diff --git a/layers.cpp b/layers.cpp
--- a/layers.cpp
+++ b/layers.cpp
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@
 
     newWindowStack << ScreenEdges::self()->windows();
 
+    newWindowStack << manual_overlays;
+
     newWindowStack.reserve(newWindowStack.size() + 2*stacking_order.size()); // *2 for inputWindow
 
     for (int i = stacking_order.size() - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
@@ -202,7 +204,10 @@
     int pos = 0;
     xcb_window_t *cl(nullptr);
     if (propagate_new_clients) {
-        cl = new xcb_window_t[ desktops.count() + clients.count()];
+        cl = new xcb_window_t[ manual_overlays.count() + desktops.count() + clients.count()];
+        for (const auto win : manual_overlays) {
+            cl[pos++] = win;
+        }
         // TODO this is still not completely in the map order
         for (ClientList::ConstIterator it = desktops.constBegin(); it != desktops.constEnd(); ++it)
             cl[pos++] = (*it)->window();
@@ -212,12 +217,15 @@
         delete [] cl;
     }
 
-    cl = new xcb_window_t[ stacking_order.count()];
+    cl = new xcb_window_t[ manual_overlays.count() + stacking_order.count()];
     pos = 0;
     for (ToplevelList::ConstIterator it = stacking_order.constBegin(); it != stacking_order.constEnd(); ++it) {
         if ((*it)->isClient())
             cl[pos++] = (*it)->window();
     }
+    for (const auto win : manual_overlays) {
+        cl[pos++] = win;
+    }
     rootInfo()->setClientListStacking(cl, pos);
     delete [] cl;
 
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -278,6 +278,13 @@
     void windowToNextDesktop(AbstractClient* c);
     void sendClientToScreen(AbstractClient* c, int screen);
 
+    void addManualOverlay(xcb_window_t id) {
+        manual_overlays << id;
+    }
+    void removeManualOverlay(xcb_window_t id) {
+        manual_overlays.removeOne(id);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Shows the menu operations menu for the client and makes it active if
      * it's not already.
@@ -564,6 +571,7 @@
 
     ToplevelList unconstrained_stacking_order; // Topmost last
     ToplevelList stacking_order; // Topmost last
+    QVector<xcb_window_t> manual_overlays; //Topmost last
     bool force_restacking;
     ToplevelList x_stacking; // From XQueryTree()
     std::unique_ptr<Xcb::Tree> m_xStackingQueryTree;
diff --git a/xwl/drag_x.cpp b/xwl/drag_x.cpp
--- a/xwl/drag_x.cpp
+++ b/xwl/drag_x.cpp
@@ -316,12 +316,9 @@
                         32, 1, &version);
 
     xcb_map_window(xcbConn, m_window);
+    workspace()->addManualOverlay(m_window);
+    workspace()->updateStackingOrder(true);
 
-    const uint32_t stackValues[] = { XCB_STACK_MODE_ABOVE };
-    xcb_configure_window (xcbConn,
-                          m_window,
-                          XCB_CONFIG_WINDOW_STACK_MODE,
-                          stackValues);
     xcb_flush(xcbConn);
     m_mapped = true;
 }
@@ -541,6 +538,8 @@
     }
     auto *xcbConn = kwinApp()->x11Connection();
     xcb_unmap_window(xcbConn, m_window);
+    workspace()->removeManualOverlay(m_window);
+    workspace()->updateStackingOrder(true);
     xcb_flush(xcbConn);
     m_mapped = false;
 }