diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index c3f7e4c4..17d700c4 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -359,6 +359,15 @@ void cmd_move_con_to_workspace(I3_CMD, char *which) {
 
     DLOG("which=%s\n", which);
 
+    /* We have nothing to move:
+     *  when criteria was specified but didn't match any window or
+     *  when criteria wasn't specified and we don't have any window focused. */
+    if ((!match_is_empty(current_match) && TAILQ_EMPTY(&owindows)) ||
+        (match_is_empty(current_match) && focused->type == CT_WORKSPACE)) {
+        ysuccess(false);
+        return;
+    }
+
     HANDLE_EMPTY_MATCH;
 
     /* get the workspace */
@@ -400,9 +409,11 @@ void cmd_move_con_to_workspace_name(I3_CMD, char *name) {
 
     owindow *current;
 
-    /* Error out early to not create a non-existing workspace (in
-     * workspace_get()) if we are not actually able to move anything. */
-    if (match_is_empty(current_match) && focused->type == CT_WORKSPACE) {
+    /* We have nothing to move:
+     *  when criteria was specified but didn't match any window or
+     *  when criteria wasn't specified and we don't have any window focused. */
+    if ((!match_is_empty(current_match) && TAILQ_EMPTY(&owindows)) ||
+        (match_is_empty(current_match) && focused->type == CT_WORKSPACE)) {
         ysuccess(false);
         return;
     }
@@ -430,9 +441,11 @@ void cmd_move_con_to_workspace_name(I3_CMD, char *name) {
 void cmd_move_con_to_workspace_number(I3_CMD, char *which) {
     owindow *current;
 
-    /* Error out early to not create a non-existing workspace (in
-     * workspace_get()) if we are not actually able to move anything. */
-    if (match_is_empty(current_match) && focused->type == CT_WORKSPACE) {
+    /* We have nothing to move:
+     *  when criteria was specified but didn't match any window or
+     *  when criteria wasn't specified and we don't have any window focused. */
+    if ((!match_is_empty(current_match) && TAILQ_EMPTY(&owindows)) ||
+        (match_is_empty(current_match) && focused->type == CT_WORKSPACE)) {
         ysuccess(false);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/con.c b/src/con.c
index a1491e03..f804a204 100644
--- a/src/con.c
+++ b/src/con.c
@@ -587,6 +587,16 @@ void con_move_to_workspace(Con *con, Con *workspace, bool fix_coordinates, bool
         con = con->parent;
     }
 
+    Con *source_ws = con_get_workspace(con);
+    if (workspace == source_ws) {
+        DLOG("Not moving, already there\n");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* Save the current workspace. So we can call workspace_show() by the end
+     * of this function. */
+    Con *current_ws = con_get_workspace(focused);
+
     Con *source_output = con_get_output(con),
         *dest_output = con_get_output(workspace);
 
@@ -669,8 +679,12 @@ void con_move_to_workspace(Con *con, Con *workspace, bool fix_coordinates, bool
         /* Descend focus stack in case focus_next is a workspace which can
          * occur if we move to the same workspace.  Also show current workspace
          * to ensure it is focused. */
-        workspace_show(con_get_workspace(focus_next));
-        con_focus(con_descend_focused(focus_next));
+        workspace_show(current_ws);
+
+        /* Set focus only if con was on current workspace before moving.
+         * Otherwise we would give focus to some window on different workspace. */
+        if (source_ws == current_ws)
+            con_focus(con_descend_focused(focus_next));
     }
 
     CALL(parent, on_remove_child);