diff --git a/include/con.h b/include/con.h
index 1c8e341b..9ed9508a 100644
--- a/include/con.h
+++ b/include/con.h
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ bool con_is_internal(Con *con);
  */
 bool con_is_floating(Con *con);
 
+/**
+ * Returns true if the container is a docked container.
+ *
+ */
+bool con_is_docked(Con *con);
+
 /**
  * Checks if the given container is either floating or inside some floating
  * container. It returns the FLOATING_CON container.
diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index 7aab6422..7f196bdc 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -1188,16 +1188,18 @@ void cmd_move_workspace_to_output(I3_CMD, const char *name) {
  *
  */
 void cmd_split(I3_CMD, const char *direction) {
+    HANDLE_EMPTY_MATCH;
+
     owindow *current;
-    /* TODO: use matches */
     LOG("splitting in direction %c\n", direction[0]);
-    if (match_is_empty(current_match))
-        tree_split(focused, (direction[0] == 'v' ? VERT : HORIZ));
-    else {
-        TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
-            DLOG("matching: %p / %s\n", current->con, current->con->name);
-            tree_split(current->con, (direction[0] == 'v' ? VERT : HORIZ));
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
+        if (con_is_docked(current->con)) {
+            ELOG("Cannot split a docked container, skipping.\n");
+            continue;
         }
+
+        DLOG("matching: %p / %s\n", current->con, current->con->name);
+        tree_split(current->con, (direction[0] == 'v' ? VERT : HORIZ));
     }
 
     cmd_output->needs_tree_render = true;
@@ -1524,9 +1526,10 @@ void cmd_move_direction(I3_CMD, const char *direction, long move_px) {
  *
  */
 void cmd_layout(I3_CMD, const char *layout_str) {
+    HANDLE_EMPTY_MATCH;
+
     if (strcmp(layout_str, "stacking") == 0)
         layout_str = "stacked";
-    owindow *current;
     layout_t layout;
     /* default is a special case which will be handled in con_set_layout(). */
     if (strcmp(layout_str, "default") == 0)
@@ -1546,14 +1549,15 @@ void cmd_layout(I3_CMD, const char *layout_str) {
 
     DLOG("changing layout to %s (%d)\n", layout_str, layout);
 
-    /* check if the match is empty, not if the result is empty */
-    if (match_is_empty(current_match))
-        con_set_layout(focused, layout);
-    else {
-        TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
-            DLOG("matching: %p / %s\n", current->con, current->con->name);
-            con_set_layout(current->con, layout);
+    owindow *current;
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
+        if (con_is_docked(current->con)) {
+            ELOG("cannot change layout of a docked container, skipping it.\n");
+            continue;
         }
+
+        DLOG("matching: %p / %s\n", current->con, current->con->name);
+        con_set_layout(current->con, layout);
     }
 
     cmd_output->needs_tree_render = true;
diff --git a/src/con.c b/src/con.c
index cebe0a7e..bd002d35 100644
--- a/src/con.c
+++ b/src/con.c
@@ -448,6 +448,20 @@ bool con_is_floating(Con *con) {
     return (con->floating >= FLOATING_AUTO_ON);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Returns true if the container is a docked container.
+ *
+ */
+bool con_is_docked(Con *con) {
+    if (con->parent == NULL)
+        return false;
+
+    if (con->parent->type == CT_DOCKAREA)
+        return true;
+
+    return con_is_docked(con->parent);
+}
+
 /*
  * Checks if the given container is either floating or inside some floating
  * container. It returns the FLOATING_CON container.
diff --git a/src/floating.c b/src/floating.c
index d7a33067..77bc9e17 100644
--- a/src/floating.c
+++ b/src/floating.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ void floating_check_size(Con *floating_con) {
 void floating_enable(Con *con, bool automatic) {
     bool set_focus = (con == focused);
 
-    if (con->parent && con->parent->type == CT_DOCKAREA) {
+    if (con_is_docked(con)) {
         LOG("Container is a dock window, not enabling floating mode.\n");
         return;
     }