diff --git a/src/event.c b/src/event.c
index 355aa33..739540d 100644
--- a/src/event.c
+++ b/src/event.c
@@ -270,11 +270,6 @@ static inline void ev_destroy_notify(session_t *ps, xcb_destroy_notify_event_t *
 	if (w != NULL) {
 		auto _ attr_unused = destroy_win_start(ps, w);
 	} else if (mw != NULL) {
-		// XXX the hope here is the WM will destroy the frame window
-		// quickly after the client window is destroyed. Otherwise a
-		// frame window without a client window would linger around. Who
-		// knows what kind of bugs it could cause. This has caused at
-		// least one: #704
 		win_unmark_client(ps, mw);
 		win_set_flags(mw, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE);
 		ps->pending_updates = true;
diff --git a/src/win.c b/src/win.c
index 25bfb8c..b8bfe76 100644
--- a/src/win.c
+++ b/src/win.c
@@ -2339,6 +2339,13 @@ bool destroy_win_start(session_t *ps, struct win *w) {
 			add_damage_from_win(ps, mw);
 		}
 
+		if (win_check_flags_all(mw, WIN_FLAGS_CLIENT_STALE)) {
+			mw->client_win = mw->base.id;
+			mw->wmwin = !mw->a.override_redirect;
+			log_debug("(%#010x): client self (%s)", mw->base.id,
+			          (mw->wmwin ? "wmwin" : "override-redirected"));
+		}
+
 		// Clear some flags about stale window information. Because now
 		// the window is destroyed, we can't update them anyway.
 		win_clear_flags(mw, WIN_FLAGS_SIZE_STALE | WIN_FLAGS_POSITION_STALE |