diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -384,8 +384,10 @@
      */
     bool isSpecialWindow() const;
     void sendToScreen(int screen);
-    virtual const QKeySequence &shortcut() const  = 0;
-    virtual void setShortcut(const QString &cut) = 0;
+    const QKeySequence &shortcut() const {
+        return _shortcut;
+    }
+    void setShortcut(const QString &cut);
     virtual bool performMouseCommand(Options::MouseCommand, const QPoint &globalPos);
     void setOnAllDesktops(bool set);
     void setDesktop(int);
@@ -991,6 +993,8 @@
 
     void setUnresponsive(bool unresponsive);
 
+    virtual void setShortcutInternal();
+
 private:
     void handlePaletteChange();
     QSharedPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClientImpl> m_tabBoxClient;
@@ -1065,6 +1069,8 @@
 
     bool m_unresponsive = false;
 
+    QKeySequence _shortcut;
+
     static bool s_haveResizeEffect;
 };
 
diff --git a/autotests/integration/globalshortcuts_test.cpp b/autotests/integration/globalshortcuts_test.cpp
--- a/autotests/integration/globalshortcuts_test.cpp
+++ b/autotests/integration/globalshortcuts_test.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
     void testUserActionsMenu();
     void testMetaShiftW();
     void testX11ClientShortcut();
+    void testWaylandClientShortcut();
 };
 
 void GlobalShortcutsTest::initTestCase()
@@ -277,5 +278,43 @@
     QVERIFY(windowClosedSpy.wait());
 }
 
+void GlobalShortcutsTest::testWaylandClientShortcut()
+{
+    QScopedPointer<Surface> surface(Test::createSurface());
+    QScopedPointer<ShellSurface> shellSurface(Test::createShellSurface(surface.data()));
+    auto client = Test::renderAndWaitForShown(surface.data(), QSize(100, 50), Qt::blue);
+
+    QCOMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client);
+    QVERIFY(client->isActive());
+    QCOMPARE(client->shortcut(), QKeySequence());
+    const QKeySequence seq(Qt::META + Qt::SHIFT + Qt::Key_Y);
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->shortcutAvailable(seq));
+    client->setShortcut(seq.toString());
+    QCOMPARE(client->shortcut(), seq);
+    QVERIFY(!workspace()->shortcutAvailable(seq));
+    QEXPECT_FAIL("", "Caption adjustment not yet implemented", Continue);
+    QCOMPARE(client->caption(), QStringLiteral(" {Meta+Shift+Y}"));
+
+    workspace()->activateClient(nullptr);
+    QVERIFY(!workspace()->activeClient());
+    QVERIFY(!client->isActive());
+
+    // now let's trigger the shortcut
+    quint32 timestamp = 0;
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyPressed(KEY_LEFTMETA, timestamp++);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyPressed(KEY_LEFTSHIFT, timestamp++);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyPressed(KEY_Y, timestamp++);
+    QTRY_COMPARE(workspace()->activeClient(), client);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyReleased(KEY_Y, timestamp++);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyReleased(KEY_LEFTSHIFT, timestamp++);
+    kwinApp()->platform()->keyboardKeyReleased(KEY_LEFTMETA, timestamp++);
+
+    shellSurface.reset();
+    surface.reset();
+    QVERIFY(Test::waitForWindowDestroyed(client));
+    QVERIFY(workspace()->shortcutAvailable(seq));
+}
+
+
 WAYLANDTEST_MAIN(GlobalShortcutsTest)
 #include "globalshortcuts_test.moc"
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -200,8 +200,6 @@
     QSize sizeForClientSize(const QSize&, Sizemode mode = SizemodeAny, bool noframe = false) const override;
 
     bool providesContextHelp() const override;
-    const QKeySequence &shortcut() const override;
-    void setShortcut(const QString& cut) override;
 
     Options::WindowOperation mouseButtonToWindowOperation(Qt::MouseButtons button);
     bool performMouseCommand(Options::MouseCommand, const QPoint& globalPos) override;
@@ -451,7 +449,7 @@
     void setCaption(const QString& s, bool force = false);
     bool hasTransientInternal(const Client* c, bool indirect, ConstClientList& set) const;
     void finishWindowRules();
-    void setShortcutInternal(const QKeySequence &cut = QKeySequence());
+    void setShortcutInternal() override;
 
     void configureRequest(int value_mask, int rx, int ry, int rw, int rh, int gravity, bool from_tool);
     NETExtendedStrut strut() const;
@@ -579,7 +577,6 @@
         bool isPending;
     } syncRequest;
     static bool check_active_modal; ///< \see Client::checkActiveModal()
-    QKeySequence _shortcut;
     int sm_stacking_order;
     friend struct ResetupRulesProcedure;
 
@@ -738,11 +735,6 @@
     return m_moveResizeGrabWindow;
 }
 
-inline const QKeySequence &Client::shortcut() const
-{
-    return _shortcut;
-}
-
 inline void Client::removeRule(Rules* rule)
 {
     client_rules.remove(rule);
diff --git a/shell_client.h b/shell_client.h
--- a/shell_client.h
+++ b/shell_client.h
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@
     void setNoBorder(bool set) override;
     void updateDecoration(bool check_workspace_pos, bool force = false) override;
     void setOnAllActivities(bool set) override;
-    void setShortcut(const QString &cut) override;
-    const QKeySequence &shortcut() const override;
     void takeFocus() override;
     void updateWindowRules(Rules::Types selection) override;
     bool userCanSetFullScreen() const override;
diff --git a/shell_client.cpp b/shell_client.cpp
--- a/shell_client.cpp
+++ b/shell_client.cpp
@@ -820,17 +820,6 @@
     Q_UNUSED(set)
 }
 
