diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index e6fc9f28b..b97acb578 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct sway_variable {
  * A key binding and an associated command.
  */
 struct sway_binding {
+	int order;
 	list_t *keys;
 	uint32_t modifiers;
 	char *command;
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 4af9186a8..3d882a7b3 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ static struct cmd_results *checkarg(int argc, const char *name, enum expected_ar
 	return error;
 }
 
+int binding_order = 0;
+
 static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym(int argc, char **argv) {
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
 	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "bindsym", EXPECTED_MORE_THAN, 1))) {
@@ -215,6 +217,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym(int argc, char **argv) {
 		free_sway_binding(dup);
 		list_del(mode->bindings, i);
 	}
+	binding->order = binding_order++;
 	list_add(mode->bindings, binding);
 	list_sort(mode->bindings, sway_binding_cmp);
 
diff --git a/sway/workspace.c b/sway/workspace.c
index 761a5f4e8..f7523b795 100644
--- a/sway/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/workspace.c
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 #include <wlc/wlc.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
@@ -31,6 +33,8 @@ char *workspace_next_name(void) {
 	// if none are found/available then default to a number
 	struct sway_mode *mode = config->current_mode;
 
+	int order = INT_MAX;
+	char *target = NULL;
 	for (i = 0; i < mode->bindings->length; ++i) {
 		struct sway_binding *binding = mode->bindings->items[i];
 		char *cmdlist = strdup(binding->command);
@@ -45,35 +49,40 @@ char *workspace_next_name(void) {
 
 		if (strcmp("workspace", cmd) == 0 && name) {
 			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Got valid workspace command for target: '%s'", name);
-			char* target = strdup(name);
-			while (*target == ' ' || *target == '\t')
-				target++;
+			char *_target = strdup(name);
+			while (isspace(*_target))
+				_target++;
 
 			// Make sure that the command references an actual workspace
 			// not a command about workspaces
-			if (strcmp(target, "next") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "prev") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "next_on_output") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "prev_on_output") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "number") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "back_and_forth") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(target, "current") == 0)
+			if (strcmp(_target, "next") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "prev") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "next_on_output") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "prev_on_output") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "number") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "back_and_forth") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(_target, "current") == 0)
 			{
-				free(target);
+				free(_target);
 				continue;
 			}
 
 			// Make sure that the workspace doesn't already exist
-			if (workspace_by_name(target)) {
-				free(target);
+			if (workspace_by_name(_target)) {
+				free(_target);
 				continue;
 			}
-			free(dup);
-			sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Workspace: Found free name %s", target);
-			return target;
+			if (binding->order < order) {
+				order = binding->order;
+				target = _target;
+				sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Workspace: Found free name %s", _target);
+			}
 		}
 		free(dup);
 	}
+	if (target != NULL) {
+		return target;
+	}
 	// As a fall back, get the current number of active workspaces
 	// and return that + 1 for the next workspace's name
 	int ws_num = root_container.children->length;