diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 5f43293f..4f2c3364 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -640,6 +640,7 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
             eprint("fatal: no tags found in configuration file\n");
 
         ewmh_update_net_numbers_of_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
+        ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 
         /* select first tag by default */
         virtscreen->tags[0].selected = True;
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 2f4aba4d..988ff61b 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -24,12 +24,14 @@
 
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "util.h"
+#include "tag.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
 static Atom net_supported;
 static Atom net_client_list;
 static Atom net_number_of_desktops;
+static Atom net_current_desktop;
 
 static Atom net_wm_name;
 static Atom net_wm_icon;
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ static AtomItem AtomNames[] =
     { "_NET_SUPPORTED", &net_supported },
     { "_NET_CLIENT_LIST", &net_client_list },
     { "_NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS", &net_number_of_desktops },
+    { "_NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP", &net_current_desktop },
 
     { "_NET_WM_NAME", &net_wm_name },
     { "_NET_WM_ICON", &net_wm_icon },
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ ewmh_set_supported_hints(int phys_screen)
     atom[i++] = net_supported;
     atom[i++] = net_client_list;
     atom[i++] = net_number_of_desktops;
+    atom[i++] = net_current_desktop;
     
     atom[i++] = net_wm_name;
     atom[i++] = net_wm_icon;
@@ -121,4 +125,19 @@ ewmh_update_net_numbers_of_desktop(int phys_screen)
                     net_number_of_desktops, XA_CARDINAL, 32, PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) &count, 1);
 }
 
+void
+ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(int phys_screen)
+{
+    CARD32 count = 0;
+    Tag *tag, **curtags = get_current_tags(phys_screen);
+
+    for(tag = globalconf.screens[phys_screen].tags; tag != curtags[0]; tag = tag->next)
+        count++;
+
+    XChangeProperty(globalconf.display, RootWindow(globalconf.display, phys_screen),
+                    net_current_desktop, XA_CARDINAL, 32, PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *) &count, 1);
+    
+    p_delete(&curtags);
+}
+
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/ewmh.h b/ewmh.h
index b9bc5bf2..7754ea16 100644
--- a/ewmh.h
+++ b/ewmh.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ void ewmh_init_atoms(void);
 void ewmh_set_supported_hints(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_client_list(int);
 void ewmh_update_net_numbers_of_desktop(int);
+void ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(int);
 
 #endif
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 7ccf05ac..f937deb3 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
+#include "ewmh.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
 #include "layouts/max.h"
 #include "layouts/fibonacci.h"
@@ -141,6 +142,8 @@ loadawesomeprops(int screen)
                 tag->selected = False;
 
     p_delete(&prop);
+
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/tag.c b/tag.c
index faa337a1..2172cc64 100644
--- a/tag.c
+++ b/tag.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "rules.h"
+#include "ewmh.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
@@ -296,6 +297,7 @@ uicb_tag_toggleview(int screen, char *arg)
 
     saveawesomeprops(screen);
     arrange(screen);
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 
 /** View tag
@@ -327,6 +329,7 @@ uicb_tag_view(int screen, char *arg)
 
     saveawesomeprops(screen);
     arrange(screen);
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 
 /** View previously selected tags
@@ -347,6 +350,7 @@ uicb_tag_prev_selected(int screen, char *arg __attribute__ ((unused)))
         tag->was_selected = t;
     }
     arrange(screen);
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 
 /** View next tag
@@ -369,6 +373,7 @@ uicb_tag_viewnext(int screen, char *arg __attribute__ ((unused)))
 
     saveawesomeprops(screen);
     arrange(screen);
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 
 /** View previous tag
@@ -390,5 +395,6 @@ uicb_tag_viewprev(int screen, char *arg __attribute__ ((unused)))
         arrange(screen);
     }
     p_delete(&curtags);
+    ewmh_update_net_current_desktop(get_phys_screen(screen));
 }
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:encoding=utf-8:textwidth=80