diff --git a/include/sway/commands.h b/include/sway/commands.h
index 8e91c158..b0b5ed0f 100644
--- a/include/sway/commands.h
+++ b/include/sway/commands.h
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ sway_cmd cmd_floating_modifier;
 sway_cmd cmd_floating_scroll;
 sway_cmd cmd_focus;
 sway_cmd cmd_focus_follows_mouse;
+sway_cmd cmd_focus_on_window_activation;
 sway_cmd cmd_focus_wrapping;
 sway_cmd cmd_font;
 sway_cmd cmd_for_window;
diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 18d10faa..45fa73c4 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ struct sway_mouse_binding {
 	char *command;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Focus on window activation.
+ */
+enum fowa {
+	FOWA_SMART,
+	FOWA_URGENT,
+	FOWA_FOCUS,
+	FOWA_NONE,
+};
+
 /**
  * A "mode" of keybindings created via the `mode` command.
  */
@@ -340,6 +350,7 @@ struct sway_config {
 	size_t font_height;
 	bool pango_markup;
 	size_t urgent_timeout;
+	enum fowa focus_on_window_activation;
 
 	// Flags
 	bool focus_follows_mouse;
diff --git a/include/sway/tree/view.h b/include/sway/tree/view.h
index f73ce571..382ab6b9 100644
--- a/include/sway/tree/view.h
+++ b/include/sway/tree/view.h
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ struct sway_xwayland_view {
 	struct wl_listener request_maximize;
 	struct wl_listener request_configure;
 	struct wl_listener request_fullscreen;
+	struct wl_listener request_activate;
 	struct wl_listener set_title;
 	struct wl_listener set_class;
 	struct wl_listener set_window_type;
@@ -259,6 +260,11 @@ void view_autoconfigure(struct sway_view *view);
 
 void view_set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated);
 
+/**
+ * Called when the view requests to be focused.
+ */
+void view_request_activate(struct sway_view *view);
+
 void view_set_tiled(struct sway_view *view, bool tiled);
 
 void view_close(struct sway_view *view);
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 13f5983e..359856cc 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ static struct cmd_handler handlers[] = {
 	{ "floating_modifier", cmd_floating_modifier },
 	{ "focus", cmd_focus },
 	{ "focus_follows_mouse", cmd_focus_follows_mouse },
+	{ "focus_on_window_activation", cmd_focus_on_window_activation },
 	{ "focus_wrapping", cmd_focus_wrapping },
 	{ "font", cmd_font },
 	{ "for_window", cmd_for_window },
diff --git a/sway/commands/focus_on_window_activation.c b/sway/commands/focus_on_window_activation.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1fb07918
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/commands/focus_on_window_activation.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#include "sway/commands.h"
+
+struct cmd_results *cmd_focus_on_window_activation(int argc, char **argv) {
+	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "focus_on_window_activation",
+					EXPECTED_EQUAL_TO, 1))) {
+		return error;
+	}
+
+	if (strcmp(argv[0], "smart") == 0) {
+		config->focus_on_window_activation = FOWA_SMART;
+	} else if (strcmp(argv[0], "urgent") == 0) {
+		config->focus_on_window_activation = FOWA_URGENT;
+	} else if (strcmp(argv[0], "focus") == 0) {
+		config->focus_on_window_activation = FOWA_FOCUS;
+	} else if (strcmp(argv[0], "none") == 0) {
+		config->focus_on_window_activation = FOWA_NONE;
+	} else {
+		return cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "focus_on_window_activation",
+				"Expected "
+				"'focus_on_window_activation smart|urgent|focus|none'");
+	}
+
+	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
index 68d70b64..10faf91d 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/xwayland.c
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->request_fullscreen.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->request_move.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->request_resize.link);
+	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->request_activate.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->set_title.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->set_class.link);
 	wl_list_remove(&xwayland_view->set_window_type.link);
@@ -463,6 +464,19 @@ static void handle_request_resize(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	seat_begin_resize_floating(seat, view->swayc, seat->last_button, e->edges);
 }
 
+static void handle_request_activate(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
+	struct sway_xwayland_view *xwayland_view =
+		wl_container_of(listener, xwayland_view, request_activate);
+	struct sway_view *view = &xwayland_view->view;
+	struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xsurface = view->wlr_xwayland_surface;
+	if (!xsurface->mapped) {
+		return;
+	}
+	view_request_activate(view);
+
+	transaction_commit_dirty();
+}
+
 static void handle_set_title(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct sway_xwayland_view *xwayland_view =
 		wl_container_of(listener, xwayland_view, set_title);
@@ -555,6 +569,10 @@ void handle_xwayland_surface(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		&xwayland_view->request_fullscreen);
 	xwayland_view->request_fullscreen.notify = handle_request_fullscreen;
 
+	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.request_activate,
+		&xwayland_view->request_activate);
+	xwayland_view->request_activate.notify = handle_request_activate;
+
 	wl_signal_add(&xsurface->events.request_move,
 		&xwayland_view->request_move);
 	xwayland_view->request_move.notify = handle_request_move;
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index bcb44e8b..c14e58dd 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'commands/floating_modifier.c',
 	'commands/focus.c',
 	'commands/focus_follows_mouse.c',
+	'commands/focus_on_window_activation.c',
 	'commands/focus_wrapping.c',
 	'commands/font.c',
 	'commands/for_window.c',
diff --git a/sway/tree/view.c b/sway/tree/view.c
index 1a98c5f2..c6ed68f6 100644
--- a/sway/tree/view.c
+++ b/sway/tree/view.c
@@ -280,6 +280,29 @@ void view_set_activated(struct sway_view *view, bool activated) {
 	}
 }
 
+void view_request_activate(struct sway_view *view) {
+	if (config->focus_on_window_activation == FOWA_NONE) {
+		return;
+	}
+	if (config->focus_on_window_activation == FOWA_FOCUS) {
+		struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
+		seat_set_focus(seat, view->swayc);
+		return;
+	}
+	if (config->focus_on_window_activation == FOWA_URGENT) {
+		view_set_urgent(view, true);
+		return;
+	}
+	// FOWA_SMART
+	struct sway_container *ws = container_parent(view->swayc, C_WORKSPACE);
+	if (workspace_is_visible(ws)) {
+		struct sway_seat *seat = input_manager_current_seat(input_manager);
+		seat_set_focus(seat, view->swayc);
+	} else {
+		view_set_urgent(view, true);
+	}
+}
+
 void view_set_tiled(struct sway_view *view, bool tiled) {
 	if (!tiled) {
 		view->using_csd = true;