diff --git a/restore.c b/restore.c
index 4950941..3ec7e84 100644
--- a/restore.c
+++ b/restore.c
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ void restore_tree(char *file_path)
 				xcb_change_window_attributes(dpy, n->client->window, XCB_CW_EVENT_MASK, values);
 				if (!IS_TILED(n->client)) {
 					n->vacant = true;
-					update_vacant_state(n->parent);
+					propagate_vacant_state(n);
 				}
 				if (n->client->private) {
 					update_privacy_level(n, true);
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index 2ca7d38..3410f65 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void insert_node(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n, node_t *f)
 				break;
 		}
 		if (f->vacant) {
-			update_vacant_state(f->parent);
+			propagate_vacant_state(f);
 		}
 		if (f->client != NULL) {
 			if (f->client->private) {
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ void unlink_node(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n)
 		b->birth_rotation = p->birth_rotation;
 		n->parent = NULL;
 		free(p);
-		update_vacant_state(b->parent);
+		propagate_vacant_state(b);
 
 		if (n == d->focus) {
 			d->focus = history_get_node(d, n);
@@ -1027,8 +1027,8 @@ bool swap_nodes(monitor_t *m1, desktop_t *d1, node_t *n1, monitor_t *m2, desktop
 	n2->privacy_level = pl1;
 
 	if (n1->vacant != n2->vacant) {
-		update_vacant_state(n1->parent);
-		update_vacant_state(n2->parent);
+		propagate_vacant_state(n1);
+		propagate_vacant_state(n2);
 	}
 
 	if (n1->client->private != n2->client->private) {
@@ -1167,13 +1167,26 @@ void circulate_leaves(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, circulate_dir_t dir)
 		focus_node(m, d, p->second_child);
 }
 
-void update_vacant_state(node_t *n)
+void set_vacant_state(node_t *n, bool value)
 {
-	if (n == NULL)
-		return;
+	n->vacant = value;
 
-	/* n is not a leaf */
-	node_t *p = n;
+	if (value) {
+		unrotate_brother(n);
+	} else {
+		rotate_brother(n);
+	}
+
+	propagate_vacant_state(n);
+}
+
+void propagate_vacant_state(node_t *n)
+{
+	if (n == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	node_t *p = n->parent;
 
 	while (p != NULL) {
 		p->vacant = (p->first_child->vacant && p->second_child->vacant);
diff --git a/tree.h b/tree.h
index 25316c4..fd48de0 100644
--- a/tree.h
+++ b/tree.h
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ bool swap_nodes(monitor_t *m1, desktop_t *d1, node_t *n1, monitor_t *m2, desktop
 bool transfer_node(monitor_t *ms, desktop_t *ds, node_t *ns, monitor_t *md, desktop_t *dd, node_t *nd);
 node_t *closest_node(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n, cycle_dir_t dir, client_select_t sel);
 void circulate_leaves(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, circulate_dir_t dir);
-void update_vacant_state(node_t *n);
+void set_vacant_state(node_t *n, bool value);
+void propagate_vacant_state(node_t *n);
 void update_privacy_level(node_t *n, bool value);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index ce00809..2acf805 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -452,16 +452,10 @@ void set_floating(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n, bool value)
 	}
 
 	n->split_mode = MODE_AUTOMATIC;
-	n->vacant = value;
-	update_vacant_state(n->parent);
+	set_vacant_state(n, value);
 
-	if (value) {
-		unrotate_brother(n);
-	} else {
-		rotate_brother(n);
-		if (d->focus == n) {
-			neutralize_obscuring_windows(m, d, n);
-		}
+	if (!value && d->focus == n) {
+		neutralize_obscuring_windows(m, d, n);
 	}
 
 	stack(n, (d->focus == n));
@@ -476,8 +470,7 @@ void set_fullscreen(monitor_t *m, desktop_t *d, node_t *n, bool value)
 	client_t *c = n->client;
 
 	n->split_mode = MODE_AUTOMATIC;
-	n->vacant = value;
-	update_vacant_state(n->parent);
+	set_vacant_state(n, value);
 
 	if (value) {
 		ewmh_wm_state_add(c, ewmh->_NET_WM_STATE_FULLSCREEN);