diff --git a/i3bar/src/xcb.c b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
index 205e277a..81f0bb4a 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/xcb.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
@@ -1525,6 +1525,50 @@ void realloc_sl_buffer(void) {
     }
 }
 
+/* Strut partial tells i3 where to reserve space for i3bar. This is determined
+ * by the `position` bar config directive. */
+xcb_void_cookie_t config_strut_partial(i3_output *output) {
+    /* A local struct to save the strut_partial property */
+    struct {
+        uint32_t left;
+        uint32_t right;
+        uint32_t top;
+        uint32_t bottom;
+        uint32_t left_start_y;
+        uint32_t left_end_y;
+        uint32_t right_start_y;
+        uint32_t right_end_y;
+        uint32_t top_start_x;
+        uint32_t top_end_x;
+        uint32_t bottom_start_x;
+        uint32_t bottom_end_x;
+    } __attribute__((__packed__)) strut_partial;
+    memset(&strut_partial, 0, sizeof(strut_partial));
+
+    switch (config.position) {
+        case POS_NONE:
+            break;
+        case POS_TOP:
+            strut_partial.top = bar_height;
+            strut_partial.top_start_x = output->rect.x;
+            strut_partial.top_end_x = output->rect.x + output->rect.w;
+            break;
+        case POS_BOT:
+            strut_partial.bottom = bar_height;
+            strut_partial.bottom_start_x = output->rect.x;
+            strut_partial.bottom_end_x = output->rect.x + output->rect.w;
+            break;
+    }
+    return xcb_change_property(xcb_connection,
+                               XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
+                               output->bar,
+                               atoms[_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL],
+                               XCB_ATOM_CARDINAL,
+                               32,
+                               12,
+                               &strut_partial);
+}
+
 /*
  * Reconfigure all bars and create new bars for recently activated outputs
  *
@@ -1624,49 +1668,7 @@ void reconfig_windows(bool redraw_bars) {
                                                                 1,
                                                                 (unsigned char *)&atoms[_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_DOCK]);
 
-            /* We need to tell i3, where to reserve space for i3bar */
-            /* left, right, top, bottom, left_start_y, left_end_y,
-             * right_start_y, right_end_y, top_start_x, top_end_x, bottom_start_x,
-             * bottom_end_x */
-            /* A local struct to save the strut_partial property */
-            struct {
-                uint32_t left;
-                uint32_t right;
-                uint32_t top;
-                uint32_t bottom;
-                uint32_t left_start_y;
-                uint32_t left_end_y;
-                uint32_t right_start_y;
-                uint32_t right_end_y;
-                uint32_t top_start_x;
-                uint32_t top_end_x;
-                uint32_t bottom_start_x;
-                uint32_t bottom_end_x;
-            } __attribute__((__packed__)) strut_partial;
-            memset(&strut_partial, 0, sizeof(strut_partial));
-
-            switch (config.position) {
-                case POS_NONE:
-                    break;
-                case POS_TOP:
-                    strut_partial.top = bar_height;
-                    strut_partial.top_start_x = walk->rect.x;
-                    strut_partial.top_end_x = walk->rect.x + walk->rect.w;
-                    break;
-                case POS_BOT:
-                    strut_partial.bottom = bar_height;
-                    strut_partial.bottom_start_x = walk->rect.x;
-                    strut_partial.bottom_end_x = walk->rect.x + walk->rect.w;
-                    break;
-            }
-            xcb_void_cookie_t strut_cookie = xcb_change_property(xcb_connection,
-                                                                 XCB_PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
-                                                                 walk->bar,
-                                                                 atoms[_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL],
-                                                                 XCB_ATOM_CARDINAL,
-                                                                 32,
-                                                                 12,
-                                                                 &strut_partial);
+            xcb_void_cookie_t strut_cookie = config_strut_partial(walk);
 
             /* We also want a graphics context for the bars (it defines the properties
              * with which we draw to them) */
@@ -1726,6 +1728,9 @@ void reconfig_windows(bool redraw_bars) {
             values[3] = bar_height;
             values[4] = XCB_STACK_MODE_ABOVE;
 
+            DLOG("Reconfiguring strut partial property for output %s\n", walk->name);
+            xcb_void_cookie_t strut_cookie = config_strut_partial(walk);
+
             DLOG("Destroying buffer for output %s\n", walk->name);
             xcb_free_pixmap(xcb_connection, walk->buffer);
 
