diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index c6e1179..f21e346 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -336,28 +336,35 @@ static inline void ev_reparent_notify(session_t *ps, xcb_reparent_notify_event_t
 		    ps->c, ev->window, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK,
 		    (const uint32_t[]){determine_evmask(ps, ev->window, WIN_EVMODE_UNKNOWN)});
 
-		// Check if the window is an undetected client window
-		// Firstly, check if it's a known client window
-		if (!w_top) {
-			// If not, look for its frame window
+		if (!wid_has_prop(ps, ev->window, ps->atoms->aWM_STATE)) {
+			log_debug("Window %#010x doesn't have WM_STATE property, it is "
+			          "probably not a client window. But we will listen for "
+			          "property change in case it gains one.",
+			          ev->window);
+			xcb_change_window_attributes(
+			    ps->c, ev->window, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK,
+			    (const uint32_t[]){determine_evmask(ps, ev->window, WIN_EVMODE_UNKNOWN) |
+			                       XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE});
+		} else {
 			auto w_real_top = find_managed_window_or_parent(ps, ev->parent);
-			// If found, and the client window has not been determined, or its
-			// frame may not have a correct client, continue
-			if (w_real_top && (!w_real_top->client_win ||
-			                   w_real_top->client_win == w_real_top->base.id)) {
-				// If it has WM_STATE, mark it the client window
-				if (wid_has_prop(ps, ev->window, ps->atoms->aWM_STATE)) {
-					w_real_top->wmwin = false;
-					win_unmark_client(ps, w_real_top);
-					win_mark_client(ps, w_real_top, ev->window);
-				}
-				// Otherwise, watch for WM_STATE on it
+			if (w_real_top && w_real_top->state != WSTATE_UNMAPPED &&
+			    w_real_top->state != WSTATE_UNMAPPING) {
+				log_debug("Mark window %#010x (%s) as having a stale "
+				          "client",
+				          w_real_top->base.id, w_real_top->name);
+				win_set_flags(w_real_top, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE);
+				ps->pending_updates = true;
+			} else {
+				if (!w_real_top)
+					log_debug("parent %#010x not found", ev->parent);
 				else {
-					xcb_change_window_attributes(
-					    ps->c, ev->window, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK,
-					    (const uint32_t[]){
-					        determine_evmask(ps, ev->window, WIN_EVMODE_UNKNOWN) |
-					        XCB_EVENT_MASK_PROPERTY_CHANGE});
+					// Window is not currently mapped, unmark its
+					// client to trigger a client recheck when it is
+					// mapped later.
+					win_unmark_client(ps, w_real_top);
+					log_debug("parent %#010x (%s) is in state %d",
+					          w_real_top->base.id, w_real_top->name,
+					          w_real_top->state);
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -451,13 +458,11 @@ static inline void ev_property_notify(session_t *ps, xcb_property_notify_event_t
 			                                 ps, ev->window, WIN_EVMODE_UNKNOWN)});
 
 			auto w_top = find_managed_window_or_parent(ps, ev->window);
-			// Initialize client_win as early as possible
-			if (w_top &&
-			    (!w_top->client_win || w_top->client_win == w_top->base.id) &&
-			    wid_has_prop(ps, ev->window, ps->atoms->aWM_STATE)) {
-				w_top->wmwin = false;
-				win_unmark_client(ps, w_top);
-				win_mark_client(ps, w_top, ev->window);
+			// ev->window might have not been managed yet, in that case w_top
+			// would be NULL.
+			if (w_top) {
+				win_set_flags(w_top, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE);
+				ps->pending_updates = true;
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/win.c b/src/win.c
index 28d84ed..10f4424 100644
--- a/src/win.c
+++ b/src/win.c
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ static const int WIN_GET_LEADER_MAX_RECURSION = 20;
 static const int ROUNDED_PIXELS = 1;
 static const double ROUNDED_PERCENT = 0.05;
 
+static void win_recheck_client(session_t *ps, struct managed_win *w);
+
 /// Generate a "return by value" function, from a function that returns the
 /// region via a region_t pointer argument.
 /// Function signature has to be (win *, region_t *)
@@ -323,8 +325,8 @@ void win_release_images(struct backend_base *backend, struct managed_win *w) {
 void win_process_flags(session_t *ps, struct managed_win *w) {
 	if (win_check_flags_all(w, WIN_FLAGS_MAPPED)) {
 		map_win_start(ps, w);
+		win_clear_flags(w, WIN_FLAGS_MAPPED);
 	}
-	win_clear_flags(w, WIN_FLAGS_MAPPED);
 
 	// Not a loop
 	while (win_check_flags_any(w, WIN_FLAGS_IMAGES_STALE) &&
@@ -367,7 +369,14 @@ void win_process_flags(session_t *ps, struct managed_win *w) {
 	}
 
 	// Clear stale image flags
-	win_clear_flags(w, WIN_FLAGS_IMAGES_STALE);
+	if (win_check_flags_any(w, WIN_FLAGS_IMAGES_STALE)) {
+		win_clear_flags(w, WIN_FLAGS_IMAGES_STALE);
+	}
+
+	if (win_check_flags_all(w, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE)) {
+		win_recheck_client(ps, w);
+		win_clear_flags(w, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE);
+	}
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2326,6 +2335,7 @@ win_is_fullscreen_xcb(xcb_connection_t *c, const struct atom *a, const xcb_windo
 
 /// Set flags on a window. Some sanity checks are performed
 void win_set_flags(struct managed_win *w, uint64_t flags) {
+	log_debug("Set flags %lu to window %#010x (%s)", flags, w->base.id, w->name);
 	if (unlikely(w->state == WSTATE_DESTROYING)) {
 		log_error("Flags set on a destroyed window %#010x (%s)", w->base.id, w->name);
 		return;
@@ -2336,6 +2346,7 @@ void win_set_flags(struct managed_win *w, uint64_t flags) {
 
 /// Clear flags on a window. Some sanity checks are performed
 void win_clear_flags(struct managed_win *w, uint64_t flags) {
+	log_debug("Clear flags %lu from window %#010x (%s)", flags, w->base.id, w->name);
 	if (unlikely(w->state == WSTATE_DESTROYING)) {
 		log_error("Flags cleared on a destroyed window %#010x (%s)", w->base.id,
 		          w->name);
diff --git a/src/win_defs.h b/src/win_defs.h
index f8494bb..6099ac2 100644
--- a/src/win_defs.h
+++ b/src/win_defs.h
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ enum win_flags {
 	WIN_FLAGS_SHADOW_STALE = 8,
 	/// shadow has not been generated
 	WIN_FLAGS_SHADOW_NONE = 16,
+	/// the client window needs to be updated
+	WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE = 32,
 	/// the window is mapped by X, we need to call map_win_start for it
 	WIN_FLAGS_MAPPED = 64,
 };