diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index 77d31f82..1e1ee0ff 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -1238,15 +1238,6 @@ void cmd_focus_level(I3_CMD, char *level) {
  */
 void cmd_focus(I3_CMD) {
     DLOG("current_match = %p\n", current_match);
-    if (focused &&
-        focused->type != CT_WORKSPACE &&
-        focused->fullscreen_mode != CF_NONE) {
-        LOG("Cannot change focus while in fullscreen mode.\n");
-        ysuccess(false);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    owindow *current;
 
     if (match_is_empty(current_match)) {
         ELOG("You have to specify which window/container should be focused.\n");
@@ -1263,6 +1254,7 @@ void cmd_focus(I3_CMD) {
     }
 
     int count = 0;
+    owindow *current;
     TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
         Con *ws = con_get_workspace(current->con);
         /* If no workspace could be found, this was a dock window.
@@ -1270,6 +1262,17 @@ void cmd_focus(I3_CMD) {
         if (!ws)
             continue;
 
+        /* Don't allow the focus switch if the focused and current
+         * containers are in the same workspace. */
+        if (focused &&
+            focused->type != CT_WORKSPACE &&
+            focused->fullscreen_mode != CF_NONE &&
+            con_get_workspace(focused) == ws) {
+            LOG("Cannot change focus while in fullscreen mode (same workspace).\n");
+            ysuccess(false);
+            return;
+        }
+
         /* If the container is not on the current workspace,
          * workspace_show() will switch to a different workspace and (if
          * enabled) trigger a mouse pointer warp to the currently focused
diff --git a/testcases/t/156-fullscreen-focus.t b/testcases/t/156-fullscreen-focus.t
index 08de5ed1..f9dc6dce 100644
--- a/testcases/t/156-fullscreen-focus.t
+++ b/testcases/t/156-fullscreen-focus.t
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
 #
 # Test if new containers get focused when there is a fullscreen container at
-# the time of launching the new one.
+# the time of launching the new one. Also make sure that focusing containers
+# in other workspaces work even when there is a fullscreen container.
 #
 use i3test;
 
@@ -85,4 +86,21 @@ is(scalar @$nodes, 2, 'precisely two windows');
 is($nodes->[0]->{id}, $old_id, 'id unchanged');
 is($nodes->[0]->{focused}, 1, 'fullscreen window focused');
 
+################################################################################
+# Make sure it's possible to focus a container in a different workspace even if
+# we are currently focusing a fullscreen container.
+################################################################################
+
+$tmp2 = fresh_workspace;
+my $focusable_window = open_window;
+
+cmd "workspace $tmp";
+cmd '[id="' . $focusable_window->id . '"] focus';
+
+is(focused_ws(), $tmp2, 'focus went to a different workspace');
+
+$nodes = get_ws_content($tmp2);
+is(scalar @$nodes, 1, 'precisely one window');
+is($nodes->[0]->{focused}, 1, 'focusable window focused');
+
 done_testing;