diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 0ff6bc3db2..439241fd2b 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void RootInfo::changeCurrentDesktop(int d)
     workspace->setCurrentDesktop( d );
     }
 
-void RootInfo::changeActiveWindow( Window w, NET::RequestSource src, Time timestamp )
+void RootInfo::changeActiveWindow( Window w, NET::RequestSource src, Time timestamp, Window active_window )
     {
     if( Client* c = workspace->findClient( WindowMatchPredicate( w )))
         {
@@ -113,8 +113,14 @@ void RootInfo::changeActiveWindow( Window w, NET::RequestSource src, Time timest
             workspace->activateClient( c );
         else // NET::FromApplication
             {
+            Client* c2;
             if( workspace->allowClientActivation( c, timestamp ))
                 workspace->activateClient( c );
+            // if activation of the requestor's window would be allowed, allow activation too
+            else if( active_window != None
+                && ( c2 = workspace->findClient( WindowMatchPredicate( active_window ))) != NULL
+                && workspace->allowClientActivation( c2, timestamp ))
+                workspace->activateClient( c );
             else
                 c->demandAttention();
             }
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
index 528d915cd3..b4142d451f 100644
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ class RootInfo : public NETRootInfo2
         virtual void changeNumberOfDesktops(int n);
         virtual void changeCurrentDesktop(int d);
 //    virtual void changeActiveWindow(Window w); the extended version is used
-        virtual void changeActiveWindow(Window w,NET::RequestSource src, Time timestamp);
+        virtual void changeActiveWindow(Window w,NET::RequestSource src, Time timestamp, Window active_window);
         virtual void closeWindow(Window w);
         virtual void moveResize(Window w, int x_root, int y_root, unsigned long direction);
         virtual void moveResizeWindow(Window w, int flags, int x, int y, int width, int height );