diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 77f14e19..276cae1b 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "event.h"
 #include "property.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "titlebar.h"
 #include "common/version.h"
 #include "common/atoms.h"
 #include "common/xcursor.h"
@@ -79,7 +80,10 @@ awesome_atexit(void)
 
     /* remap all clients since some WM won't handle them otherwise */
     for(c = globalconf.clients; c; c = c->next)
+    {
         client_unban(c);
+        titlebar_client_detach(c);
+    }
 
     xcb_flush(globalconf.connection);
 
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index d10ef264..d60cdae9 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -158,8 +158,13 @@ client_getbywin(xcb_window_t w)
 static void
 client_unfocus(client_t *c)
 {
+    xcb_window_t root_win = xutil_screen_get(globalconf.connection, c->phys_screen)->root;
     globalconf.screens[c->phys_screen].client_focus = NULL;
 
+    /* Set focus on root window, so no events leak to the current window. */
+    xcb_set_input_focus(globalconf.connection, XCB_INPUT_FOCUS_POINTER_ROOT,
+        root_win, XCB_CURRENT_TIME);
+
     /* Call hook */
     if(globalconf.hooks.unfocus != LUA_REFNIL)
     {
@@ -170,21 +175,45 @@ client_unfocus(client_t *c)
     ewmh_update_net_active_window(c->phys_screen);
 }
 
-/** Ban client and unmap it.
+/** Ban client and move it out of the viewport.
  * \param c The client.
  */
 void
 client_ban(client_t *c)
 {
-    if(globalconf.screen_focus->client_focus == c)
+    if(!c->isbanned)
+    {
+        /* Move all clients out of the physical viewport into negative coordinate space. */
+        /* They will all be put on top of each other. */
+        uint32_t request[2] = { - (c->geometry.width + 2 * c->border),
+                                - (c->geometry.height + 2 * c->border) };
+
+        xcb_configure_window(globalconf.connection, c->win,
+                             XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_X | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_Y,
+                             request);
+
+        /* Do it manually because client geometry remains unchanged. */
+        if (c->titlebar)
+        {
+            simple_window_t *sw = &c->titlebar->sw;
+
+            if (sw->window)
+            {
+                request[0] = - (sw->geometry.width);
+                request[1] = - (sw->geometry.height);
+                /* Move the titlebar to the same place as the window. */
+                xcb_configure_window(globalconf.connection, sw->window,
+                                     XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_X | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_Y,
+                                     request);
+            }
+        }
+
+        c->isbanned = true;
+    }
+
+    /* Wait until the last moment to take away the focus from the window. */
+    if (globalconf.screens[c->phys_screen].client_focus == c)
         client_unfocus(c);
-    xcb_unmap_window(globalconf.connection, c->win);
-    if(c->ishidden)
-        window_state_set(c->win, XCB_WM_STATE_ICONIC);
-    else
-        window_state_set(c->win, XCB_WM_STATE_WITHDRAWN);
-    if(c->titlebar)
-        xcb_unmap_window(globalconf.connection, c->titlebar->sw.window);
 }
 
 /** Give focus to client, or to first client if client is NULL.
@@ -496,6 +525,29 @@ client_manage(xcb_window_t w, xcb_get_geometry_reply_t *wgeom, int phys_screen,
 
     ewmh_update_net_client_list(c->phys_screen);
 
+    /* Always stay in NORMAL_STATE. Even though iconified seems more
+     * appropriate sometimes. The only possible loss is that clients not using
+     * visibility events may continue to proces data (when banned).
+     * Without any exposes or other events the cost should be fairly limited though.
+     *
+     * Some clients may expect the window to be unmapped when STATE_ICONIFIED.
+     * Two conflicting parts of the ICCCM v2.0 (section 4.1.4):
+     *
+     * "Normal -> Iconic - The client should send a ClientMessage event as described later in this section."
+     * (note no explicit mention of unmapping, while Normal->Widthdrawn does mention that)
+     *
+     * "Once a client's window has left the Withdrawn state, the window will be mapped
+     * if it is in the Normal state and the window will be unmapped if it is in the Iconic state."
+     *
+     * At this stage it's just safer to keep it in normal state and avoid confusion.
+     */
+    window_state_set(c->win, XCB_WM_STATE_NORMAL);
+
+    /* Move window outside the viewport before mapping it. */
+    /* This also sets the state to iconified. */
+    client_ban(c);
+    xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, c->win);
+
     /* Call hook to notify list change */
     if(globalconf.hooks.clients != LUA_REFNIL)
         luaA_dofunction(globalconf.L, globalconf.hooks.clients, 0, 0);
@@ -620,6 +672,15 @@ client_resize(client_t *c, area_t geometry, bool hints)
 
