diff --git a/river/Cursor.zig b/river/Cursor.zig
index 626e988..d2a2e17 100644
--- a/river/Cursor.zig
+++ b/river/Cursor.zig
@@ -48,9 +48,14 @@ const Mode = union(enum) {
     fn enter(self: *Self, mode: @TagType(Mode), event: *c.wlr_event_pointer_button, view: *View) void {
         log.debug(.cursor, "enter {} mode", .{@tagName(mode)});
 
+        self.seat.focus(view);
+
         switch (mode) {
             .passthrough => unreachable,
-            .down => self.mode = .{ .down = view },
+            .down => {
+                self.mode = .{ .down = view };
+                view.output.root.startTransaction();
+            },
             .move, .resize => {
                 const cur_box = &view.current.box;
                 self.mode = switch (mode) {
@@ -366,8 +371,6 @@ fn handleButton(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
         // If the target surface has a view, give that view keyboard focus and
         // perhaps enter move/resize mode.
         if (View.fromWlrSurface(wlr_surface)) |view| {
-            self.seat.focus(view);
-
             if (event.state == .WLR_BUTTON_PRESSED and self.pressed_count == 1) {
                 // If the button is pressed and the pointer modifier is
                 // active, enter cursor mode or close view and return.
diff --git a/river/InputManager.zig b/river/InputManager.zig
index ab6dda4..ea79db8 100644
--- a/river/InputManager.zig
+++ b/river/InputManager.zig
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ fn handleInhibitDeactivate(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.
     while (seat_it) |seat_node| : (seat_it = seat_node.next) {
         seat_node.data.focus(null);
     }
+
+    self.server.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 /// This event is raised by the backend when a new input device becomes available.
diff --git a/river/LayerSurface.zig b/river/LayerSurface.zig
index 1f5971f..e8ce1fc 100644
--- a/river/LayerSurface.zig
+++ b/river/LayerSurface.zig
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ fn handleUnmap(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
         const seat = &node.data;
         seat.focus(null);
     }
+
+    self.output.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 fn handleCommit(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
@@ -181,6 +183,7 @@ fn handleCommit(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
     // TODO: only reconfigure if things haven't changed
     // https://github.com/swaywm/wlroots/issues/1079
     self.output.arrangeLayers();
+    self.output.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 fn handleNewPopup(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
diff --git a/river/Output.zig b/river/Output.zig
index a7f400d..a62c724 100644
--- a/river/Output.zig
+++ b/river/Output.zig
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ pub fn arrangeViews(self: *Self) void {
     var it = ViewStack(View).pendingIterator(self.views.first, self.pending.tags);
     while (it.next()) |node| {
         const view = &node.view;
-        if (!view.pending.float) layout_count += 1;
+        if (!view.pending.float and !view.pending.fullscreen) layout_count += 1;
     }
 
     // If the usable area has a zero dimension, trying to arrange the layout
@@ -394,8 +394,6 @@ pub fn arrangeLayers(self: *Self) void {
             }
         }
     }
-
-    self.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 /// Arrange the layer surfaces of a given layer
@@ -585,7 +583,7 @@ fn handleDestroy(listener: ?*c.wl_listener, data: ?*c_void) callconv(.C) void {
     while (seat_it) |seat_node| : (seat_it = seat_node.next) {
         const seat = &seat_node.data;
         if (seat.focused_output == self) {
-            seat.focusOutput(self);
+            seat.focusOutput(fallback_output);
             seat.focus(null);
         }
     }
diff --git a/river/Root.zig b/river/Root.zig
index 2fb1a9f..03ab9b3 100644
--- a/river/Root.zig
+++ b/river/Root.zig
@@ -241,8 +241,4 @@ fn commitTransaction(self: *Self) void {
 
         if (view_tags_changed) output.sendViewTags();
     }
-
-    // Iterate over all seats and update focus
-    var it = self.server.input_manager.seats.first;
-    while (it) |seat_node| : (it = seat_node.next) seat_node.data.focus(null);
 }
diff --git a/river/Seat.zig b/river/Seat.zig
index 52aae7c..d988610 100644
--- a/river/Seat.zig
+++ b/river/Seat.zig
@@ -120,21 +120,21 @@ pub fn focus(self: *Self, _view: ?*View) void {
     // If the view is not currently visible, behave as if null was passed
     if (view) |v| {
         if (v.output != self.focused_output or
-            v.current.tags & self.focused_output.current.tags == 0) view = null;
+            v.pending.tags & self.focused_output.pending.tags == 0) view = null;
     }
 
