diff --git a/src/display-x11.cc b/src/display-x11.cc
index 78a9144e6c..3dade66a66 100644
--- a/src/display-x11.cc
+++ b/src/display-x11.cc
@@ -234,6 +234,9 @@ bool display_output_x11::shutdown() {
   return true;
 }
 
+void process_surface_events(conky::display_output_x11 *surface,
+                            Display *display);
+
 bool display_output_x11::main_loop_wait(double t) {
   /* wait for X event or timeout */
   if (!display || !window.gc) return true;
@@ -423,12 +426,11 @@ bool display_output_x11::main_loop_wait(double t) {
 #define EV_HANDLER(name)                                                     \
   bool _conky_ev_handle_##name(conky::display_output_x11 *surface,           \
                                Display *display, XEvent &ev, bool *consumed, \
-                               bool *focus)
+                               void **cookie)
 
 #ifdef OWN_WINDOW
-#ifdef BUILD_MOUSE_EVENTS
 #ifdef BUILD_XINPUT
-EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
+EV_HANDLER(xinput_motion) {
   if (ev.type != GenericEvent || ev.xcookie.extension != window.xi_opcode)
     return false;
 
@@ -470,30 +472,29 @@ EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
                                  data->root_y < (window.y + window.height)));
     if (cursor_over_conky) {
       if (!cursor_inside) {
-        *consumed = llua_mouse_hook(mouse_crossing_event(
+        llua_mouse_hook(mouse_crossing_event(
             mouse_event_t::AREA_ENTER, data->root_x - window.x,
             data->root_y - window.x, data->root_x, data->root_y));
       }
       cursor_inside = true;
     } else if (cursor_inside) {
-      *consumed = llua_mouse_hook(mouse_crossing_event(
+      llua_mouse_hook(mouse_crossing_event(
           mouse_event_t::AREA_LEAVE, data->root_x - window.x,
           data->root_y - window.x, data->root_x, data->root_y));
       cursor_inside = false;
     }
   }
-  // TODO: Handle other events
-
   XFreeEventData(display, &ev.xcookie);
   return true;
 }
-#else  /* BUILD_XINPUT */
+#endif /* BUILD_XINPUT */
 EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
   if (ev.type != ButtonPress && ev.type != ButtonRelease &&
       ev.type != MotionNotify)
     return false;
   if (ev.xany.window != window.window) return true;  // Skip other windows
 
+#ifdef BUILD_MOUSE_EVENTS
   switch (ev.type) {
     case ButtonPress: {
       modifier_state_t mods = x11_modifier_state(ev.xbutton.state);
@@ -509,7 +510,6 @@ EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
             mouse_event_t::MOUSE_PRESS, ev.xbutton.x, ev.xbutton.y,
             ev.xbutton.x_root, ev.xbutton.y_root, button, mods));
       }
-      return true;
     }
     case ButtonRelease: {
       /* don't report scroll release events */
@@ -520,49 +520,37 @@ EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
       *consumed = llua_mouse_hook(mouse_button_event(
           mouse_event_t::MOUSE_RELEASE, ev.xbutton.x, ev.xbutton.y,
           ev.xbutton.x_root, ev.xbutton.y_root, button, mods));
-      return true;
     }
     case MotionNotify: {
       modifier_state_t mods = x11_modifier_state(ev.xmotion.state);
       *consumed = llua_mouse_hook(mouse_move_event(ev.xmotion.x, ev.xmotion.y,
                                                    ev.xmotion.x_root,
                                                    ev.xmotion.y_root, mods));
-      return true;
     }
-    default:
-      return false;  // unreachable
   }
-}
-#endif /* BUILD_XINPUT */
 #else  /* BUILD_MOUSE_EVENTS */
-EV_HANDLER(mouse_input) {
-  if (ev.type != ButtonPress && ev.type != ButtonRelease &&
-      ev.type != MotionNotify)
-    return false;
-  if (ev.xany.window != window.window) return true;  // Skip other windows
   // always propagate mouse input if not handling mouse events
   *consumed = false;
+#endif /* BUILD_MOUSE_EVENTS */
 
