diff --git a/autotests/integration/CMakeLists.txt b/autotests/integration/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/autotests/integration/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/autotests/integration/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 integrationTest(NAME testPointerConstraints SRCS pointer_constraints_test.cpp)
 integrationTest(NAME testKeyboardLayout SRCS keyboard_layout_test.cpp)
 integrationTest(NAME testKeymapCreationFailure SRCS keymap_creation_failure_test.cpp)
+integrationTest(NAME testShowingDesktop SRCS showing_desktop_test.cpp)
 
 if (XCB_ICCCM_FOUND)
     integrationTest(NAME testMoveResize SRCS move_resize_window_test.cpp LIBS XCB::ICCCM)
diff --git a/autotests/integration/showing_desktop_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/showing_desktop_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autotests/integration/showing_desktop_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/********************************************************************
+KWin - the KDE window manager
+This file is part of the KDE project.
+
+Copyright (C) 2017 Martin Flöser <mgraesslin@kde.org>
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*********************************************************************/
+#include "kwin_wayland_test.h"
+#include "platform.h"
+#include "shell_client.h"
+#include "wayland_server.h"
+#include "workspace.h"
+
+#include <KWayland/Client/plasmashell.h>
+#include <KWayland/Client/surface.h>
+#include <KWayland/Client/shell.h>
+
+using namespace KWin;
+using namespace KWayland::Client;
+
+static const QString s_socketName = QStringLiteral("wayland_test_kwin_showing_desktop-0");
+
+class ShowingDesktopTest : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+private Q_SLOTS:
+    void initTestCase();
+    void init();
+    void cleanup();
+
+    void testRestoreFocus();
+    void testRestoreFocusWithDesktopWindow();
+};
+
+void ShowingDesktopTest::initTestCase()
+{
+    qRegisterMetaType<KWin::ShellClient*>();
+    qRegisterMetaType<KWin::AbstractClient*>();
+    QSignalSpy workspaceCreatedSpy(kwinApp(), &Application::workspaceCreated);
+    QVERIFY(workspaceCreatedSpy.isValid());
+    kwinApp()->platform()->setInitialWindowSize(QSize(1280, 1024));
+    QVERIFY(waylandServer()->init(s_socketName.toLocal8Bit()));
+
+    kwinApp()->start();
+    QVERIFY(workspaceCreatedSpy.wait());
+    waylandServer()->initWorkspace();
+}
+
+void ShowingDesktopTest::init()
+{
+    QVERIFY(Test::setupWaylandConnection(Test::AdditionalWaylandInterface::PlasmaShell));
+}
+
+void ShowingDesktopTest::cleanup()
+{
+    Test::destroyWaylandConnection();
+}
+
+void ShowingDesktopTest::testRestoreFocus()
+{
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface1(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface1(Test::createShellSurface(surface1.data()));
+    auto client1 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface1.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface2(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface2(Test::createShellSurface(surface2.data()));
+    auto client2 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface2.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+    QVERIFY(client1 != client2);
+
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client2);
+    workspace()->slotToggleShowDesktop();
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->showingDesktop());
+    workspace()->slotToggleShowDesktop();
+    QVERIFY(!workspace()->showingDesktop());
+
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->activeClient());
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client2);
+}
+
+void ShowingDesktopTest::testRestoreFocusWithDesktopWindow()
+{
+    // first create a desktop window
+
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> desktopSurface(Test::createSurface());
+    QVERIFY(!desktopSurface.isNull());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> desktopShellSurface(Test::createShellSurface(desktopSurface.data()));
+    QVERIFY(!desktopSurface.isNull());
+    QScopedPointer<PlasmaShellSurface> plasmaSurface(Test::waylandPlasmaShell()->createSurface(desktopSurface.data()));
+    QVERIFY(!plasmaSurface.isNull());
+    plasmaSurface->setRole(PlasmaShellSurface::Role::Desktop);
+
+    auto desktop = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(desktopSurface.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+    QVERIFY(desktop);
+    QVERIFY(desktop->isDesktop());
+
+    // now create some windows
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface1(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface1(Test::createShellSurface(surface1.data()));
+    auto client1 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface1.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface2(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface2(Test::createShellSurface(surface2.data()));
+    auto client2 = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface2.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+    QVERIFY(client1 != client2);
+
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client2);
+    workspace()->slotToggleShowDesktop();
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->showingDesktop());
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), desktop);
+    workspace()->slotToggleShowDesktop();
+    QVERIFY(!workspace()->showingDesktop());
+
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->activeClient());
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client2);
+}
+
+WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(ShowingDesktopTest)
+#include "showing_desktop_test.moc"
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -1307,8 +1307,14 @@
     }
     } // ~StackingUpdatesBlocker
 
-    if (showing_desktop && topDesk)
+    if (showing_desktop && topDesk) {
         requestFocus(topDesk);
+    } else if (!showing_desktop && changed) {
+        const auto client = FocusChain::self()->getForActivation(VirtualDesktopManager::self()->current());
+        if (client) {
+            activateClient(client);
+        }
+    }
     if (changed)
         emit showingDesktopChanged(showing);
 }