diff --git a/awesomerc.lua b/awesomerc.lua
index dff4265e..d8b90042 100755
--- a/awesomerc.lua
+++ b/awesomerc.lua
@@ -161,11 +161,9 @@ mytasklist.buttons = awful.util.table.join(
                                           end),
                      awful.button({ }, 4, function ()
                                               awful.client.focus.byidx(1)
-                                              if client.focus then client.focus:raise() end
                                           end),
                      awful.button({ }, 5, function ()
                                               awful.client.focus.byidx(-1)
-                                              if client.focus then client.focus:raise() end
                                           end))
 
 for s = 1, screen.count() do
@@ -229,12 +227,10 @@ globalkeys = awful.util.table.join(
     awful.key({ modkey,           }, "j",
         function ()
             awful.client.focus.byidx( 1)
-            if client.focus then client.focus:raise() end
         end),
     awful.key({ modkey,           }, "k",
         function ()
             awful.client.focus.byidx(-1)
-            if client.focus then client.focus:raise() end
         end),
     awful.key({ modkey,           }, "w", function () mymainmenu:show() end),
 
diff --git a/docs/config.ld b/docs/config.ld
index c47faf55..08679918 100644
--- a/docs/config.ld
+++ b/docs/config.ld
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ file = {
         -- documentation
         '../lib/awful/autofocus.lua',
         '../lib/awful/dbus.lua',
-        '../lib/awful/ewmh.lua',
         '../lib/awful/init.lua',
         '../lib/awful/remote.lua',
         '../lib/awful/startup_notification.lua',
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 0a4a7b7c..730edc18 100755
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -430,7 +430,14 @@ ewmh_process_client_message(xcb_client_message_event_t *ev)
             lua_State *L = globalconf_get_lua_State();
             luaA_object_push(L, c);
             lua_pushstring(L, "ewmh");
-            luaA_object_emit_signal(L, -2, "request::activate", 1);
+
+            /* Create table argument with raise=true. */
+            lua_newtable(L);
+            lua_pushstring(L, "raise");
+            lua_pushboolean(L, true);
+            lua_settable(L, -3);
+
+            luaA_object_emit_signal(L, -3, "request::activate", 2);
             lua_pop(L, 1);
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/awful/autofocus.lua b/lib/awful/autofocus.lua
index 325acb36..066c9f71 100644
--- a/lib/awful/autofocus.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/autofocus.lua
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ local function check_focus(obj)
     if not client.focus or not client.focus:isvisible() then
         local c = aclient.focus.history.get(obj.screen, 0, aclient.focus.filter)
         if c then
-            c:emit_signal('request::activate', "autofocus.check_focus")
+            c:emit_signal("request::activate", "autofocus.check_focus",
+                          {raise=false})
         end
     end
 end
@@ -45,7 +46,8 @@ local function check_focus_tag(t)
     if client.focus and client.focus.screen ~= s then
         local c = aclient.focus.history.get(s, 0, aclient.focus.filter)
         if c then
-            c:emit_signal('request::activate', "autofocus.check_focus_tag")
+            c:emit_signal("request::activate", "autofocus.check_focus_tag",
+                          {raise=false})
         end
     end
 end
diff --git a/lib/awful/client.lua b/lib/awful/client.lua
index 6f206f1c..52eab6a7 100644
--- a/lib/awful/client.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/client.lua
@@ -70,9 +70,7 @@ function client.jumpto(c, merge)
         end
     end
 
-    -- focus the client
-    capi.client.focus = c
-    c:raise()
+    c:emit_signal("request::activate", "client.jumpto", {raise=true})
 end
 
 --- Get the first client that got the urgent hint.
@@ -213,7 +211,10 @@ function client.focus.history.previous()
         s = capi.mouse.screen
     end
     local c = client.focus.history.get(s, 1)
-    if c then capi.client.focus = c end
+    if c then
+        c:emit_signal("request::activate", "client.focus.history.previous",
+                      {raise=false})
+    end
 end
 
 --- Get visible clients from a screen.
@@ -303,7 +304,8 @@ function client.focus.bydirection(dir, c)
 
