diff --git dwm.c dwm.c
index 0fc328a..4a767bd 100644
--- dwm.c
+++ dwm.c
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ static void setup(void);
 static void seturgent(Client *c, int urg);
 static void showhide(Client *c);
 static void sigchld(int unused);
+static int solitary(Client *c);
 static void spawn(const Arg *arg);
 static void tag(const Arg *arg);
 static void tagmon(const Arg *arg);
@@ -802,7 +803,11 @@ focus(Client *c)
 		detachstack(c);
 		attachstack(c);
 		grabbuttons(c, 1);
-		XSetWindowBorder(dpy, c->win, scheme[SchemeSel][ColBorder].pixel);
+		/* Avoid flickering when another client appears and the border
+		 * is restored */
+		if (!solitary(c)) {
+			XSetWindowBorder(dpy, c->win, scheme[SchemeSel][ColBorder].pixel);
+		}
 		setfocus(c);
 	} else {
 		XSetInputFocus(dpy, root, RevertToPointerRoot, CurrentTime);
@@ -1288,6 +1293,11 @@ resizeclient(Client *c, int x, int y, int w, int h)
 	c->oldw = c->w; c->w = wc.width = w;
 	c->oldh = c->h; c->h = wc.height = h;
 	wc.border_width = c->bw;
+	if (solitary(c)) {
+		c->w = wc.width += c->bw * 2;
+		c->h = wc.height += c->bw * 2;
+		wc.border_width = 0;
+	}
 	XConfigureWindow(dpy, c->win, CWX|CWY|CWWidth|CWHeight|CWBorderWidth, &wc);
 	configure(c);
 	XSync(dpy, False);
@@ -1642,6 +1652,15 @@ sigchld(int unused)
 	while (0 < waitpid(-1, NULL, WNOHANG));
 }
 
+int
+solitary(Client *c)
+{
+	return ((nexttiled(c->mon->clients) == c && !nexttiled(c->next))
+	    || &monocle == c->mon->lt[c->mon->sellt]->arrange)
+	    && !c->isfullscreen && !c->isfloating
+	    && NULL != c->mon->lt[c->mon->sellt]->arrange;
+}
+
 void
 spawn(const Arg *arg)
 {