diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index 6a80dcb2..d0888c0f 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -1507,8 +1507,7 @@ void cmd_focus(I3_CMD) {
             count);
 
     cmd_output->needs_tree_render = true;
-    // XXX: default reply for now, make this a better reply
-    ysuccess(true);
+    ysuccess(count > 0);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/testcases/t/101-focus.t b/testcases/t/101-focus.t
index d6ce0fb8..0aac87f9 100644
--- a/testcases/t/101-focus.t
+++ b/testcases/t/101-focus.t
@@ -60,48 +60,14 @@ is($focus, $bottom->id, "Bottom window focused (wrapping to the top works)");
 $focus = focus_after('focus down');
 is($focus, $top->id, "Top window focused (wrapping to the bottom works)");
 
-###############################################
-# Test focus with empty containers and colspan
-###############################################
+#####################################################################
+# Test focus is only successful if there was a window that could be
+# matched.
+#####################################################################
 
-#my $otmp = get_unused_workspace();
-#$i3->command("workspace $otmp")->recv;
-#
-#$top = i3test::open_standard_window($x);
-#$bottom = i3test::open_standard_window($x);
-#sleep 0.25;
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("mj");
-#$focus = focus_after("mh");
-#$focus = focus_after("k");
-#is($focus, $bottom->id, "Selecting top window without snapping doesn't work");
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("sl");
-#is($focus, $bottom->id, "Bottom window focused");
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("k");
-#is($focus, $top->id, "Top window focused");
-#
-## Same thing, but left/right instead of top/bottom
-#
-#my $o2tmp = get_unused_workspace();
-#$i3->command("workspace $o2tmp")->recv;
-#
-#my $left = i3test::open_standard_window($x);
-#my $right = i3test::open_standard_window($x);
-#sleep 0.25;
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("ml");
-#$focus = focus_after("h");
-#$focus = focus_after("mk");
-#$focus = focus_after("l");
-#is($focus, $left->id, "Selecting right window without snapping doesn't work");
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("sj");
-#is($focus, $left->id, "left window focused");
-#
-#$focus = focus_after("l");
-#is($focus, $right->id, "right window focused");
+my $result = cmd '[con_mark=__does_not_exist] focus';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 0, 'focus is unsuccessful if no window was matched');
 
+#####################################################################
 
 done_testing;