         -- If we found a client to focus, then do it.
         if target then
-            capi.client.focus = cltbl[target]
+            cltbl[target]:emit_signal("request::activate",
+                                      "client.focus.bydirection", {raise=false})
         end
     end
 end
@@ -335,7 +337,9 @@ function client.focus.global_bydirection(dir, c)
             local target = util.get_rectangle_in_direction(dir, geomtbl, capi.screen[scr].geometry)
 
             if target then
-                capi.client.focus = cltbl[target]
+                cltbl[target]:emit_signal("request::activate",
+                                          "client.focus.global_bydirection",
+                                          {raise=false})
             end
         end
     end
@@ -348,7 +352,8 @@ end
 function client.focus.byidx(i, c)
     local target = client.next(i, c)
     if target then
-        capi.client.focus = target
+        target:emit_signal("request::activate", "client.focus.byidx",
+                           {raise=true})
     end
 end
 
@@ -396,14 +401,15 @@ function client.swap.global_bydirection(dir, c)
         elseif sel.screen ~= c.screen and sel == c then
             client.movetoscreen(sel, capi.mouse.screen)
 
-        --swapping to a nonempty screen
+        -- swapping to a nonempty screen
         elseif sel.screen ~= c.screen and sel ~= c then
             client.movetoscreen(sel, c.screen)
             client.movetoscreen(c, scr)
         end
 
         screen.focus(sel.screen)
-        capi.client.focus = sel
+        sel:emit_signal("request::activate", "client.swap.global_bydirection",
+                        {raise=false})
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/awful/ewmh.lua b/lib/awful/ewmh.lua
index 6d542dbc..d00e07c7 100644
--- a/lib/awful/ewmh.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/ewmh.lua
@@ -156,12 +156,17 @@ end
 --- Activate a window
 --
 -- @client c A client to use
-function ewmh.activate(c)
-    if awesome.startup or c:isvisible() then
-        client.focus = c
-        c:raise()
-    else
-        c.urgent = true
+-- @tparam string context The context where this signal was used.
+-- @tparam table hints A table with additional hints:
+-- @tparam boolean hints.raise should the client be raised? (default false)
+function ewmh.activate(c, context, hints)
+    client.focus = c
+    if raise then
+        if awesome.startup or c:isvisible() then
+            c:raise()
+        else
+            c.urgent = true
+        end
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/awful/layout/init.lua b/lib/awful/layout/init.lua
index cf55cfd5..97b94a74 100755
--- a/lib/awful/layout/init.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/layout/init.lua
@@ -178,7 +178,10 @@ local function arrange_on_tagged(c, tag)
     layout.arrange(tag.screen)
     if not capi.client.focus or not capi.client.focus:isvisible() then
         local c = client.focus.history.get(tag.screen, 0)
-        if c then capi.client.focus = c end
+        if c then
+            c:emit_signal("request::activate", "layout.arrange_on_tagged",
+                          {raise=false})
+        end
     end
 end
 local function arrange_tag(t)
diff --git a/lib/awful/menu.lua b/lib/awful/menu.lua
index 821db869..ab8d73ec 100644
--- a/lib/awful/menu.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/menu.lua
@@ -476,8 +476,7 @@ function menu.clients(args, item_args)
                 if not c:isvisible() then
                     tags.viewmore(c:tags(), c.screen)
                 end
-                capi.client.focus = c
-                c:raise()
+                c:emit_signal("request::activate", "menu.clients", {raise=true})
             end,
             c.icon }
         if item_args then
diff --git a/lib/awful/rules.lua b/lib/awful/rules.lua
index a9df3a34..cba2644e 100644
--- a/lib/awful/rules.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/rules.lua
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ function rules.execute(c, props, callbacks)
     -- Do this at last so we do not erase things done by the focus
     -- signal.
     if props.focus and (type(props.focus) ~= "function" or props.focus(c)) then
-        c:emit_signal('request::activate',"rules")
+        c:emit_signal('request::activate', "rules", {raise=false})
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/awful/screen.lua b/lib/awful/screen.lua
index 1414d39b..58f1cc4e 100644
--- a/lib/awful/screen.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/screen.lua
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ function screen.focus(_screen)
     capi.mouse.coords(pos, true)
 
     local c = client.focus.history.get(_screen, 0)
-    if c then capi.client.focus = c end
+    if c then
+        c:emit_signal("request::activate", "screen.focus", {raise=false})
+    end
 end
 
 --- Give the focus to a screen, and move pointer, by physical position relative to current screen.