         titlebar_update_geometry_floating(c);
 
+        /* The idea is to give a client a resize even when banned. */
+        /* We just have to move the (x,y) to keep it out of the viewport. */
+        /* This at least doesn't break expectations about events. */
+        if (c->isbanned)
+        {
+            geometry.x = values[0] = - (geometry.width + 2 * c->border);
+            geometry.y = values[1] = - (geometry.height + 2 * c->border);
+        }
+
         xcb_configure_window(globalconf.connection, c->win,
                              XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_X | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_Y
                              | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_WIDTH | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_HEIGHT,
@@ -813,20 +874,38 @@ client_saveprops_tags(client_t *c)
     xcb_change_property(globalconf.connection, XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE, c->win, _AWESOME_TAGS, STRING, 8, i, prop);
 }
 
-/** Unban a client.
+/** Unban a client and move it back into the viewport.
  * \param c The client.
  */
 void
 client_unban(client_t *c)
 {
-    xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, c->win);
-    window_state_set(c->win, XCB_WM_STATE_NORMAL);
-    if(c->titlebar)
+    if(c->isbanned)
     {
-        if(c->isfullscreen || !c->titlebar->isvisible)
-            xcb_unmap_window(globalconf.connection, c->titlebar->sw.window);
-        else
-            xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, c->titlebar->sw.window);
+        /* Move the client back where it belongs. */
+        uint32_t request[2] = { c->geometry.x, c->geometry.y };
+
+        xcb_configure_window(globalconf.connection, c->win,
+                              XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_X | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_Y,
+                              request);
+        window_configure(c->win, c->geometry, c->border);
+
+        /* Do this manually because the system doesn't know we moved the toolbar.
+         * Note that !isvisible titlebars are unmapped and for fullscreen it'll
+         * end up offscreen anyway. */
+        if(c->titlebar)
+        {
+            simple_window_t *sw = &c->titlebar->sw;
+            /* All resizing is done, so only move now. */
+            request[0] = sw->geometry.x;
+            request[1] = sw->geometry.y;
+
+            xcb_configure_window(globalconf.connection, sw->window,
+                                XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_X | XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_Y,
+                                request);
+        }
+
+        c->isbanned = false;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index e4956755..fe4cece3 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -127,11 +127,23 @@ client_isfloating(client_t *c)
  * \return true if the client is visible, false otherwise.
  */
 static inline bool
-client_isvisible(client_t *c, int screen)
+client_isvisible_exclude_banned(client_t *c, int screen)
 {
     return (!c->ishidden && !c->isminimized && client_maybevisible(c, screen));
 }
 
+/** Returns true if a client is tagged
+ * with one of the tags of the specified screen and is not hidden or banned.
+ * \param c The client to check.
+ * \param screen Virtual screen number.
+ * \return true if the client is visible, false otherwise.
+ */
+static inline bool
+client_isvisible(client_t *c, int screen)
+{
+    return (client_isvisible_exclude_banned(c, screen) && !c->isbanned);
+}
+
 /** Check if a client has strut information.
  * \param c A client.
  * \return A boolean value, true if the client has strut information.
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index e7ac8848..56565c59 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ arrange(int screen)
 
