diff --git a/include/border.h b/include/border.h
index b629ba469..b72dc5dcd 100644
--- a/include/border.h
+++ b/include/border.h
@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ struct border {
  */
 void border_clear(struct border *border);
 
+/**
+ * Recursively update all of the borders within a container.
+ */
+void update_container_border(swayc_t *container);
+
 void render_view_borders(wlc_handle view);
-void update_view_border(swayc_t *view);
 void map_update_view_border(swayc_t *view, void *data);
 int get_font_text_height(const char *font);
 bool should_hide_top_border(swayc_t *con, double y);
diff --git a/sway/border.c b/sway/border.c
index c1a62bc6e..f681e4f14 100644
--- a/sway/border.c
+++ b/sway/border.c
@@ -201,12 +201,6 @@ static void render_title_bar(swayc_t *view, cairo_t *cr, struct wlc_geometry *b,
 	}
 }
 
-void map_update_view_border(swayc_t *view, void *data) {
-	if (view->type == C_VIEW) {
-		update_view_border(view);
-	}
-}
-
 /**
  * Generate nested container title for tabbed/stacked layouts
  */
@@ -293,7 +287,7 @@ void update_tabbed_stacked_titlebars(swayc_t *c, cairo_t *cr, struct wlc_geometr
 	}
 }
 
-void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
+static void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 	if (!view->visible) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -308,6 +302,9 @@ void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 	swayc_t *focused = get_focused_view(&root_container);
 	swayc_t *container = swayc_parent_by_type(view, C_CONTAINER);
 	swayc_t *focused_inactive = NULL;
+
+	bool is_child_of_focused = swayc_is_parent_of(get_focused_container(&root_container), view);
+
 	if (container) {
 		focused_inactive = swayc_focus_by_type(container, C_VIEW);
 	} else {
@@ -334,7 +331,7 @@ void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 		cr = create_border_buffer(view, g, &surface);
 
 		bool render_top = !should_hide_top_border(view, view->y);
-		if (view == focused) {
+		if (view == focused || is_child_of_focused) {
 			render_borders(view, cr, &config->border_colors.focused, render_top);
 		} else {
 			render_borders(view, cr, &config->border_colors.focused_inactive, render_top);
@@ -360,7 +357,7 @@ void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 				break;
 			}
 
-			if (focused == view) {
+			if (focused == view || is_child_of_focused) {
 				render_borders(view, cr, &config->border_colors.focused, true);
 			} else if (focused_inactive == view) {
 				render_borders(view, cr, &config->border_colors.focused_inactive, true);
@@ -375,7 +372,7 @@ void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 				break;
 			}
 
-			if (focused == view) {
+			if (focused == view || is_child_of_focused) {
 				render_borders(view, cr, &config->border_colors.focused, false);
 				render_title_bar(view, cr, &view->border_geometry,
 					&config->border_colors.focused);
@@ -403,6 +400,23 @@ void update_view_border(swayc_t *view) {
 	}
 }
 
+void update_container_border(swayc_t *container) {
+	if (container->type == C_VIEW) {
+		update_view_border(container);
+		return;
+	} else {
+		for (int i = 0; i < container->children->length; ++i) {
+			update_container_border(container->children->items[i]);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void map_update_view_border(swayc_t *view, void *data) {
+	if (view->type == C_VIEW) {
+		update_view_border(view);
+	}
+}
+
 void render_view_borders(wlc_handle view) {
 	swayc_t *c = swayc_by_handle(view);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index f0c9cc522..f73bd21c9 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -2340,7 +2340,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *_do_split(int argc, char **argv, int layout) {
 
 	// update container title if tabbed/stacked
 	if (swayc_tabbed_stacked_ancestor(focused)) {
-		update_view_border(focused);
+		update_container_border(focused);
 		swayc_t *output = swayc_parent_by_type(focused, C_OUTPUT);
 		// schedule render to make changes take effect right away,
 		// otherwise we would have to wait for the view to render,
diff --git a/sway/focus.c b/sway/focus.c
index 0f629e1e7..45ec43e96 100644
--- a/sway/focus.c
+++ b/sway/focus.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ bool set_focused_container(swayc_t *c) {
 
 	// Get workspace for c, get that workspaces current focused container.
 	swayc_t *workspace = swayc_active_workspace_for(c);
-	swayc_t *focused = get_focused_view(workspace);
+	swayc_t *focused = get_focused_container(workspace);
 
 	if (swayc_is_fullscreen(focused) && focused != c) {
 		// if switching to a workspace with a fullscreen view,
@@ -140,35 +140,35 @@ bool set_focused_container(swayc_t *c) {
 	}
 
