diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 8be31538..97a37028 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -722,9 +722,13 @@ client_updatewmhints(client_t *c)
 
     if((wmh = xcb_get_wm_hints(globalconf.connection, c->win)))
     {
+        bool isurgent;
         wm_hints_flags = xcb_wm_hints_get_flags(wmh);
-        if((c->isurgent = xcb_wm_hints_get_urgency(wmh)))
+        isurgent = xcb_wm_hints_get_urgency(wmh);
+        if(isurgent != c->isurgent)
         {
+            c->isurgent = isurgent;
+
             /* execute hook */
             luaA_client_userdata_new(globalconf.L, c);
             luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, globalconf.hooks.urgent, 1, 0);
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 6a44f0ca..b508f838 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -353,13 +353,12 @@ ewmh_process_state_atom(client_t *c, xcb_atom_t state, int set)
         if(set == _NET_WM_STATE_REMOVE)
             c->isurgent = false;
         else if(set == _NET_WM_STATE_ADD)
-        {
             c->isurgent = true;
-            /* execute hook */
-            luaA_client_userdata_new(globalconf.L, c);
-            luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, globalconf.hooks.urgent, 1, 0);
-            widget_invalidate_cache(c->screen, WIDGET_CACHE_CLIENTS);
-        }
+
+        /* execute hook */
+        luaA_client_userdata_new(globalconf.L, c);
+        luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, globalconf.hooks.urgent, 1, 0);
+        widget_invalidate_cache(c->screen, WIDGET_CACHE_CLIENTS);
     }
 }