diff --git a/src/con.c b/src/con.c
index 12efdf58..04605689 100644
--- a/src/con.c
+++ b/src/con.c
@@ -1007,14 +1007,25 @@ static void con_on_remove_child(Con *con) {
 
     /* Every container 'above' (in the hierarchy) the workspace content should
      * not be closed when the last child was removed */
-    if (con->type == CT_WORKSPACE ||
-        con->type == CT_OUTPUT ||
+    if (con->type == CT_OUTPUT ||
         con->type == CT_ROOT ||
         con->type == CT_DOCKAREA) {
         DLOG("not handling, type = %d\n", con->type);
         return;
     }
 
+    /* For workspaces, close them only if they're not visible anymore */
+    if (con->type == CT_WORKSPACE) {
+        int children = con_num_children(con);
+        if (children == 0 && !workspace_is_visible(con)) {
+            LOG("Closing old workspace (%p / %s), it is empty\n", con, con->name);
+            tree_close(con, DONT_KILL_WINDOW, false, false);
+            ipc_send_event("workspace", I3_IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE, "{\"change\":\"empty\"}");
+            ewmh_update_workarea();
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* TODO: check if this container would swallow any other client and
      * don’t close it automatically. */
     int children = con_num_children(con);
diff --git a/testcases/t/178-regress-workspace-open.t b/testcases/t/178-regress-workspace-open.t
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25fe7d9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testcases/t/178-regress-workspace-open.t
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!perl
+# vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+#
+# Tests if empty workspaces are closed when the last child
+# exits, as long as they're not empty.
+#
+use i3test;
+
+my $i3 = i3(get_socket_path());
+
+# Get a workspace and open a container
+my $ws = fresh_workspace;
+my $con = open_empty_con($i3);
+
+# Go to a second workspace, kill the container
+fresh_workspace;
+cmd "[con_id=\"$con\"] kill";
+
+# The first workspace should have been closed
+ok(!workspace_exists($ws), 'workspace closed');
+
+done_testing;