diff --git a/src/workspace.c b/src/workspace.c
index 94759ceb..4663dfae 100644
--- a/src/workspace.c
+++ b/src/workspace.c
@@ -344,13 +344,14 @@ Workspace *get_first_workspace_for_screen(struct screens_head *slist, i3Screen *
                 }
         }
 
-        if (result != NULL) {
-                workspace_initialize(result, screen);
-                return result;
+        if (result == NULL) {
+                LOG("No existing free workspace found to assign, creating a new one\n");
+
+                result = workspace_get(num_workspaces);
         }
 
-        LOG("WARNING: No free workspace found to assign!\n");
-        return NULL;
+        workspace_initialize(result, screen);
+        return result;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/xinerama.c b/src/xinerama.c
index db5b9467..77da7bbf 100644
--- a/src/xinerama.c
+++ b/src/xinerama.c
@@ -354,6 +354,7 @@ void xinerama_requery_screens(xcb_connection_t *conn) {
                         LOG("getting first ws for screen %p\n", screen);
                         Workspace *ws = get_first_workspace_for_screen(new_screens, screen);
                         initialize_screen(conn, screen, ws);
+                        ws->reassigned = true;
 
                         /* As this workspace just got visible (we got a new screen
                          * without workspace), we need to map its clients */