-void ShellClient::setShortcut(const QString &cut)
-{
-    Q_UNUSED(cut)
-}
-
-const QKeySequence &ShellClient::shortcut() const
-{
-    static QKeySequence seq;
-    return seq;
-}
-
 void ShellClient::takeFocus()
 {
     if (rules()->checkAcceptFocus(wantsInput())) {
diff --git a/useractions.cpp b/useractions.cpp
--- a/useractions.cpp
+++ b/useractions.cpp
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@
         active_client->takeFocus();
 }
 
-void Workspace::clientShortcutUpdated(Client* c)
+void Workspace::clientShortcutUpdated(AbstractClient* c)
 {
     QString key = QStringLiteral("_k_session:%1").arg(c->window());
     QAction* action = findChild<QAction*>(key);
@@ -1794,22 +1794,30 @@
 
 #undef USABLE_ACTIVE_CLIENT
 
-void Client::setShortcut(const QString& _cut)
+void AbstractClient::setShortcut(const QString& _cut)
 {
     QString cut = rules()->checkShortcut(_cut);
-    if (cut.isEmpty())
-        return setShortcutInternal();
+    auto updateShortcut  = [this](const QKeySequence &cut = QKeySequence()) {
+        if (_shortcut == cut)
+            return;
+        _shortcut = cut;
+        setShortcutInternal();
+    };
+    if (cut.isEmpty()) {
+        updateShortcut();
+        return;
+    }
     if (cut == shortcut().toString()) {
         return; // no change
     }
 // Format:
 // base+(abcdef)<space>base+(abcdef)
 // E.g. Alt+Ctrl+(ABCDEF);Meta+X,Meta+(ABCDEF)
     if (!cut.contains(QLatin1Char('(')) && !cut.contains(QLatin1Char(')')) && !cut.contains(QLatin1String(" - "))) {
         if (workspace()->shortcutAvailable(cut, this))
-            setShortcutInternal(QKeySequence(cut));
+            updateShortcut(QKeySequence(cut));
         else
-            setShortcutInternal();
+            updateShortcut();
         return;
     }
     QList< QKeySequence > keys;
@@ -1846,18 +1854,20 @@
             it != keys.constEnd();
             ++it) {
         if (workspace()->shortcutAvailable(*it, this)) {
-            setShortcutInternal(*it);
+            updateShortcut(*it);
             return;
         }
     }
-    setShortcutInternal();
+    updateShortcut();
 }
 
-void Client::setShortcutInternal(const QKeySequence &cut)
+void AbstractClient::setShortcutInternal()
+{
+    workspace()->clientShortcutUpdated(this);
+}
+
+void Client::setShortcutInternal()
 {
-    if (_shortcut == cut)
-        return;
-    _shortcut = cut;
     updateCaption();
 #if 0
     workspace()->clientShortcutUpdated(this);
@@ -1874,16 +1884,16 @@
     workspace()->clientShortcutUpdated(this);
 }
 
-bool Workspace::shortcutAvailable(const QKeySequence &cut, Client* ignore) const
+bool Workspace::shortcutAvailable(const QKeySequence &cut, AbstractClient* ignore) const
 {
     if (ignore && cut == ignore->shortcut())
         return true;
 
     if (!KGlobalAccel::getGlobalShortcutsByKey(cut).isEmpty()) {
         return false;
     }
-    for (ClientList::ConstIterator it = clients.constBegin();
-            it != clients.constEnd();
+    for (auto it = m_allClients.constBegin();
+            it != m_allClients.constEnd();
             ++it) {
         if ((*it) != ignore && (*it)->shortcut() == cut)
             return false;
diff --git a/workspace.h b/workspace.h
--- a/workspace.h
+++ b/workspace.h
@@ -326,8 +326,8 @@
 
     void focusToNull(); // SELI TODO: Public?
 
-    void clientShortcutUpdated(Client* c);
-    bool shortcutAvailable(const QKeySequence &cut, Client* ignore = NULL) const;
+    void clientShortcutUpdated(AbstractClient* c);
+    bool shortcutAvailable(const QKeySequence &cut, AbstractClient* ignore = NULL) const;
     bool globalShortcutsDisabled() const;
     void disableGlobalShortcutsForClient(bool disable);
 
diff --git a/workspace.cpp b/workspace.cpp
--- a/workspace.cpp
+++ b/workspace.cpp
@@ -434,6 +434,12 @@
                 if (c == last_active_client) {
                     last_active_client = nullptr;
                 }
+                if (client_keys_client == c) {
+                    setupWindowShortcutDone(false);
+                }
+                if (!c->shortcut().isEmpty()) {
+                    c->setShortcut(QString());   // Remove from client_keys
+                }
                 clientHidden(c);
                 emit clientRemoved(c);
                 markXStackingOrderAsDirty();