diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index fc102800b..952b1939e 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -569,23 +569,27 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     xkb_init();
 
     /* The default GC is just a newly created associated with a window with
-     * depth globalconf.default_depth */
-    xcb_window_t tmp_win = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
+     * depth globalconf.default_depth.
+     * The window_no_focus is used for "nothing has the input focus". */
+    globalconf.focus.window_no_focus = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
     globalconf.gc = xcb_generate_id(globalconf.connection);
     xcb_create_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_depth,
-                      tmp_win, globalconf.screen->root,
+                      globalconf.focus.window_no_focus, globalconf.screen->root,
                       -1, -1, 1, 1, 0,
                       XCB_COPY_FROM_PARENT, globalconf.visual->visual_id,
-                      XCB_CW_BACK_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
+                      XCB_CW_BACK_PIXEL | XCB_CW_BORDER_PIXEL |
+                      XCB_CW_OVERRIDE_REDIRECT | XCB_CW_COLORMAP,
                       (const uint32_t [])
                       {
                           globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
                           globalconf.screen->black_pixel,
+                          1,
                           globalconf.default_cmap
                       });
-    xcb_create_gc(globalconf.connection, globalconf.gc, tmp_win, XCB_GC_FOREGROUND | XCB_GC_BACKGROUND,
+    xcb_map_window(globalconf.connection, globalconf.focus.window_no_focus);
+    xcb_create_gc(globalconf.connection, globalconf.gc, globalconf.focus.window_no_focus,
+                  XCB_GC_FOREGROUND | XCB_GC_BACKGROUND,
                   (const uint32_t[]) { globalconf.screen->black_pixel, globalconf.screen->white_pixel });
-    xcb_destroy_window(globalconf.connection, tmp_win);
 
     /* Get the window tree associated to this screen */
     tree_c = xcb_query_tree_unchecked(globalconf.connection,
diff --git a/globalconf.h b/globalconf.h
index 29a9d6a52..0f1b84848 100644
--- a/globalconf.h
+++ b/globalconf.h
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ typedef struct
         client_t *client;
         /** Is there a focus change pending? */
         bool need_update;
+        /** When nothing has the input focus, this window actually is focused */
+        xcb_window_t window_no_focus;
     } focus;
     /** Drawins */
     drawin_array_t drawins;
diff --git a/objects/client.c b/objects/client.c
index 504425a72..821273764 100644
--- a/objects/client.c
+++ b/objects/client.c
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ void
 client_focus_refresh(void)
 {
     client_t *c = globalconf.focus.client;
-    xcb_window_t win = globalconf.screen->root;
+    xcb_window_t win = globalconf.focus.window_no_focus;
 
     if(!globalconf.focus.need_update)
         return;
@@ -447,10 +447,11 @@ client_focus_refresh(void)
         if(!c->nofocus)
             win = c->window;
         else
-            /* Focus the root window to make sure the previously focused client
-             * doesn't get any input in case WM_TAKE_FOCUS gets ignored.
+            /* Move the focus away from whatever has it to make sure the
+             * previously focused client doesn't get any input in case
+             * WM_TAKE_FOCUS gets ignored.
              */
-            win = globalconf.screen->root;
+            win = globalconf.focus.window_no_focus;
 
         if(client_hasproto(c, WM_TAKE_FOCUS))
             xwindow_takefocus(c->window);