diff --git a/lib/awful/client.lua b/lib/awful/client.lua
index 3d17b38b5..9da7b44c6 100644
--- a/lib/awful/client.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/client.lua
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ function client.object.move_to_screen(self, s)
         end
         s = get_screen(s)
         if get_screen(self.screen) ~= s then
-            local sel_is_focused = self == capi.client.focus
+            local sel_is_focused = self.active
             self.screen = s
             screen.focus(s)
 
diff --git a/lib/awful/titlebar.lua b/lib/awful/titlebar.lua
index 0300c77a8..d1a4070c3 100644
--- a/lib/awful/titlebar.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/titlebar.lua
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ local all_titlebars = setmetatable({}, { __mode = 'k' })
 -- Get a color for a titlebar, this tests many values from the array and the theme
 local function get_color(name, c, args)
     local suffix = "_normal"
-    if capi.client.focus == c then
+    if c.active then
         suffix = "_focus"
     end
     local function get(array)
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ function titlebar.widget.button(c, name, selector, action)
                 end
             end
             local prefix = "normal"
-            if capi.client.focus == c then
+            if c.active then
                 prefix = "focus"
             end
             if img ~= "" then
diff --git a/lib/awful/widget/tasklist.lua b/lib/awful/widget/tasklist.lua
index 48e2adf79..3c59d5db1 100644
--- a/lib/awful/widget/tasklist.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/widget/tasklist.lua
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ local function tasklist_label(c, args, tb)
         end
     end
 
-    local focused = capi.client.focus == c
+    local focused = c.active
     -- Handle transient_for: the first parent that does not skip the taskbar
     -- is considered to be focused, if the real client has skip_taskbar.
     if not focused and capi.client.focus and capi.client.focus.skip_taskbar
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ end
 -- @filterfunction awful.tasklist.filter.focused
 function tasklist.filter.focused(c, screen)
     -- Only print client on the same screen as this widget
-    return get_screen(c.screen) == get_screen(screen) and capi.client.focus == c
+    return get_screen(c.screen) == get_screen(screen) and c.active
 end
 
 --- Get all the clients in an undefined order.
diff --git a/tests/test-awful-client.lua b/tests/test-awful-client.lua
index 92c423ff4..8f3db43d6 100644
--- a/tests/test-awful-client.lua
+++ b/tests/test-awful-client.lua
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ table.insert(steps, function()
     c1, c2 = client.get()[1], client.get()[2]
 
     -- This should still be the case
-    assert(client.focus == c1)
+    assert(c1.active)
 
     c2:emit_signal("request::activate", "i_said_so")
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ end)
 -- Check if writing a focus stealing filter works.
 table.insert(steps, function()
     -- This should still be the case
-    assert(client.focus == c2)
+    assert(c2.active)
 
     original_count = #awful.ewmh.generic_activate_filters
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ end)
 
 table.insert(steps, function()
     -- The request should have been denied
-    assert(client.focus == c2)
+    assert(c2.active)
 
     -- Test the remove function
     awful.ewmh.remove_activate_filter(function() end)
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ table.insert(steps, function()
 
     c1:emit_signal("request::activate", "i_said_so")
 
-    return client.focus == c1
+    return c1.active
 end)
 
 local has_error
diff --git a/tests/test-awful-tag.lua b/tests/test-awful-tag.lua
index 688ddd48b..14d493edc 100644
--- a/tests/test-awful-tag.lua
+++ b/tests/test-awful-tag.lua
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ local steps = {
 
             client.focus = client.get()[1]
             local c  = client.focus
-            assert(c and client.focus == c)
+            assert(c and c.active)
             assert(beautiful.awesome_icon)
 
             local t = awful.tag.add("Test", {clients={c}, icon = beautiful.awesome_icon})
diff --git a/tests/test-current-desktop.lua b/tests/test-current-desktop.lua
index c47a98478..bb6c6aa8b 100644
--- a/tests/test-current-desktop.lua
+++ b/tests/test-current-desktop.lua
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ local steps = {
     -- Killing the client means the first selected tag counts
     function(count)
         if count == 1 then
-            assert(client.focus == c)
+            assert(c.active)
             c:kill()
             c = nil
             return
diff --git a/tests/test-urgent.lua b/tests/test-urgent.lua
index b36a42710..169c2512c 100644
--- a/tests/test-urgent.lua
+++ b/tests/test-urgent.lua
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ local steps = {
             assert(#client.get() == 1)
             local c = client.get()[1]
             assert(not c.urgent, "Client is not urgent anymore.")
-            assert(c == client.focus, "Client is focused.")
+            assert(c.active, "Client is focused.")
             assert(awful.tag.getproperty(awful.screen.focused().tags[2], "urgent") == false)
             assert(awful.tag.getproperty(awful.screen.focused().tags[2], "urgent_count") == 0)
             return true