@@ -1774,6 +1779,7 @@ void reconfig_windows(bool redraw_bars) {
             if (xcb_request_failed(cfg_cookie, "Could not reconfigure window") ||
                 xcb_request_failed(chg_cookie, "Could not change window") ||
                 xcb_request_failed(pm_cookie, "Could not create pixmap") ||
+                xcb_request_failed(strut_cookie, "Could not set strut") ||
                 (redraw_bars && (xcb_request_failed(umap_cookie, "Could not unmap window") ||
                                  (config.hide_on_modifier == M_DOCK && xcb_request_failed(map_cookie, "Could not map window"))))) {
                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
diff --git a/src/handlers.c b/src/handlers.c
index 0cd397fd..4b5c87d4 100644
--- a/src/handlers.c
+++ b/src/handlers.c
@@ -1159,6 +1159,87 @@ static bool handle_class_change(void *data, xcb_connection_t *conn, uint8_t stat
     return true;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Handles the _NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL property for allocating space for dock clients.
+ *
+ */
+static bool handle_strut_partial_change(void *data, xcb_connection_t *conn, uint8_t state, xcb_window_t window,
+                                        xcb_atom_t name, xcb_get_property_reply_t *prop) {
+    DLOG("strut partial change for window 0x%08x\n", window);
+
+    Con *con;
+    if ((con = con_by_window_id(window)) == NULL || con->window == NULL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (prop == NULL) {
+        xcb_generic_error_t *err = NULL;
+        xcb_get_property_cookie_t strut_cookie = xcb_get_property(conn, false, window, A__NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL,
+                                                                  XCB_GET_PROPERTY_TYPE_ANY, 0, UINT32_MAX);
+        prop = xcb_get_property_reply(conn, strut_cookie, &err);
+
+        if (err != NULL) {
+            DLOG("got error when getting strut partial property: %d\n", err->error_code);
+            free(err);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (prop == NULL) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    DLOG("That is con %p / %s\n", con, con->name);
+
+    window_update_strut_partial(con->window, prop);
+
+    /* we only handle this change for dock clients */
+    if (con->parent == NULL || con->parent->type != CT_DOCKAREA) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    Con *search_at = croot;
+    Con *output = con_get_output(con);
+    if (output != NULL) {
+        DLOG("Starting search at output %s\n", output->name);
+        search_at = output;
+    }
+
+    /* find out the desired position of this dock window */
+    if (con->window->reserved.top > 0 && con->window->reserved.bottom == 0) {
+        DLOG("Top dock client\n");
+        con->window->dock = W_DOCK_TOP;
+    } else if (con->window->reserved.top == 0 && con->window->reserved.bottom > 0) {
+        DLOG("Bottom dock client\n");
+        con->window->dock = W_DOCK_BOTTOM;
+    } else {
+        DLOG("Ignoring invalid reserved edges (_NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL), using position as fallback:\n");
+        if (con->geometry.y < (int16_t)(search_at->rect.height / 2)) {
+            DLOG("geom->y = %d < rect.height / 2 = %d, it is a top dock client\n",
+                 con->geometry.y, (search_at->rect.height / 2));
+            con->window->dock = W_DOCK_TOP;
+        } else {
+            DLOG("geom->y = %d >= rect.height / 2 = %d, it is a bottom dock client\n",
+                 con->geometry.y, (search_at->rect.height / 2));
+            con->window->dock = W_DOCK_BOTTOM;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /* find the dockarea */
+    Con *dockarea = con_for_window(search_at, con->window, NULL);
+    assert(dockarea != NULL);
+
+    /* attach the dock to the dock area */
+    con_detach(con);
+    con->parent = dockarea;
+    TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&(dockarea->focus_head), con, focused);
+    TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&(dockarea->nodes_head), con, nodes);
+
+    tree_render();
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 /* Returns false if the event could not be processed (e.g. the window could not
  * be found), true otherwise */
 typedef bool (*cb_property_handler_t)(void *data, xcb_connection_t *c, uint8_t state, xcb_window_t window, xcb_atom_t atom, xcb_get_property_reply_t *property);
@@ -1177,7 +1258,8 @@ static struct property_handler_t property_handlers[] = {
     {0, UINT_MAX, handle_clientleader_change},
     {0, UINT_MAX, handle_transient_for},
     {0, 128, handle_windowrole_change},
-    {0, 128, handle_class_change}};
+    {0, 128, handle_class_change},
+    {0, UINT_MAX, handle_strut_partial_change}};
 #define NUM_HANDLERS (sizeof(property_handlers) / sizeof(struct property_handler_t))
 
 /*
@@ -1196,6 +1278,7 @@ void property_handlers_init(void) {
     property_handlers[5].atom = XCB_ATOM_WM_TRANSIENT_FOR;
     property_handlers[6].atom = A_WM_WINDOW_ROLE;
     property_handlers[7].atom = XCB_ATOM_WM_CLASS;
+    property_handlers[8].atom = A__NET_WM_STRUT_PARTIAL;
 }
 
 static void property_notify(uint8_t state, xcb_window_t window, xcb_atom_t atom) {
diff --git a/testcases/t/102-dock.t b/testcases/t/102-dock.t
index 1bac40f0..bb9c71c9 100644
--- a/testcases/t/102-dock.t
+++ b/testcases/t/102-dock.t
@@ -143,6 +143,22 @@ wait_for_map $window;
 @docked = get_dock_clients('top');
 is(@docked, 1, 'dock client on top');
 
+# now change strut_partial to reserve space on the bottom and the dock should
+# be moved to the bottom dock area
+$x->change_property(
+    PROP_MODE_REPLACE,
+    $window->id,
+    $atomname->id,
+    $atomtype->id,
+    32,         # 32 bit integer
+    12,
+    pack('L12', 0, 0, 0, 16, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1280, 0)
+);
+
+sync_with_i3;
+@docked = get_dock_clients('bottom');
+is(@docked, 1, 'dock client on bottom');
+
 $window->destroy;
 
 wait_for_unmap $window;