diff --git a/lib/awful/rules.lua.in b/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
index 5ca3c731a..420ec440f 100644
--- a/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful/rules.lua.in
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ function apply(c)
         if property == "floating" then
             aclient.floating.set(c, value)
         elseif property == "tag" then
-            aclient.movetotag(value, c)
+            c:tags({ value })
         elseif property == "switchtotag" and value and props.tag then
             atag.viewonly(props.tag)
         elseif property == "height" or property == "width" or
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ function apply(c)
         end
     end
 
+    -- If untagged, stick the client on the current one.
+    if #c:tags() == 0 then
+        atag.withcurrent(c, startup)
+    end
+
     -- Apply all callbacks from matched rules.
     for i, callback in pairs(callbacks) do
         callback(c)
@@ -140,5 +145,6 @@ function apply(c)
 end
 
 client.add_signal("manage", apply)
+client.remove_signal("manage", atag.withcurrent)
 
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