     for(c = globalconf.clients; c; c = c->next)
     {
-        if(client_isvisible(c, screen))
+        if(client_isvisible_exclude_banned(c, screen))
             client_unban(c);
         /* we don't touch other screens windows */
         else if(c->screen == screen)
diff --git a/structs.h b/structs.h
index 1568cee4..c8549deb 100644
--- a/structs.h
+++ b/structs.h
@@ -181,6 +181,10 @@ struct client_t
     bool ismodal;
     /** True if the client is on top */
     bool isontop;
+    /** True if a client is banned to a position outside the viewport.
+     * Note that the geometry remains unchanged and that the window is still mapped.
+     */
+    bool isbanned;
     /** true if the client must be skipped from task bar client list */
     bool skiptb;
     /** True if the client cannot have focus */
diff --git a/titlebar.c b/titlebar.c
index 15253a51..9fd70bf3 100644
--- a/titlebar.c
+++ b/titlebar.c
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ titlebar_client_attach(client_t *c, wibox_t *t)
             break;
         }
 
-
         titlebar_geometry_compute(c, c->geometry, &wingeom);
 
         simplewindow_init(&t->sw, c->phys_screen,
@@ -210,6 +209,9 @@ titlebar_client_attach(client_t *c, wibox_t *t)
 
         t->need_update = true;
 
+        /* This may seem useless, but it's the cleanest way to avoid seeing titlebars for banned clients. */
+        titlebar_update_geometry_floating(c);
+
         if(t->isvisible)
             xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, t->sw.window);
 
@@ -218,6 +220,29 @@ titlebar_client_attach(client_t *c, wibox_t *t)
     }
 }
 
+/** Map or unmap a titlebar wibox.
+ * \param t The wibox/titlebar.
+ * \param visible The new state of the titlebar.
+ */
+void
+titlebar_set_visible(wibox_t *t, bool visible)
+{
+    if (visible != t->isvisible)
+    {
+        /* The price of (un)mapping something small like a titlebar is pretty cheap.
+         * It would complicate matters if this rare case was treated like clients.
+         * Clients are moved out of the viewport when banned.
+         */
+        if ((t->isvisible = visible))
+            xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, t->sw.window);
+        else
+            xcb_unmap_window(globalconf.connection, t->sw.window);
+
+        globalconf.screens[t->screen].need_arrange = true;
+        client_stack();
+    }
+}
+
 /** Titlebar newindex.
  * \param L The Lua VM state.
  * \param titlebar The wibox titlebar.
diff --git a/titlebar.h b/titlebar.h
index 8294e3f8..441134ee 100644
--- a/titlebar.h
+++ b/titlebar.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ void titlebar_geometry_compute(client_t *, area_t, area_t *);
 void titlebar_init(client_t *);
 void titlebar_client_detach(client_t *);
 void titlebar_client_attach(client_t *, wibox_t *);
+void titlebar_set_visible(wibox_t *t, bool visible);
 
 int luaA_titlebar_newindex(lua_State *, wibox_t *, awesome_token_t);
 
@@ -130,7 +131,22 @@ titlebar_update_geometry_tiled(client_t *c, area_t geometry)
         return;
 
     titlebar_geometry_compute(c, geometry, &geom);
-    wibox_moveresize(c->titlebar, geom);
+    /* Can't actually move titlebar right now, but we will resize it. */
+    if(c->isbanned)
+    {
+        area_t moved_geom = geom;
+
+        /* Make sure it stays outside the viewport. */
+        moved_geom.x = - geom.width;
+        moved_geom.y = - geom.height;
+
+        wibox_moveresize(c->titlebar, moved_geom);
+
+        /* Store the real geometry. */
+        c->titlebar->sw.geometry = geom;
+    }
+    else
+        wibox_moveresize(c->titlebar, geom);
 }
 
 /** Update the titlebar geometry for a floating client.
diff --git a/wibox.c b/wibox.c
index 54f3790c..f2321d64 100644
--- a/wibox.c
+++ b/wibox.c
@@ -1004,8 +1004,7 @@ luaA_wibox_newindex(lua_State *L)
                 wibox_setvisible(*wibox, b);
                 break;
               case WIBOX_TYPE_TITLEBAR:
-                (*wibox)->isvisible = b;
-                globalconf.screens[(*wibox)->screen].need_arrange = true;
+                titlebar_set_visible(*wibox, b);
                 break;
             }
         break;