diff --git a/src/manage.c b/src/manage.c
index 892ac4df..af9e8ef2 100644
--- a/src/manage.c
+++ b/src/manage.c
@@ -279,11 +279,17 @@ void manage_window(xcb_window_t window, xcb_get_window_attributes_cookie_t cooki
         if ((assignment = assignment_for(cwindow, A_TO_WORKSPACE | A_TO_OUTPUT))) {
             DLOG("Assignment matches (%p)\n", match);
             if (assignment->type == A_TO_WORKSPACE) {
-                nc = con_descend_tiling_focused(workspace_get(assignment->dest.workspace, NULL));
-                DLOG("focused on ws %s: %p / %s\n", assignment->dest.workspace, nc, nc->name);
+                Con *assigned_ws = workspace_get(assignment->dest.workspace, NULL);
+                nc = con_descend_tiling_focused(assigned_ws);
+                DLOG("focused on ws %s: %p / %s\n", assigned_ws->name, nc, nc->name);
                 if (nc->type == CT_WORKSPACE)
                     nc = tree_open_con(nc, cwindow);
-                else nc = tree_open_con(nc->parent, cwindow);
+                else
+                    nc = tree_open_con(nc->parent, cwindow);
+
+                /* set the urgency hint on the window if the workspace is not visible */
+                if (!workspace_is_visible(assigned_ws))
+                    urgency_hint = true;
             }
         /* TODO: handle assignments with type == A_TO_OUTPUT */
         } else if (startup_ws) {
diff --git a/testcases/t/212-assign-urgency.t b/testcases/t/212-assign-urgency.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f53eb7ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testcases/t/212-assign-urgency.t
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+#!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)
+#
+# Tests if the urgency hint will be set appropriately when opening a window
+# assigned to a workspace.
+#
+use i3test i3_autostart => 0;
+
+# Based on the eponymous function in t/166-assign.t
+sub open_special {
+    my %args = @_;
+    $args{name} //= 'special window';
+
+    # We use dont_map because i3 will not map the window on the current
+    # workspace. Thus, open_window would time out in wait_for_map (2 seconds).
+    my $window = open_window(
+        %args,
+        wm_class => 'special',
+        dont_map => 1,
+    );
+    $window->map;
+    return $window;
+}
+
+#####################################################################
+# start a window assigned to a non-visible workspace and see that the urgency
+# hint is set.
+#####################################################################
+
+my $config = <<EOT;
+# i3 config file (v4)
+font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
+assign [class="special"] → targetws
+EOT
+
+my $pid = launch_with_config($config);
+
+cmd 'workspace ordinaryws';
+my $window = open_special;
+sync_with_i3;
+
+ok(get_ws('targetws')->{urgent}, 'target workspace is urgent');
+
+$window->destroy;
+
+exit_gracefully($pid);
+
+
+#####################################################################
+# start a window assigned to a visible workspace and see that the urgency hint
+# is not set.
+#####################################################################
+
+$config = <<EOT;
+# i3 config file (v4)
+font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
+assign [class="special"] → targetws
+EOT
+
+$pid = launch_with_config($config);
+
+cmd 'workspace targetws';
+$window = open_special;
+sync_with_i3;
+
+ok(!get_ws('targetws')->{urgent}, 'visible workspace is not urgent');
+
+$window->destroy;
+
+exit_gracefully($pid);
+
+#####################################################################
+# start a window assigned to a visible workspace on a different output and see
+# that the urgency hint is not set.
+#####################################################################
+
+$config = <<EOT;
+# i3 config file (v4)
+font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
+
+fake-outputs 1024x768+0+0,1024x768+1024+0
+workspace targetws output fake-0
+workspace ordinaryws output fake-1
+
+assign [class="special"] → targetws
+EOT
+
+$pid = launch_with_config($config);
+
+cmd 'workspace ordinaryws';
+$window = open_special;
+sync_with_i3;
+
+ok(!get_ws('targetws')->{urgent}, 'target workspace is not urgent');
+
+$window->destroy;
+
+exit_gracefully($pid);
+
+done_testing;