diff --git a/src/Compositor.cpp b/src/Compositor.cpp
index 49b3a2cb..fed80120 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.cpp
@@ -923,7 +923,7 @@ PHLWINDOW CCompositor::vectorToWindowUnified(const Vector2D& pos, uint8_t proper
                         if (w->m_bIsX11 && w->isX11OverrideRedirect() && !w->m_pXWaylandSurface->wantsFocus()) {
                             // Override Redirect
                             return g_pCompositor->m_pLastWindow.lock(); // we kinda trick everything here.
-                                // TODO: this is wrong, we should focus the parent, but idk how to get it considering it's nullptr in most cases.
+                            // TODO: this is wrong, we should focus the parent, but idk how to get it considering it's nullptr in most cases.
                         }
 
                         return w;
diff --git a/src/Compositor.hpp b/src/Compositor.hpp
index 2393662b..33780cc9 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.hpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.hpp
@@ -25,53 +25,54 @@ class CCompositor {
     CCompositor(bool onlyConfig = false);
     ~CCompositor();
 
-    wl_display*                                m_sWLDisplay   = nullptr;
-    wl_event_loop*                             m_sWLEventLoop = nullptr;
-    int                                        m_iDRMFD       = -1;
-    bool                                       m_bInitialized = false;
-    SP<Aquamarine::CBackend>                   m_pAqBackend;
+    wl_display*                                  m_sWLDisplay   = nullptr;
+    wl_event_loop*                               m_sWLEventLoop = nullptr;
+    int                                          m_iDRMFD       = -1;
+    bool                                         m_bInitialized = false;
+    SP<Aquamarine::CBackend>                     m_pAqBackend;
 
-    std::string                                m_szHyprTempDataRoot = "";
+    std::string                                  m_szHyprTempDataRoot = "";
 
-    std::string                                m_szWLDisplaySocket   = "";
-    std::string                                m_szInstanceSignature = "";
-    std::string                                m_szInstancePath      = "";
-    std::string                                m_szCurrentSplash     = "error";
+    std::string                                  m_szWLDisplaySocket   = "";
+    std::string                                  m_szInstanceSignature = "";
+    std::string                                  m_szInstancePath      = "";
+    std::string                                  m_szCurrentSplash     = "error";
 
-    std::vector<PHLMONITOR>                    m_vMonitors;
-    std::vector<PHLMONITOR>                    m_vRealMonitors; // for all monitors, even those turned off
-    std::vector<PHLWINDOW>                     m_vWindows;
-    std::vector<PHLLS>                         m_vLayers;
-    std::vector<PHLWORKSPACE>                  m_vWorkspaces;
-    std::vector<PHLWINDOWREF>                  m_vWindowsFadingOut;
-    std::vector<PHLLSREF>                      m_vSurfacesFadingOut;
+    std::vector<PHLMONITOR>                      m_vMonitors;
+    std::vector<PHLMONITOR>                      m_vRealMonitors; // for all monitors, even those turned off
+    std::vector<PHLWINDOW>                       m_vWindows;
+    std::vector<PHLLS>                           m_vLayers;
+    std::vector<PHLWORKSPACE>                    m_vWorkspaces;
+    std::vector<PHLWINDOWREF>                    m_vWindowsFadingOut;
+    std::vector<PHLLSREF>                        m_vSurfacesFadingOut;
 
-    std::unordered_map<std::string, MONITORID> m_mMonitorIDMap;
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, MONITORID>   m_mMonitorIDMap;
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, WORKSPACEID> m_mSeenMonitorWorkspaceMap; // map of seen monitor names to workspace IDs
 
-    void                                       initServer(std::string socketName, int socketFd);
-    void                                       startCompositor();
-    void                                       stopCompositor();
-    void                                       cleanup();
-    void                                       bumpNofile();
-    void                                       restoreNofile();
+    void                                         initServer(std::string socketName, int socketFd);
+    void                                         startCompositor();
+    void                                         stopCompositor();
+    void                                         cleanup();
+    void                                         bumpNofile();
+    void                                         restoreNofile();
 
