diff --git a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
index d2006fcc..9f49dd76 100644
--- a/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/hyprland/workspaces.hpp
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ class Workspaces : public AModule, public EventHandler {
 
   // workspace events
   void onWorkspaceActivated(std::string const& payload);
+  void onSpecialWorkspaceActivated(std::string const& payload);
   void onWorkspaceDestroyed(std::string const& payload);
   void onWorkspaceCreated(std::string const& workspaceName,
                           Json::Value const& clientsData = Json::Value::nullRef);
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ class Workspaces : public AModule, public EventHandler {
   bool m_withIcon;
   uint64_t m_monitorId;
   std::string m_activeWorkspaceName;
+  std::string m_activeSpecialWorkspaceName;
   std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Workspace>> m_workspaces;
   std::vector<std::pair<Json::Value, Json::Value>> m_workspacesToCreate;
   std::vector<std::string> m_workspacesToRemove;
diff --git a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
index b05ce134..a12366e4 100644
--- a/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/hyprland/workspaces.cpp
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ void Workspaces::registerOrphanWindow(WindowCreationPayload create_window_paylod
 
 auto Workspaces::registerIpc() -> void {
   gIPC->registerForIPC("workspace", this);
+  gIPC->registerForIPC("activespecial", this);
   gIPC->registerForIPC("createworkspace", this);
   gIPC->registerForIPC("destroyworkspace", this);
   gIPC->registerForIPC("focusedmon", this);
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ void Workspaces::doUpdate() {
 
   for (auto &workspace : m_workspaces) {
     // active
-    workspace->setActive(workspace->name() == m_activeWorkspaceName);
+    workspace->setActive( workspace->name() == m_activeWorkspaceName ||
+                         workspace->name() == m_activeSpecialWorkspaceName );
     // disable urgency if workspace is active
     if (workspace->name() == m_activeWorkspaceName && workspace->isUrgent()) {
       workspace->setUrgent(false);
@@ -266,6 +268,8 @@ void Workspaces::onEvent(const std::string &ev) {
 
   if (eventName == "workspace") {
     onWorkspaceActivated(payload);
+  } else if (eventName == "activespecial") {
+    onSpecialWorkspaceActivated(payload);
   } else if (eventName == "destroyworkspace") {
     onWorkspaceDestroyed(payload);
   } else if (eventName == "createworkspace") {
@@ -295,6 +299,13 @@ void Workspaces::onWorkspaceActivated(std::string const &payload) {
   m_activeWorkspaceName = payload;
 }
 
+void Workspaces::onSpecialWorkspaceActivated(std::string const &payload) {
+  std::string name(begin(payload), begin(payload) + payload.find_first_of(','));
+  m_activeSpecialWorkspaceName = (
+    ( name == "special" || name == "" ) ? name : name.substr(8, name.length() - 8)
+  );
+}
+
 void Workspaces::onWorkspaceDestroyed(std::string const &payload) {
   if (!isDoubleSpecial(payload)) {
     m_workspacesToRemove.push_back(payload);