diff --git a/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/keyboard_layout_test.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
     void testDBusServiceExport();
     void testVirtualDesktopPolicy();
     void testWindowPolicy();
+    void testApplicationPolicy();
 
 private:
     void reconfigureLayouts();
@@ -394,5 +395,67 @@
     QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
 }
 
+void KeyboardLayoutTest::testApplicationPolicy()
+{
+    KConfigGroup layoutGroup = kwinApp()->kxkbConfig()->group("Layout");
+    layoutGroup.writeEntry("LayoutList", QStringLiteral("us,de,de(neo)"));
+    layoutGroup.writeEntry("SwitchMode", QStringLiteral("WinClass"));
+    layoutGroup.sync();
+    reconfigureLayouts();
+    auto xkb = input()->keyboard()->xkb();
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->numberOfLayouts(), 3u);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("English (US)"));
+
+    // create a window
+    using namespace KWayland::Client;
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface(Test::createShellSurface(surface.data()));
+    auto c1 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface.data(), QSize(100, 100), Qt::blue);
+    QVERIFY(c1);
+
+    // now switch layout
+    auto changeLayout = [] (const QString &layoutName) {
+        QDBusMessage msg = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QStringLiteral("org.kde.keyboard"), QStringLiteral("/Layouts"), QStringLiteral("org.kde.KeyboardLayouts"), QStringLiteral("setLayout"));
+        msg << layoutName;
+        return QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(msg);
+    };
+    LayoutChangedSignalWrapper wrapper;
+    QSignalSpy layoutChangedSpy(&wrapper, &LayoutChangedSignalWrapper::layoutChanged);
+    QVERIFY(layoutChangedSpy.isValid());
+    auto reply = changeLayout(QStringLiteral("German"));
+    QVERIFY(layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QCOMPARE(layoutChangedSpy.count(), 1);
+    reply.waitForFinished();
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German"));
+
+    // create a second window
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface2(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface2(Test::createShellSurface(surface2.data()));
+    auto c2 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface2.data(), QSize(100, 100), Qt::red);
+    QVERIFY(c2);
+    // it is the same application and should not switch the layout
+    QVERIFY(!layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QCOMPARE(layoutChangedSpy.count(), 1);
+    // now change to another layout
+    reply = changeLayout(QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+    QVERIFY(layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QCOMPARE(layoutChangedSpy.count(), 2);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+
+    // activate other window
+    workspace()->activateClient(c1);
+    QVERIFY(!layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+    workspace()->activateClient(c2);
+    QVERIFY(!layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+
+    shellSurface2.reset();
+    surface2.reset();
+    QVERIFY(Test::waitForWindowDestroyed(c2));
+    QVERIFY(!layoutChangedSpy.wait());
+    QTRY_COMPARE(xkb->layoutName(), QStringLiteral("German (Neo 2)"));
+}
+
 WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(KeyboardLayoutTest)
 #include "keyboard_layout_test.moc"
diff --git a/keyboard_layout_switching.h b/keyboard_layout_switching.h
--- a/keyboard_layout_switching.h
+++ b/keyboard_layout_switching.h
@@ -112,6 +112,26 @@
     QHash<AbstractClient*, quint32> m_layouts;
 };
 
+class ApplicationPolicy : public Policy
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit ApplicationPolicy(Xkb *xkb, KeyboardLayout *layout);
+    ~ApplicationPolicy() override;
+
+    QString name() const override {
+        return QStringLiteral("WinClass");
+    }
+
+protected:
+    void clearCache() override;
+    void layoutChanged() override;
+
+private:
+    void clientActivated(AbstractClient *c);
+    QHash<AbstractClient*, quint32> m_layouts;
+};
+
 }
 }
 
diff --git a/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp b/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
--- a/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
+++ b/keyboard_layout_switching.cpp
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@
     if (policy.toLower() == QStringLiteral("window")) {
         return new WindowPolicy(xkb, layout);
     }
+    if (policy.toLower() == QStringLiteral("winclass")) {
+        return new ApplicationPolicy(xkb, layout);
+    }
     return new GlobalPolicy(xkb, layout);
 }
 
@@ -182,5 +185,74 @@
     }
 }
 
+ApplicationPolicy::ApplicationPolicy(KWin::Xkb* xkb, KWin::KeyboardLayout* layout)
+    : Policy(xkb, layout)
+{
+    connect(workspace(), &Workspace::clientActivated, this, &ApplicationPolicy::clientActivated);
+}
+
+ApplicationPolicy::~ApplicationPolicy()
+{
+}
+
+void ApplicationPolicy::clientActivated(AbstractClient *c)
+{
+    if (!c) {
+        return;
+    }
+    // ignore some special types
+    if (c->isDesktop() || c->isDock()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    quint32 layout = 0;
+    for (auto it = m_layouts.constBegin(); it != m_layouts.constEnd(); it++) {
+        if (AbstractClient::belongToSameApplication(c, it.key())) {
+            layout = it.value();
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    setLayout(layout);
+}
+
+void ApplicationPolicy::clearCache()
+{
+    m_layouts.clear();
+}
+
+void ApplicationPolicy::layoutChanged()
+{
+    auto c = workspace()->activeClient();
+    if (!c) {
+        return;
+    }
+    // ignore some special types
+    if (c->isDesktop() || c->isDock()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    auto it = m_layouts.find(c);
+    const auto l = layout();
+    if (it == m_layouts.constEnd()) {
+        m_layouts.insert(c, l);
+        connect(c, &AbstractClient::windowClosed, this,
+            [this, c] {
+                m_layouts.remove(c);
+            }
+        );
+    } else {
+        if (it.value() == l) {
+            return;
+        }
+        it.value() = l;
+    }
+    // update all layouts for the application
+    for (it = m_layouts.begin(); it != m_layouts.end(); it++) {
+        if (!AbstractClient::belongToSameApplication(it.key(), c)) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        it.value() = l;
+    }
+}
+
 }
 }