-    WP<CWLSurfaceResource>                     m_pLastFocus;
-    PHLWINDOWREF                               m_pLastWindow;
-    PHLMONITORREF                              m_pLastMonitor;
+    WP<CWLSurfaceResource>                       m_pLastFocus;
+    PHLWINDOWREF                                 m_pLastWindow;
+    PHLMONITORREF                                m_pLastMonitor;
 
-    std::vector<PHLWINDOWREF>                  m_vWindowFocusHistory; // first element is the most recently focused.
+    std::vector<PHLWINDOWREF>                    m_vWindowFocusHistory; // first element is the most recently focused.
 
-    bool                                       m_bReadyToProcess = false;
-    bool                                       m_bSessionActive  = true;
-    bool                                       m_bDPMSStateON    = true;
-    bool                                       m_bUnsafeState    = false; // unsafe state is when there is no monitors.
-    bool                                       m_bNextIsUnsafe   = false;
-    PHLMONITORREF                              m_pUnsafeOutput; // fallback output for the unsafe state
-    bool                                       m_bIsShuttingDown         = false;
-    bool                                       m_bFinalRequests          = false;
-    bool                                       m_bDesktopEnvSet          = false;
-    bool                                       m_bWantsXwayland          = true;
-    bool                                       m_bOnlyConfigVerification = false;
+    bool                                         m_bReadyToProcess = false;
+    bool                                         m_bSessionActive  = true;
+    bool                                         m_bDPMSStateON    = true;
+    bool                                         m_bUnsafeState    = false; // unsafe state is when there is no monitors.
+    bool                                         m_bNextIsUnsafe   = false;
+    PHLMONITORREF                                m_pUnsafeOutput; // fallback output for the unsafe state
+    bool                                         m_bIsShuttingDown         = false;
+    bool                                         m_bFinalRequests          = false;
+    bool                                         m_bDesktopEnvSet          = false;
+    bool                                         m_bWantsXwayland          = true;
+    bool                                         m_bOnlyConfigVerification = false;
 
     // ------------------------------------------------- //
 
diff --git a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
index 97f74609..e30849a7 100644
--- a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
@@ -235,6 +235,19 @@ void CMonitor::onConnect(bool noRule) {
         }
     }
 
+    Debug::log(LOG, "checking if we have seen this monitor before: {}", szName);
+    // if we saw this monitor before, set it to the workspace it was on
+    if (g_pCompositor->m_mSeenMonitorWorkspaceMap.contains(szName)) {
+        auto workspaceID = g_pCompositor->m_mSeenMonitorWorkspaceMap[szName];
+        Debug::log(LOG, "Monitor {} was on workspace {}, setting it to that", szName, workspaceID);
+        auto ws = g_pCompositor->getWorkspaceByID(workspaceID);
+        if (ws) {
+            g_pCompositor->moveWorkspaceToMonitor(ws, self.lock());
+            changeWorkspace(ws, true, false, false);
+        }
+    } else
+        Debug::log(LOG, "Monitor {} was not on any workspace", szName);
+
     if (!found)
         g_pCompositor->setActiveMonitor(self.lock());
 
@@ -273,6 +286,12 @@ void CMonitor::onDisconnect(bool destroy) {
 
     events.disconnect.emit();
 
+    // record what workspace this monitor was on
+    if (activeWorkspace) {
+        Debug::log(LOG, "Disconnecting Monitor {} was on workspace {}", szName, activeWorkspace->m_iID);
+        g_pCompositor->m_mSeenMonitorWorkspaceMap[szName] = activeWorkspace->m_iID;
+    }
+
     // Cleanup everything. Move windows back, snap cursor, shit.
     PHLMONITOR BACKUPMON = nullptr;
     for (auto const& m : g_pCompositor->m_vMonitors) {