     // If the target view is not fullscreen or null, then a fullscreen view
     // will grab focus if visible.
-    if (if (view) |v| !v.current.fullscreen else true) {
-        var it = ViewStack(*View).iterator(self.focus_stack.first, self.focused_output.current.tags);
+    if (if (view) |v| !v.pending.fullscreen else true) {
+        var it = ViewStack(*View).pendingIterator(self.focus_stack.first, self.focused_output.pending.tags);
         view = while (it.next()) |node| {
-            if (node.view.output == self.focused_output and node.view.current.fullscreen) break node.view;
+            if (node.view.output == self.focused_output and node.view.pending.fullscreen) break node.view;
         } else view;
     }
 
     if (view == null) {
         // Set view to the first currently visible view in the focus stack if any
-        var it = ViewStack(*View).iterator(self.focus_stack.first, self.focused_output.current.tags);
+        var it = ViewStack(*View).pendingIterator(self.focus_stack.first, self.focused_output.pending.tags);
         view = while (it.next()) |node| {
             if (node.view.output == self.focused_output) break node.view;
         } else null;
@@ -223,9 +223,6 @@ pub fn setFocusRaw(self: *Self, new_focus: FocusTarget) void {
     // Inform any clients tracking status of the change
     var it = self.status_trackers.first;
     while (it) |node| : (it = node.next) node.data.sendFocusedView();
-
-    // Start a transaction to apply the pending focus state
-    self.input_manager.server.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 /// Focus the given output, notifying any listening clients of the change.
diff --git a/river/View.zig b/river/View.zig
index 8e102b8..d745f6d 100644
--- a/river/View.zig
+++ b/river/View.zig
@@ -351,7 +351,8 @@ pub fn map(self: *Self) void {
 
     self.output.sendViewTags();
 
-    self.output.arrangeViews();
+    if (!self.current.float) self.output.arrangeViews();
+
     self.output.root.startTransaction();
 }
 
@@ -377,10 +378,9 @@ pub fn unmap(self: *Self) void {
     self.output.sendViewTags();
 
     // Still need to arrange if fullscreened from the layout
-    if (!self.current.float) {
-        self.output.arrangeViews();
-        root.startTransaction();
-    }
+    if (!self.current.float) self.output.arrangeViews();
+
+    root.startTransaction();
 }
 
 /// Destory the view and free the ViewStack node holding it.
diff --git a/river/command/focus_view.zig b/river/command/focus_view.zig
index cc1b26e..4e77665 100644
--- a/river/command/focus_view.zig
+++ b/river/command/focus_view.zig
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ pub fn focusView(
         // Focus the next visible node if there is one
         if (it.next()) |node| {
             seat.focus(&node.view);
+            output.root.startTransaction();
             return;
         }
     }
@@ -65,4 +66,5 @@ pub fn focusView(
     };
 
     seat.focus(if (it.next()) |node| &node.view else null);
+    output.root.startTransaction();
 }
diff --git a/river/command/tags.zig b/river/command/tags.zig
index 5e4d6e2..243b286 100644
--- a/river/command/tags.zig
+++ b/river/command/tags.zig
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub fn setFocusedTags(
     if (seat.focused_output.pending.tags != tags) {
         seat.focused_output.pending.tags = tags;
         seat.focused_output.arrangeViews();
+        seat.focus(null);
         seat.focused_output.root.startTransaction();
     }
 }
@@ -44,8 +45,10 @@ pub fn setViewTags(
 ) Error!void {
     const tags = try parseTags(allocator, args, out);
     if (seat.focused == .view) {
-        seat.focused.view.pending.tags = tags;
-        seat.focused.view.applyPending();
+        const view = seat.focused.view;
+        view.pending.tags = tags;
+        seat.focus(null);
+        view.applyPending();
     }
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ pub fn toggleFocusedTags(
     if (new_focused_tags != 0) {
         output.pending.tags = new_focused_tags;
         output.arrangeViews();
+        seat.focus(null);
         output.root.startTransaction();
     }
 }
@@ -75,10 +79,12 @@ pub fn toggleViewTags(
 ) Error!void {
     const tags = try parseTags(allocator, args, out);
     if (seat.focused == .view) {
-        const new_tags = seat.focused.view.current.tags ^ tags;
+        const new_tags = seat.focused.view.pending.tags ^ tags;
         if (new_tags != 0) {
-            seat.focused.view.pending.tags = new_tags;
-            seat.focused.view.applyPending();
+            const view = seat.focused.view;
+            view.pending.tags = new_tags;
+            seat.focus(null);
+            view.applyPending();
         }
     }
 }