diff --git a/include/ipc-server.h b/include/ipc-server.h
index 9858d6f07..ab9807efa 100644
--- a/include/ipc-server.h
+++ b/include/ipc-server.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ void ipc_init(void);
 void ipc_terminate(void);
 struct sockaddr_un *ipc_user_sockaddr(void);
 
-void ipc_event_workspace(swayc_t *old, swayc_t *new);
+void ipc_event_workspace(swayc_t *old, swayc_t *new, const char *change);
 void ipc_event_barconfig_update(struct bar_config *bar);
 const char *swayc_type_string(enum swayc_types type);
 
diff --git a/sway/focus.c b/sway/focus.c
index c1170ca4e..cf0ee7f62 100644
--- a/sway/focus.c
+++ b/sway/focus.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static void update_focus(swayc_t *c) {
 		// Case where workspace changes
 		case C_WORKSPACE:
 			if (prev) {
-				ipc_event_workspace(prev, c);
+				ipc_event_workspace(prev, c, "focus");
 				// update visibility of old workspace
 				update_visibility(prev);
 
@@ -122,11 +122,6 @@ bool set_focused_container(swayc_t *c) {
 		p = p->parent;
 		p->is_focused = false;
 	}
-	// active_ws might have been destroyed by now
-	// (focus swap away from empty ws = destroy ws)
-	if (active_ws_child_count == 0) {
-		active_ws = NULL;
-	}
 
 	// get new focused view and set focus to it.
 	p = get_focused_view(c);
@@ -146,7 +141,13 @@ bool set_focused_container(swayc_t *c) {
 	}
 
 	if (active_ws != workspace) {
-		ipc_event_workspace(active_ws, workspace);
+		// active_ws might have been destroyed by now
+		// (focus swap away from empty ws = destroy ws)
+		if (active_ws_child_count == 0) {
+			active_ws = NULL;
+		}
+
+		ipc_event_workspace(active_ws, workspace, "focus");
 	}
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/sway/ipc-server.c b/sway/ipc-server.c
index b459b5ce6..e161c7567 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-server.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-server.c
@@ -562,15 +562,23 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 	return json;
 }
 
-void ipc_event_workspace(swayc_t *old, swayc_t *new) {
+void ipc_event_workspace(swayc_t *old, swayc_t *new, const char *change) {
 	json_object *obj = json_object_new_object();
-	json_object_object_add(obj, "change", json_object_new_string("focus"));
-	if (old) {
-		json_object_object_add(obj, "old", ipc_json_describe_workspace(old));
-	} else {
-		json_object_object_add(obj, "old", NULL);
+	json_object_object_add(obj, "change", json_object_new_string(change));
+	if (strcmp("focus", change) == 0) {
+		if (old) {
+			json_object_object_add(obj, "old", ipc_json_describe_workspace(old));
+		} else {
+			json_object_object_add(obj, "old", NULL);
+		}
 	}
-	json_object_object_add(obj, "current", ipc_json_describe_workspace(new));
+
+	if (new) {
+		json_object_object_add(obj, "current", ipc_json_describe_workspace(new));
+	} else {
+		json_object_object_add(obj, "current", NULL);
+	}
+
 	const char *json_string = json_object_to_json_string(obj);
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < ipc_client_list->length; i++) {
diff --git a/sway/layout.c b/sway/layout.c
index a9e7c7f1f..563e9d11c 100644
--- a/sway/layout.c
+++ b/sway/layout.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "workspace.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "output.h"
+#include "ipc-server.h"
 
 swayc_t root_container;
 list_t *scratchpad;
@@ -312,6 +313,12 @@ void move_container_to(swayc_t* container, swayc_t* destination) {
 		// reset container geometry
 		container->width = container->height = 0;
 		add_child(destination, container);
+
+		// If the workspace only has one child after adding one, it
+		// means that the workspace was just initialized.
+		if (destination->children->length + destination->floating->length == 1) {
+			ipc_event_workspace(NULL, destination, "init");
+		}
 	} else {
 		// reset container geometry
 		container->width = container->height = 0;