diff --git a/src/Compositor.cpp b/src/Compositor.cpp
index 294ba78e..a2a82b4e 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.cpp
@@ -1090,6 +1090,10 @@ CWorkspace* CCompositor::getWorkspaceByID(const int& id) {
 void CCompositor::sanityCheckWorkspaces() {
     auto it = m_vWorkspaces.begin();
     while (it != m_vWorkspaces.end()) {
+
+        if ((*it)->m_bIndestructible)
+            continue;
+
         const auto WINDOWSONWORKSPACE = getWindowsOnWorkspace((*it)->m_iID);
 
         if ((*it)->m_bIsSpecialWorkspace && WINDOWSONWORKSPACE == 0) {
@@ -1884,9 +1888,13 @@ void CCompositor::moveWorkspaceToMonitor(CWorkspace* pWorkspace, CMonitor* pMoni
 
     Debug::log(LOG, "moveWorkspaceToMonitor: Plugging gap with existing %d", nextWorkspaceOnMonitorID);
 
+    pWorkspace->m_bIndestructible = true; // so that changeworkspace doesn't yeet it if it's empty
+
     g_pKeybindManager->focusMonitor(std::to_string(POLDMON->ID));
     g_pKeybindManager->changeworkspace(std::to_string(nextWorkspaceOnMonitorID));
 
+    pWorkspace->m_bIndestructible = false;
+
     // move the workspace
 
     pWorkspace->m_iMonitorID = pMonitor->ID;
diff --git a/src/helpers/Workspace.hpp b/src/helpers/Workspace.hpp
index 4e76291b..576ef564 100644
--- a/src/helpers/Workspace.hpp
+++ b/src/helpers/Workspace.hpp
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 #include "../defines.hpp"
 #include "AnimatedVariable.hpp"
 
-enum eFullscreenMode : uint8_t {
+enum eFullscreenMode : uint8_t
+{
     FULLSCREEN_FULL = 0,
     FULLSCREEN_MAXIMIZED
 };
@@ -46,8 +47,11 @@ class CWorkspace {
     CWindow* m_pLastFocusedWindow = nullptr;
 
     // user-set
-    bool     m_bDefaultFloating = false;
-    bool     m_bDefaultPseudo   = false;
+    bool m_bDefaultFloating = false;
+    bool m_bDefaultPseudo   = false;
+
+    // don't destroy in sanity check
+    bool     m_bIndestructible = false;
 
     void     startAnim(bool in, bool left, bool instant = false);
     void     setActive(bool on);