diff --git a/src/tree.c b/src/tree.c
index 165e1516..58c50370 100644
--- a/src/tree.c
+++ b/src/tree.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ void tree_close(Con *con, bool kill_window, bool dont_kill_parent) {
     }
 
     if (was_mapped || con == focused) {
-        if (kill_window || !dont_kill_parent) {
+        if (kill_window || !dont_kill_parent || con == focused) {
             DLOG("focusing %p / %s\n", next, next->name);
             /* TODO: check if the container (or one of its children) was focused */
             con_focus(next);