diff --git a/include/sway/criteria.h b/include/sway/criteria.h
index bd3ca0ac..6a8337c5 100644
--- a/include/sway/criteria.h
+++ b/include/sway/criteria.h
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
 #include "tree/view.h"
 
 enum criteria_type {
-	CT_COMMAND = 1 << 0,
-	CT_ASSIGN_OUTPUT = 1 << 1,
+	CT_COMMAND          = 1 << 0,
+	CT_ASSIGN_OUTPUT    = 1 << 1,
 	CT_ASSIGN_WORKSPACE = 1 << 2,
+	CT_NO_FOCUS         = 1 << 3,
 };
 
 struct criteria {
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index addd64a6..c2ba02cf 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ static struct cmd_handler handlers[] = {
 	{ "input", cmd_input },
 	{ "mode", cmd_mode },
 	{ "mouse_warping", cmd_mouse_warping },
+	{ "no_focus", cmd_no_focus },
 	{ "output", cmd_output },
 	{ "seat", cmd_seat },
 	{ "set", cmd_set },
diff --git a/sway/commands/no_focus.c b/sway/commands/no_focus.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61a8de7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/commands/no_focus.c
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#define _XOPEN_SOURCE 500
+#include <string.h>
+#include "sway/commands.h"
+#include "sway/criteria.h"
+#include "list.h"
+#include "log.h"
+
+struct cmd_results *cmd_no_focus(int argc, char **argv) {
+	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "no_focus", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 1))) {
+		return error;
+	}
+
+	char *err_str = NULL;
+	struct criteria *criteria = criteria_parse(argv[0], &err_str);
+	if (!criteria) {
+		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "no_focus", err_str);
+		free(err_str);
+		return error;
+	}
+
+	criteria->type = CT_NO_FOCUS;
+	list_add(config->criteria, criteria);
+
+	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index f878450d..4afef7b4 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'commands/mode.c',
 	'commands/mouse_warping.c',
 	'commands/move.c',
+	'commands/no_focus.c',
 	'commands/output.c',
 	'commands/reload.c',
 	'commands/rename.c',
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index bf380d98..10c97518 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -504,20 +504,38 @@ void view_execute_criteria(struct sway_view *view) {
 		}
 		wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "for_window '%s' matches view %p, cmd: '%s'",
 				criteria->raw, view, criteria->cmdlist);
+		seat_set_focus(seat, view->swayc);
 		list_add(view->executed_criteria, criteria);
 		struct cmd_results *res = execute_command(criteria->cmdlist, NULL);
 		if (res->status != CMD_SUCCESS) {
 			wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Command '%s' failed: %s", res->input, res->error);
 		}
 		free_cmd_results(res);
-		// view must be focused for commands to affect it,
-		// so always refocus in-between command lists
-		seat_set_focus(seat, view->swayc);
 	}
 	list_free(criterias);
 	seat_set_focus(seat, prior_focus);
 }
 
+static bool should_focus(struct sway_view *view) {
+	// If the view is the only one in the focused workspace, it'll get focus
+	// regardless of any no_focus criteria.
+	struct sway_container *parent = view->swayc->parent;
+	struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
+	if (parent->type == C_WORKSPACE && seat_get_focus(seat) == parent) {
+		size_t num_children = parent->children->length +
+			parent->sway_workspace->floating->children->length;
+		if (num_children == 1) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Check no_focus criteria
+	list_t *criterias = criteria_for_view(view, CT_NO_FOCUS);
+	size_t len = criterias->length;
+	list_free(criterias);
+	return len == 0;
+}
+
 void view_map(struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 	if (!sway_assert(view->surface == NULL, "cannot map mapped view")) {
 		return;
@@ -571,9 +589,11 @@ void view_map(struct sway_view *view, struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface) {
 		view_set_tiled(view, true);
 	}
 
-	input_manager_set_focus(input_manager, cont);
-	if (workspace) {
-		workspace_switch(workspace);
+	if (should_focus(view)) {
+		input_manager_set_focus(input_manager, cont);
+		if (workspace) {
+			workspace_switch(workspace);
+		}
 	}
 
 	view_update_title(view, false);