diff --git a/komorebi/src/process_command.rs b/komorebi/src/process_command.rs
index 09f85696..12081758 100644
--- a/komorebi/src/process_command.rs
+++ b/komorebi/src/process_command.rs
@@ -1389,10 +1389,14 @@ impl WindowManager {
                     );
                 }
 
-                let stack = BORDER_COLOUR_STACK.load(Ordering::SeqCst);
-                if stack != 0 && self.focused_container()?.windows().len() > 1 {
-                    BORDER_COLOUR_CURRENT
-                        .store(stack, Ordering::SeqCst);
+                // it is not acceptable to fail here; we need to be able to send the event to
+                // subscribers
+                if self.focused_container().is_ok() {
+                    let stack = BORDER_COLOUR_STACK.load(Ordering::SeqCst);
+                    if stack != 0 && self.focused_container()?.windows().len() > 1 {
+                        BORDER_COLOUR_CURRENT
+                            .store(stack, Ordering::SeqCst);
+                    }
                 }
 
                 let border = Border::from(BORDER_HWND.load(Ordering::SeqCst));
diff --git a/komorebi/src/window_manager.rs b/komorebi/src/window_manager.rs
index 72b4e508..0f0a2879 100644
--- a/komorebi/src/window_manager.rs
+++ b/komorebi/src/window_manager.rs
@@ -852,17 +852,18 @@ impl WindowManager {
             }
         }
 
-        // if we passed false for follow_focus
-        if !follow_focus
+        // if we passed false for follow_focus and there is a container on the workspace
+        if !follow_focus && self.focused_container_mut().is_ok() {
             // and we have a stack with >1 windows
-            && self.focused_container_mut()?.windows().len() > 1
+            if self.focused_container_mut()?.windows().len() > 1
             // and we don't have a maxed window 
             && self.focused_workspace()?.maximized_window().is_none()
             // and we don't have a monocle container
             && self.focused_workspace()?.monocle_container().is_none()
-        {
-            if let Ok(window) = self.focused_window_mut() {
-                window.focus(self.mouse_follows_focus)?;
+            {
+                if let Ok(window) = self.focused_window_mut() {
+                    window.focus(self.mouse_follows_focus)?;
+                }
             }
         };