diff --git a/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp b/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
index 9591babaa8..a67d979bde 100644
--- a/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/clientmodel.cpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void ClientModel::createClientList(int desktop, bool partialReset)
     switch(tabBox->config().clientSwitchingMode()) {
     case TabBoxConfig::FocusChainSwitching: {
         TabBoxClient* c = start;
-        if (!c) {
+        if (!tabBox->isInFocusChain(c)) {
             QSharedPointer<TabBoxClient> firstClient = tabBox->firstClientFocusChain().toStrongRef();
             if (firstClient) {
                 c = firstClient.data();
diff --git a/tabbox/tabbox.cpp b/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
index d96d0bdace..7a08d375b9 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tabbox.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,14 @@ QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > TabBoxHandlerImpl::firstClientFocusChain() const
     }
 }
 
+bool TabBoxHandlerImpl::isInFocusChain(TabBoxClient *client) const
+{
+    if (TabBoxClientImpl *c = static_cast<TabBoxClientImpl*>(client)) {
+        return Workspace::self()->globalFocusChain().contains(c->client());
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 int TabBoxHandlerImpl::nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const
 {
     return m_tabBox->nextDesktopFocusChain(desktop);
diff --git a/tabbox/tabbox.h b/tabbox/tabbox.h
index 6652f93d05..bba0b39b7e 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabbox.h
+++ b/tabbox/tabbox.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public:
     virtual QString desktopName(int desktop) const;
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > nextClientFocusChain(TabBoxClient* client) const;
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBoxClient > firstClientFocusChain() const;
+    virtual bool isInFocusChain (TabBoxClient* client) const;
     virtual int nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const;
     virtual int numberOfDesktops() const;
     virtual TabBoxClientList stackingOrder() const;
diff --git a/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h b/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
index 7abddfcd0e..2af65b2930 100644
--- a/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
+++ b/tabbox/tabboxhandler.h
@@ -119,6 +119,20 @@ public:
      * @since 4.9.1
      **/
     virtual QWeakPointer<TabBoxClient> firstClientFocusChain() const = 0;
+    /**
+     * Checks whether the given @p client is part of the focus chain at all.
+     * This is useful to figure out whether the currently active Client can be used
+     * as a starting point to construct the recently used list.
+     *
+     * In case the @p client is not in the focus chain it is recommended to use the
+     * Client returned by @link firstClientFocusChain.
+     *
+     * The method accepts a @c null Client and in that case @c false is returned.
+     * @param client The Client to check whether it is in the Focus Chain
+     * @return @c true in case the Client is part of the focus chain, @c false otherwise.
+     * @since 4.9.2
+     **/
+    virtual bool isInFocusChain(TabBoxClient* client) 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 c3ad7a9a46..20fe8e89fc 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::nextClientFocusChain(Tab
             }
         }
     }
+    if (!m_windows.isEmpty()) {
+        return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >(m_windows.last());
+    }
     return QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient >();
 }
 
@@ -83,6 +86,20 @@ QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::firstClientFocusChain()
     return m_windows.first();
 }
 
+bool MockTabBoxHandler::isInFocusChain(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client) const
+{
+    if (!client) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    QList< QSharedPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > >::const_iterator it = m_windows.constBegin();
+    for (; it != m_windows.constEnd(); ++it) {
+        if ((*it).data() == client) {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > MockTabBoxHandler::createMockWindow(const QString &caption, WId id)
 {
     QSharedPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > client(new MockTabBoxClient(caption, id));
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
index a2236486cb..5578001a01 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
+++ b/tabbox/tests/mock_tabboxhandler.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public:
     }
     virtual QWeakPointer< TabBox::TabBoxClient > nextClientFocusChain(TabBox::TabBoxClient *client) const;
     virtual QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> firstClientFocusChain() const;
+    virtual bool isInFocusChain (TabBox::TabBoxClient* client) const;
     virtual int nextDesktopFocusChain(int desktop) const {
         Q_UNUSED(desktop)
         return 1;
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
index 79d02534e4..cee9860d08 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
+++ b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.cpp
@@ -63,4 +63,24 @@ void TestTabBoxClientModel::testCreateClientListNoActiveClient()
     QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 2);
 }
 
+void TestTabBoxClientModel::testCreateClientListActiveClientNotInFocusChain()
+{
+    MockTabBoxHandler tabboxhandler;
+    tabboxhandler.setConfig(TabBox::TabBoxConfig());
+    TabBox::ClientModel *clientModel = new TabBox::ClientModel(&tabboxhandler);
+    // create two windows, rowCount() should go to two
+    QWeakPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> client = tabboxhandler.createMockWindow(QString("test"), 1);
+    client = tabboxhandler.createMockWindow(QString("test2"), 2);
+    clientModel->createClientList();
+    QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 2);
+
+    // simulate that the active client is not in the focus chain
+    // for that we use the closeWindow of the MockTabBoxHandler which
+    // removes the Client from the Focus Chain but leaves the active window as it is
+    QSharedPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClient> clientOwner = client.toStrongRef();
+    tabboxhandler.closeWindow(client.data());
+    clientModel->createClientList();
+    QCOMPARE(clientModel->rowCount(), 1);
+}
+
 QTEST_MAIN(TestTabBoxClientModel)
diff --git a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
index 2ec6608a34..fad79874fe 100644
--- a/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
+++ b/tabbox/tests/test_tabbox_clientmodel.h
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ private slots:
      * See BUG: 305449
      **/
     void testCreateClientListNoActiveClient();
+    /**
+     * Tests the creation of the Client list for the case that
+     * the active Client is not in the Focus chain.
+     *
+     * See BUG: 306260
+     **/
+    void testCreateClientListActiveClientNotInFocusChain();
 };
 
 #endif