diff --git a/docs/userguide b/docs/userguide
index 36c30d62..05593cd5 100644
--- a/docs/userguide
+++ b/docs/userguide
@@ -259,13 +259,14 @@ i3 will get the title as soon as the application maps the window (mapping means
 actually displaying it on the screen), you’d need to have to match on Firefox
 in this case.
 
-You can use the special workspace +~+ to specify that matching clients should
-be put into floating mode.
+You can prefix or suffix workspaces with a +~+ to specify that matching clients
+should be put into floating mode. If you specify only a +~+, the client will
+not be put onto any workspace, but will be set floating on the current one.
 
 *Syntax*:
-----------------------------------------------------
-assign ["]window class[/window title]["] [→] workspace
-----------------------------------------------------
+------------------------------------------------------------
+assign ["]window class[/window title]["] [→] [~ | workspace]
+------------------------------------------------------------
 
 *Examples*:
 ----------------------
@@ -273,7 +274,8 @@ assign urxvt 2
 assign urxvt → 2
 assign "urxvt" → 2
 assign "urxvt/VIM" → 3
-assign "gecko" → ~
+assign "gecko" → ~4
+assign "xv/MPlayer" → ~
 ----------------------
 
 === Automatically starting applications on startup
diff --git a/include/data.h b/include/data.h
index 3288cb8d..3ed8d65b 100644
--- a/include/data.h
+++ b/include/data.h
@@ -250,7 +250,12 @@ struct Assignment {
         /** floating is true if this was an assignment to the special
          * workspace "~".  Matching clients will be put into floating mode
          * automatically. */
-        bool floating;
+        enum {
+                ASSIGN_FLOATING_NO,   /* don’t float, but put on a workspace */
+                ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY, /* float, but don’t assign on a workspace */
+                ASSIGN_FLOATING       /* float and put on a workspace */
+        } floating;
+
         /** The number of the workspace to assign to. */
         int workspace;
         TAILQ_ENTRY(Assignment) assignments;
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 2c2ba045..3fe6d067 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -269,17 +269,33 @@ void load_configuration(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *override_configpath)
                                 die("Malformed assignment, couldn't find target\n");
                         target++;
 
-                        if (*target != '~' && (atoi(target) < 1 || atoi(target) > 10))
+                        if (strchr(target, '~') == NULL && (atoi(target) < 1 || atoi(target) > 10))
                                 die("Malformed assignment, invalid workspace number\n");
 
                         LOG("assignment parsed: \"%s\" to \"%s\"\n", class_title, target);
 
                         struct Assignment *new = scalloc(sizeof(struct Assignment));
                         new->windowclass_title = class_title;
-                        if (*target == '~')
-                                new->floating = true;
-                        else new->workspace = atoi(target);
+                        if (strchr(target, '~') != NULL)
+                                new->floating = ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY;
+
+                        while (*target == '~')
+                                target++;
+
+                        if (atoi(target) >= 1 && atoi(target) <= 10) {
+                                if (new->floating == ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY)
+                                        new->floating = ASSIGN_FLOATING;
+                                new->workspace = atoi(target);
+                        }
                         TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&assignments, new, assignments);
+
+                        LOG("Assignment loaded: \"%s\":\n", class_title);
+                        if (new->floating != ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY)
+                                LOG(" to workspace %d\n", new->workspace);
+
+                        if (new->floating != ASSIGN_FLOATING_NO)
+                                LOG(" will be floating\n");
+
                         continue;
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/manage.c b/src/manage.c
index c1a79e7f..f7630eb0 100644
--- a/src/manage.c
+++ b/src/manage.c
@@ -311,10 +311,12 @@ void reparent_window(xcb_connection_t *conn, xcb_window_t child,
                         if (get_matching_client(conn, assign->windowclass_title, new) == NULL)
                                 continue;
 
-                        if (assign->floating) {
+                        if (assign->floating == ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY ||
+                            assign->floating == ASSIGN_FLOATING) {
                                 new->floating = FLOATING_AUTO_ON;
                                 LOG("Assignment matches, putting client into floating mode\n");
-                                break;
+                                if (assign->floating == ASSIGN_FLOATING_ONLY)
+                                        break;
                         }
 
                         LOG("Assignment \"%s\" matches, so putting it on workspace %d\n",