-  // don't focus if not a click
-  if (ev.type != ButtonPress) return true;
-
-  // skip if not own_window
   if (!own_window.get(*state)) return true;
-
-  // don't focus if normal but undecorated
-  if (own_window_type.get(*state) == TYPE_NORMAL &&
-      TEST_HINT(own_window_hints.get(*state), HINT_UNDECORATED))
-    return true;
-
-  // don't force focus if desktop window
-  if (own_window_type.get(*state) == TYPE_DESKTOP) return true;
-
-  // finally, else focus
-  *focus = true;
+  switch (own_window_type.get(*state)) {
+    case window_type::TYPE_NORMAL:
+    case window_type::TYPE_UTILITY:
+      // decorated normal windows always consume events
+      if (!TEST_HINT(own_window_hints.get(*state), HINT_UNDECORATED)) {
+        *consumed = true;
+      }
+      break;
+    case window_type::TYPE_DESKTOP:
+      // assume conky is always on bottom; nothing to propagate events to
+      *consumed = true;
+    default:
+      break;
+  }
 
   return true;
 }
-#endif /* BUILD_MOUSE_EVENTS */
 #endif /* OWN_WINDOW */
 EV_HANDLER(property_notify) {
   if (ev.type != PropertyNotify) return false;
@@ -690,16 +678,20 @@ EV_HANDLER(damage) { return false; }
 ///
 /// @return true if event should move input focus to conky
 bool process_event(conky::display_output_x11 *surface, Display *display,
-                   XEvent ev, bool *consumed, bool *focus) {
-#define HANDLE_EV(handler)                                               \
-  if (_conky_ev_handle_##handler(surface, display, ev, consumed, focus)) \
+                   XEvent ev, bool *consumed, void **cookie) {
+#define HANDLE_EV(handler)                                                \
+  if (_conky_ev_handle_##handler(surface, display, ev, consumed, cookie)) \
   return true
 
+#ifdef BUILD_XINPUT
+  // handles enter & leave events better
+  HANDLE_EV(xinput_motion);
+#endif /* BUILD_XINPUT */
   HANDLE_EV(mouse_input);
   HANDLE_EV(property_notify);
 
   // only accept remaining events if they're sent to Conky.
-  if (ev.xany.window != window.window) return;
+  if (ev.xany.window != window.window) return false;
 
   HANDLE_EV(expose);
   HANDLE_EV(reparent);
@@ -707,10 +699,6 @@ bool process_event(conky::display_output_x11 *surface, Display *display,
   HANDLE_EV(damage);
 
   // event not handled
-
-  // *consumed = false; // old behavior
-  // we don't want to forward majoriy of events though
-
   return false;
 }
 
@@ -732,14 +720,12 @@ void process_surface_events(conky::display_output_x11 *surface,
     consumed.
     */
     bool consumed = true;
-    bool focus = false;
-    process_event(surface, display, ev, &consumed, &focus);
+    void *cookie = nullptr;
+    bool handled = process_event(surface, display, ev, &consumed, &cookie);
 
-    if (!consumed) {
-      propagate_x11_event(ev);
-    } else if (focus) {
-      XSetInputFocus(display, window.window, RevertToParent, CurrentTime);
-    }
+    if (!consumed) { propagate_x11_event(ev, cookie); }
+
+    if (cookie != nullptr) { free(cookie); }
   }
 
   DBGP2("Done processing %d events.", pending);
diff --git a/src/x11.cc b/src/x11.cc
index 9acdfe3c57..d6500673af 100644
--- a/src/x11.cc
+++ b/src/x11.cc
@@ -1376,7 +1376,9 @@ int ev_to_mask(int event_type) {
   }
 }
 
-void propagate_x11_event(XEvent &ev) {
+void propagate_x11_event(XEvent &ev, void *cookie) {
+  bool focus = ev.type == ButtonPress;
+
   InputEvent *i_ev = xev_as_input_event(ev);
   if (i_ev == nullptr) {
     // Not a known input event; blindly propagating them causes loops and all
@@ -1410,7 +1412,10 @@ void propagate_x11_event(XEvent &ev) {
   }
 
   XUngrabPointer(display, CurrentTime);
-  XSendEvent(display, i_ev->common.window, False, ev_to_mask(i_ev->type), &ev);
+  XSendEvent(display, i_ev->common.window, True, ev_to_mask(i_ev->type), &ev);
+  if (focus) {
+    XSetInputFocus(display, i_ev->common.window, RevertToParent, CurrentTime);
+  }
 }
 
 /// @brief This function returns the last descendant of a window (leaf) on the
diff --git a/src/x11.h b/src/x11.h
index 48ccad425a..d18dff39a4 100644
--- a/src/x11.h
+++ b/src/x11.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ union InputEvent {
 // Returns InputEvent pointer to provided XEvent is an input event; nullptr
 // otherwise.
 InputEvent *xev_as_input_event(XEvent &ev);
-void propagate_x11_event(XEvent &ev);
+void propagate_x11_event(XEvent &ev, void *cookie);
 
 /// @brief Tries getting a list of windows ordered from bottom to top.
 ///