diff --git a/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h b/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
index 94c25a42a..1764713ce 100644
--- a/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
+++ b/include/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@
 
 struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 {
 	struct sway_server *server;
+	struct sway_view *view;
 
+	struct wl_list link;
 	struct wl_listener destroy;
 };
 
+void idle_inhibit_v1_check_active(struct sway_server *server);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index 246a93818..693e6b82c 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ struct sway_server {
 
 	struct wlr_idle_inhibit_manager_v1 *idle_inhibit_v1;
 	struct wl_listener new_idle_inhibitor_v1;
+	struct wl_list idle_inhibitors_v1;
 
 	struct wlr_layer_shell *layer_shell;
 	struct wl_listener layer_shell_surface;
diff --git a/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c b/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
index a06e00d59..a9a8cb24c 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_idle.h>
 #include "log.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
+#include "sway/tree/view.h"
 #include "sway/server.h"
 
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ static void handle_destroy(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 		wl_container_of(listener, inhibitor, destroy);
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Sway idle inhibitor destroyed");
 	wlr_idle_set_enabled(inhibitor->server->idle, NULL, true);
+	wl_list_remove(&inhibitor->link);
 	wl_list_remove(&inhibitor->destroy.link);
 	free(inhibitor);
 }
@@ -27,9 +29,29 @@ void handle_idle_inhibitor_v1(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	}
 
 	inhibitor->server = server;
+	inhibitor->view = view_from_wlr_surface(wlr_inhibitor->surface);
+	wl_list_insert(&server->idle_inhibitors_v1, &inhibitor->link);
+
 
 	inhibitor->destroy.notify = handle_destroy;
 	wl_signal_add(&wlr_inhibitor->events.destroy, &inhibitor->destroy);
 
 	wlr_idle_set_enabled(server->idle, NULL, false);
 }
+
+void idle_inhibit_v1_check_active(struct sway_server *server) {
+	struct sway_idle_inhibitor_v1 *inhibitor;
+	bool inhibited = false;
+	wl_list_for_each(inhibitor, &server->idle_inhibitors_v1, link) {
+		if (!inhibitor->view) {
+			/* Cannot guess if view is visible so assume it is */
+			inhibited = true;
+			break;
+		}
+		if (view_is_visible(inhibitor->view)) {
+			inhibited = true;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	wlr_idle_set_enabled(server->idle, NULL, !inhibited);
+}
diff --git a/sway/desktop/transaction.c b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
index d2932c874..7050d70ca 100644
--- a/sway/desktop/transaction.c
+++ b/sway/desktop/transaction.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_buffer.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_linux_dmabuf.h>
 #include "sway/debug.h"
+#include "sway/desktop/idle_inhibit_v1.h"
 #include "sway/desktop/transaction.h"
 #include "sway/output.h"
 #include "sway/tree/container.h"
@@ -245,6 +246,7 @@ static void transaction_progress_queue() {
 		transaction_destroy(transaction);
 	}
 	server.transactions->length = 0;
+	idle_inhibit_v1_check_active(&server);
 }
 
 static int handle_timeout(void *data) {
@@ -320,6 +322,7 @@ void transaction_commit(struct sway_transaction *transaction) {
 		wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Transaction %p has nothing to wait for", transaction);
 		transaction_apply(transaction);
 		transaction_destroy(transaction);
+		idle_inhibit_v1_check_active(&server);
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index 3456931cc..ee6b7cde8 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ bool server_init(struct sway_server *server) {
 	wl_signal_add(&server->idle_inhibit->events.new_inhibitor,
 		&server->new_idle_inhibitor_v1);
 	server->new_idle_inhibitor_v1.notify = handle_idle_inhibitor_v1;
+	wl_list_init(&server->idle_inhibitors_v1);
 
 	server->layer_shell = wlr_layer_shell_create(server->wl_display);
 	wl_signal_add(&server->layer_shell->events.new_surface,