diff --git a/testcases/t/216-layout-restore-split-swallows.t b/testcases/t/216-layout-restore-split-swallows.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e2028a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testcases/t/216-layout-restore-split-swallows.t
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+#!perl
+# vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+#
+# Please read the following documents before working on tests:
+# • http://build.i3wm.org/docs/testsuite.html
+#   (or docs/testsuite)
+#
+# • http://build.i3wm.org/docs/lib-i3test.html
+#   (alternatively: perldoc ./testcases/lib/i3test.pm)
+#
+# • http://build.i3wm.org/docs/ipc.html
+#   (or docs/ipc)
+#
+# • http://onyxneon.com/books/modern_perl/modern_perl_a4.pdf
+#   (unless you are already familiar with Perl)
+#
+# Verifies that i3 removes swallows specifications for split containers.
+# ticket #1149, bug still present in commit 2fea5ef82bd3528ed62681f9ac64f45830f4acdf
+use i3test;
+use File::Temp qw(tempfile);
+use IO::Handle;
+
+my $ws = fresh_workspace;
+
+my @content = @{get_ws_content($ws)};
+is(@content, 0, 'no nodes on the new workspace yet');
+
+my ($fh, $filename) = tempfile(UNLINK => 1);
+print $fh <<'EOT';
+// vim:ts=4:sw=4:et
+{
+    "border": "pixel",
+    "floating": "auto_off",
+    "geometry": {
+       "height": 777,
+       "width": 199,
+       "x": 0,
+       "y": 0
+    },
+    "name": "Buddy List",
+    "percent": 0.116145833333333,
+    "swallows": [
+       {
+       "class": "^Pidgin$",
+       "window_role": "^buddy_list$"
+       }
+    ],
+    "type": "con"
+}
+
+{
+    // splitv split container with 1 children
+    "border": "pixel",
+    "floating": "auto_off",
+    "layout": "splitv",
+    "percent": 0.883854166666667,
+    "swallows": [
+       {}
+    ],
+    "type": "con",
+    "nodes": [
+        {
+            // splitv split container with 2 children
+            "border": "pixel",
+            "floating": "auto_off",
+            "layout": "splitv",
+            "percent": 1,
+            "swallows": [
+               {}
+            ],
+            "type": "con",
+            "nodes": [
+                {
+                    "border": "pixel",
+                    "floating": "auto_off",
+                    "geometry": {
+                       "height": 318,
+                       "width": 566,
+                       "x": 0,
+                       "y": 0
+                    },
+                    "name": "zsh",
+                    "percent": 0.5,
+                    "swallows": [
+                       {
+                         "class": "^URxvt$",
+                         "instance": "^IRC$"
+                       }
+                    ],
+                    "type": "con"
+                },
+                {
+                    "border": "pixel",
+                    "floating": "auto_off",
+                    "geometry": {
+                       "height": 1057,
+                       "width": 636,
+                       "x": 0,
+                       "y": 0
+                    },
+                    "name": "Michael Stapelberg",
+                    "percent": 0.5,
+                    "swallows": [
+                       {
+                         "class": "^Pidgin$",
+                         "window_role": "^conversation$"
+                       }
+                    ],
+                    "type": "con"
+                }
+            ]
+        }
+    ]
+}
+
+EOT
+$fh->flush;
+my $reply = cmd "append_layout $filename";
+
+does_i3_live;
+
+ok($reply->[0]->{success}, 'IPC reply indicates success');
+
+my @nodes = @{get_ws_content($ws)};
+
+is_deeply($nodes[0]->{swallows},
+    [
+    {
+        class => '^Pidgin$',
+        window_role => '^buddy_list$',
+    },
+    ],
+    'swallows specification not parsed correctly');
+
+is_deeply($nodes[1]->{swallows},
+    [],
+    'swallows specification empty on split container');
+
+my @children = @{$nodes[1]->{nodes}->[0]->{nodes}};
+
+is_deeply($children[0]->{swallows},
+    [
+    {
+        class => '^URxvt$',
+        instance => '^IRC$',
+    },
+    ],
+    'swallows specification not parsed correctly');
+
+is_deeply($children[1]->{swallows},
+    [
+    {
+        class => '^Pidgin$',
+        window_role => '^conversation$',
+    },
+    ],
+    'swallows specification not parsed correctly');
+
+close($fh);
+done_testing;