( XFocusInEvent* e );
         void focusOutEvent( XFocusOutEvent* e );
 
@@ -423,7 +422,6 @@ class Client
         uint modal : 1; // NET::Modal
         uint noborder : 1;
         uint user_noborder : 1;
-        uint not_obscured : 1;
         uint urgency : 1; // XWMHints, UrgencyHint
         uint ignore_focus_stealing : 1; // don't apply focus stealing prevention to this client
         uint demands_attention : 1;
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index fd1814f656..7a693fc549 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -704,9 +704,6 @@ bool Client::windowEvent( XEvent* e )
                 workspace()->updateColormap();
             }
             break;
-        case VisibilityNotify:
-            visibilityNotifyEvent( &e->xvisibility );
-            break;
         default:
             if( e->xany.window == window())
                 {
@@ -1084,18 +1081,13 @@ void Client::ungrabButton( int modifier )
  */
 void Client::updateMouseGrab()
     {
-    if( workspace()->globalShortcutsDisabled())
-        {
-        XUngrabButton( display(), AnyButton, AnyModifier, wrapperId());
-        // keep grab for the simple click without modifiers if needed
-        if( !( !options->clickRaise || not_obscured ))
-            grabButton( None );
-        return;
-        }
     if( isActive() && !workspace()->forcedGlobalMouseGrab()) // see Workspace::establishTabBoxGrab()
         {
         // remove the grab for no modifiers only if the window
         // is unobscured or if the user doesn't want click raise
+        // (it is unobscured if it the topmost in the unconstrained stacking order, i.e. it is
+        // the most recently raised window)
+        bool not_obscured = workspace()->topClientOnDesktop( workspace()->currentDesktop(), true ) == this;
         if( !options->clickRaise || not_obscured )
             ungrabButton( None );
         else
@@ -1508,17 +1500,6 @@ void Client::focusOutEvent( XFocusOutEvent* e )
         setActive( false );
     }
 
-void Client::visibilityNotifyEvent( XVisibilityEvent * e)
-    {
-    if( e->window != frameId())
-        return; // care only about the whole frame
-    bool new_not_obscured = e->state == VisibilityUnobscured;
-    if( not_obscured == new_not_obscured )
-        return;
-    not_obscured = new_not_obscured;
-    updateMouseGrab();
-    }
-
 // performs _NET_WM_MOVERESIZE
 void Client::NETMoveResize( int x_root, int y_root, NET::Direction direction )
     {
diff --git a/layers.cpp b/layers.cpp
index d66157b1f4..e7b25c30fc 100644
--- a/layers.cpp
+++ b/layers.cpp
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ void Workspace::updateStackingOrder( bool propagate_new_clients )
         {
         propagateClients( propagate_new_clients );
         addRepaintFull();
+        if( active_client )
+            active_client->updateMouseGrab();
         }
     }