diff --git dwm.c dwm.c
index a96f33c..34d1321 100644
--- dwm.c
+++ dwm.c
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ static int xerrorstart(Display *dpy, XErrorEvent *ee);
 static void zoom(const Arg *arg);
 
 /* variables */
+static Client *lastfocused = NULL;
 static const char broken[] = "broken";
 static char stext[256];
 static int screen;
@@ -799,7 +800,11 @@ focus(Client *c)
 		detachstack(c);
 		attachstack(c);
 		grabbuttons(c, 1);
+		/* set new focused border first to avoid flickering */
 		XSetWindowBorder(dpy, c->win, scheme[SchemeSel][ColBorder].pixel);
+		/* lastfocused may be us if another window was unmanaged */
+		if (lastfocused && lastfocused != c)
+			XSetWindowBorder(dpy, lastfocused->win, scheme[SchemeNorm][ColBorder].pixel);
 		setfocus(c);
 	} else {
 		XSetInputFocus(dpy, root, RevertToPointerRoot, CurrentTime);
@@ -1758,7 +1763,7 @@ unfocus(Client *c, int setfocus)
 	if (!c)
 		return;
 	grabbuttons(c, 0);
-	XSetWindowBorder(dpy, c->win, scheme[SchemeNorm][ColBorder].pixel);
+	lastfocused = c;
 	if (setfocus) {
 		XSetInputFocus(dpy, root, RevertToPointerRoot, CurrentTime);
 		XDeleteProperty(dpy, root, netatom[NetActiveWindow]);
@@ -1784,6 +1789,8 @@ unmanage(Client *c, int destroyed)
 		XSetErrorHandler(xerror);
 		XUngrabServer(dpy);
 	}
+	if (lastfocused == c)
+		lastfocused = NULL;
 	free(c);
 	focus(NULL);
 	updateclientlist();