diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
index f46d16ea..7c03dabc 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.cc
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -84,8 +84,9 @@ Client* ClientManager::create_client(std::unique_ptr<UserInterface>&& ui, int pi
     return contains(m_clients, client) ? client : nullptr;
 }
 
-void ClientManager::process_pending_inputs()
+bool ClientManager::process_pending_inputs()
 {
+    bool processed_some_input = false;
     while (true)
     {
         bool had_input = false;
@@ -101,12 +102,14 @@ void ClientManager::process_pending_inputs()
                 continue;
             }
             had_input = m_clients[i]->process_pending_inputs() or had_input;
+            processed_some_input |= had_input;
             ++i;
         }
 
         if (not had_input)
             break;
     }
+    return processed_some_input;
 }
 
 bool ClientManager::has_pending_inputs() const
diff --git a/src/client_manager.hh b/src/client_manager.hh
index 7d92ed7e..2323e07b 100644
--- a/src/client_manager.hh
+++ b/src/client_manager.hh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
     void add_free_window(std::unique_ptr<Window>&& window, SelectionList selections);
 
     void redraw_clients() const;
-    void process_pending_inputs();
+    bool process_pending_inputs();
     bool has_pending_inputs() const;
 
     Client*  get_client_ifp(StringView name);
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index fbb074a0..998c24fd 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -862,7 +862,8 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView server_init,
             bool allow_blocking = not client_manager.has_pending_inputs();
             while (event_manager.handle_next_events(EventMode::Normal, nullptr, allow_blocking))
             {
-                client_manager.process_pending_inputs();
+                if (client_manager.process_pending_inputs())
+                    break;
                 allow_blocking = false;
             }
             client_manager.process_pending_inputs();