diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index c7cbea01..f770e984 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -506,6 +506,8 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_workspace(struct sway_workspace *workspace,
 			json_object_new_string(workspace->output->wlr_output->name) : NULL);
 	json_object_object_add(object, "urgent",
 			json_object_new_boolean(workspace->urgent));
+	json_object_object_add(object, "empty",
+			json_object_new_boolean(workspace_is_empty(workspace)));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "representation", workspace->representation ?
 			json_object_new_string(workspace->representation) : NULL);
 
diff --git a/swaybar/ipc.c b/swaybar/ipc.c
index 33ae6544..18dfd7ad 100644
--- a/swaybar/ipc.c
+++ b/swaybar/ipc.c
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ bool ipc_get_workspaces(struct swaybar *bar) {
 	bar->visible_by_urgency = false;
 	size_t length = json_object_array_length(results);
 	json_object *ws_json;
-	json_object *num, *name, *visible, *focused, *out, *urgent;
+	json_object *num, *name, *visible, *focused, *out, *urgent, *empty;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
 		ws_json = json_object_array_get_idx(results, i);
 
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@ bool ipc_get_workspaces(struct swaybar *bar) {
 		json_object_object_get_ex(ws_json, "focused", &focused);
 		json_object_object_get_ex(ws_json, "output", &out);
 		json_object_object_get_ex(ws_json, "urgent", &urgent);
+		json_object_object_get_ex(ws_json, "empty", &empty);
 
 		wl_list_for_each(output, &bar->outputs, link) {
 			const char *ws_output = json_object_get_string(out);
@@ -399,6 +400,7 @@ bool ipc_get_workspaces(struct swaybar *bar) {
 				if (ws->urgent) {
 					bar->visible_by_urgency = true;
 				}
+				ws->empty = json_object_get_boolean(empty);
 				wl_list_insert(output->workspaces.prev, &ws->link);
 			}
 		}