 	// get new focused view and set focus to it.
-	p = get_focused_view(c);
-	if (p->type == C_VIEW && !(wlc_view_get_type(p->handle) & WLC_BIT_POPUP)) {
+	if (c->type == C_CONTAINER || (c->type == C_VIEW && !(wlc_view_get_type(p->handle) & WLC_BIT_POPUP))) {
 		// unactivate previous focus
 		if (focused->type == C_VIEW) {
 			wlc_view_set_state(focused->handle, WLC_BIT_ACTIVATED, false);
-			update_view_border(focused);
 		}
+		update_container_border(focused);
 		// activate current focus
-		if (p->type == C_VIEW) {
-			wlc_view_set_state(p->handle, WLC_BIT_ACTIVATED, true);
-			// set focus if view_focus is unlocked
-			if (!locked_view_focus) {
-				wlc_view_focus(p->handle);
-				if (p->parent->layout != L_TABBED
-					&& p->parent->layout != L_STACKED) {
-					update_view_border(p);
-				}
+		if (c->type == C_VIEW) {
+			wlc_view_set_state(c->handle, WLC_BIT_ACTIVATED, true);
+		}
+		// set focus if view_focus is unlocked
+		if (!locked_view_focus) {
+			wlc_view_focus(c->handle);
+			if (c->parent->layout != L_TABBED
+					&& c->parent->layout != L_STACKED) {
+				update_container_border(c);
 			}
 		}
 
 		// rearrange if parent container is tabbed/stacked
-		swayc_t *parent = swayc_tabbed_stacked_ancestor(p);
+		swayc_t *parent = swayc_tabbed_stacked_ancestor(c);
 		if (parent != NULL) {
 			arrange_backgrounds();
 			arrange_windows(parent, -1, -1);
 		}
-	} else if (p->type == C_WORKSPACE) {
+	} else if (c->type == C_WORKSPACE) {
 		// remove previous focus if view_focus is unlocked
 		if (!locked_view_focus) {
+			update_container_border(c);
 			wlc_view_focus(0);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/sway/handlers.c b/sway/handlers.c
index bdcdcaa43..684e45ba9 100644
--- a/sway/handlers.c
+++ b/sway/handlers.c
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ static bool handle_view_created(wlc_handle handle) {
 		// we were on one workspace, switched to another to add this view,
 		// now let's return to where we were
 		workspace_switch(current_ws);
-		set_focused_container(current_ws->focused);
+		set_focused_container(get_focused_container(current_ws));
 	}
 
 	suspend_workspace_cleanup = false;
@@ -553,9 +553,9 @@ static void handle_view_properties_updated(wlc_handle view, uint32_t mask) {
 				swayc_t *p = swayc_tabbed_stacked_ancestor(c);
 				if (p) {
 					// TODO: we only got the topmost tabbed/stacked container, update borders of all containers on the path
-					update_view_border(get_focused_view(p));
+					update_container_border(get_focused_view(p));
 				} else if (c->border_type == B_NORMAL) {
-					update_view_border(c);
+					update_container_border(c);
 				}
 				ipc_event_window(c, "title");
 			}
diff --git a/sway/layout.c b/sway/layout.c
index 6502d930e..42954ebc8 100644
--- a/sway/layout.c
+++ b/sway/layout.c
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static void update_border_geometry_floating(swayc_t *c, struct wlc_geometry *geo
 	c->border_geometry = g;
 	*geometry = c->actual_geometry;
 
-	update_view_border(c);
+	update_container_border(c);
 }
 
 void update_layout_geometry(swayc_t *parent, enum swayc_layouts prev_layout) {
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ void update_geometry(swayc_t *container) {
 		container->actual_geometry = geometry;
 
 		if (container->type == C_VIEW) {
-			update_view_border(container);
+			update_container_border(container);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ static void arrange_windows_r(swayc_t *container, double width, double height) {
 			// update focused view border last because it may
 			// depend on the title bar geometry of its siblings.
 			if (focused && container->children->length > 1) {
-				update_view_border(focused);
+				update_container_border(focused);
 			}
 		}
 		break;
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ static void arrange_windows_r(swayc_t *container, double width, double height) {
 			// update focused view border last because it may
 			// depend on the title bar geometry of its siblings.
 			if (focused && container->children->length > 1) {
-				update_view_border(focused);
+				update_container_border(focused);
 			}
 		}
 		break;