diff --git a/common/util.c b/common/util.c
index 133974372..e760443ac 100644
--- a/common/util.c
+++ b/common/util.c
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #include <math.h>
-
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include "readline.h"
 #include "util.h"
+#include "log.h"
 
 int wrap(int i, int max) {
 	return ((i % max) + max) % max;
@@ -64,3 +68,36 @@ int get_modifier_names(const char **names, uint32_t modifier_masks) {
 
 	return length;
 }
+
+pid_t get_parent_pid(pid_t child) {
+	pid_t parent;
+	char file_name[100];
+	char *buffer = NULL;
+	char *token = NULL;
+	const char sep[2] = " ";
+	FILE *stat = NULL;
+
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "trying to get parent pid for child pid %d", child);
+
+	sprintf(file_name, "/proc/%d/stat", child);
+
+	if (!(stat = fopen(file_name, "r")) || !(buffer = read_line(stat))) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	fclose(stat);
+
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "buffer string is %s", buffer);
+
+	token = strtok(buffer, sep);
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+		token = strtok(NULL, sep);
+	}
+
+	parent = strtol(token, NULL, 10);
+
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "found parent pid %d for child pid %d", parent, child);
+
+	return (parent == child) ? -1 : parent;
+}
diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index dc47e3430..6f21bff08 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _SWAY_UTIL_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include <wlc/wlc.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 
@@ -36,4 +37,11 @@ const char *get_modifier_name_by_mask(uint32_t modifier);
  */
 int get_modifier_names(const char **names, uint32_t modifier_masks);
 
+/**
+ * Get the pid of a parent process given the pid of a child process.
+ *
+ * Returns the parent pid or NULL if the parent pid cannot be determined.
+ */
+pid_t get_parent_pid(pid_t pid);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/handlers.c b/sway/handlers.c
index 317b03a86..9efd3ffc0 100644
--- a/sway/handlers.c
+++ b/sway/handlers.c
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 #include <wlc/wlc-render.h>
 #include <wlc/wlc-wayland.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "util.h"
 #include "handlers.h"
 #include "border.h"
 #include "log.h"
@@ -180,6 +182,12 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 	wlc_handle parent = wlc_view_get_parent(handle);
 	swayc_t *focused = NULL;
 	swayc_t *newview = NULL;
+	swayc_t *current_ws = swayc_active_workspace();
+	bool return_to_workspace = false;
+
+	if (current_ws) {
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "current workspace is %s", current_ws->name);
+	}
 
 	// Get parent container, to add view in
 	if (parent) {
@@ -209,16 +217,22 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 	if (pid) {
 		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "found pid %d for client", pid);
 		int i;
-		for (i = 0; i < config->pid_workspaces->length; i++) {
-			pw = config->pid_workspaces->items[i];
-			pid_t *pw_pid = pw->pid;
-			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "checking pid %d against pid %d, i is %d", pid, *pw_pid, i);
-			if (pid == *pw_pid) {
-				sway_log(L_DEBUG, "found pid_workspace for pid, %d %s", pid, pw->workspace);
-				break;
+		do {
+			for (i = 0; i < config->pid_workspaces->length; i++) {
+				pw = config->pid_workspaces->items[i];
+				pid_t *pw_pid = pw->pid;
+				sway_log(L_DEBUG, "checking pid %d against pid %d, i is %d", pid, *pw_pid, i);
+				if (pid == *pw_pid) {
+					sway_log(L_DEBUG, "found pid_workspace for pid, %d %s", pid, pw->workspace);
+					break; // out of for loop
+				}
+				pw = NULL;
 			}
-			pw = NULL;
-		}
+			if (pw) {
+				break; // out of do-while loop
+			}
+			pid = get_parent_pid(pid);
+		} while (pid > -1 && pid != getpid());
 
 		swayc_t *ws = NULL;
 
@@ -233,6 +247,10 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 			if (ws) {
 				sway_log(L_DEBUG, "workspace exists, name is %s", ws->name);
 				focused = ws;
+
+				if (current_ws && (strcmp(current_ws->name, ws->name) != 0)) {
+					return_to_workspace = true;
+				}
 			}
 
 			list_del(config->pid_workspaces, i);
@@ -240,7 +258,6 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 	}
 
 	free_pid_workspace(pw);
-	// free(&pid);
 
 	if (!focused || focused->type == C_OUTPUT) {
 		focused = get_focused_container(&root_container);
@@ -330,6 +347,12 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 		list_add(output->unmanaged, h);
 	}
 	wlc_view_set_mask(handle, VISIBLE);
+
+	if (return_to_workspace && current_ws) {
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "return_to_workspace && current_ws");
+		workspace_switch(current_ws);
+		set_focused_container(current_ws->focused);
+	}
 	return true;
 }