diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index ec1f052..f0e7aef 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 static const int sloppyfocus        = 1;  /* focus follows mouse */
 static const unsigned int borderpx  = 1;  /* border pixel of windows */
 static const int lockfullscreen     = 1;  /* 1 will force focus on the fullscreen window */
+static const int smartborders       = 1;
 static const float rootcolor[]      = {0.3, 0.3, 0.3, 1.0};
 static const float bordercolor[]    = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0};
 static const float focuscolor[]     = {1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0};
diff --git a/dwl.c b/dwl.c
index 74f363d..664ba25 100644
--- a/dwl.c
+++ b/dwl.c
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ static void quit(const Arg *arg);
 static void quitsignal(int signo);
 static void rendermon(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 static void requeststartdrag(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
-static void resize(Client *c, struct wlr_box geo, int interact);
+static void resize(Client *c, struct wlr_box geo, int interact, int draw_borders);
 static void run(char *startup_cmd);
 static Client *selclient(void);
 static void setcursor(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ closemon(Monitor *m)
 	wl_list_for_each(c, &clients, link) {
 		if (c->isfloating && c->geom.x > m->m.width)
 			resize(c, (struct wlr_box){.x = c->geom.x - m->w.width, .y = c->geom.y,
-				.width = c->geom.width, .height = c->geom.height}, 0);
+				.width = c->geom.width, .height = c->geom.height}, 0, 1);
 		if (c->mon == m)
 			setmon(c, selmon, c->tags);
 	}
@@ -1687,7 +1687,7 @@ monocle(Monitor *m)
 	wl_list_for_each(c, &clients, link) {
 		if (!VISIBLEON(c, m) || c->isfloating || c->isfullscreen)
 			continue;
-		resize(c, m->w, 0);
+		resize(c, m->w, 0, !smartborders);
 	}
 	if ((c = focustop(m)))
 		wlr_scene_node_raise_to_top(c->scene);
@@ -1773,11 +1773,11 @@ motionnotify(uint32_t time, struct wlr_input_device *device, double dx, double d
 	if (cursor_mode == CurMove) {
 		/* Move the grabbed client to the new position. */
 		resize(grabc, (struct wlr_box){.x = cursor->x - grabcx, .y = cursor->y - grabcy,
-			.width = grabc->geom.width, .height = grabc->geom.height}, 1);
+			.width = grabc->geom.width, .height = grabc->geom.height}, 1, 1);
 		return;
 	} else if (cursor_mode == CurResize) {
 		resize(grabc, (struct wlr_box){.x = grabc->geom.x, .y = grabc->geom.y,
-			.width = cursor->x - grabc->geom.x, .height = cursor->y - grabc->geom.y}, 1);
+			.width = cursor->x - grabc->geom.x, .height = cursor->y - grabc->geom.y}, 1, 1);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2047,10 +2047,11 @@ requeststartdrag(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 }
 
 void
-resize(Client *c, struct wlr_box geo, int interact)
+resize(Client *c, struct wlr_box geo, int interact, int draw_borders)
 {
 	struct wlr_box *bbox = interact ? &sgeom : &c->mon->w;
 	c->geom = geo;
+	c->bw = draw_borders ? borderpx : 0;
 	applybounds(c, bbox);
 
 	/* Update scene-graph, including borders */
@@ -2160,6 +2161,8 @@ setfloating(Client *c, int floating)
 {
 	c->isfloating = floating;
 	wlr_scene_node_reparent(c->scene, layers[c->isfloating ? LyrFloat : LyrTile]);
+	if (c->isfloating && !c->bw)
+		resize(c, c->geom, 0, 1);
 	arrange(c->mon);
 	printstatus();
 }
@@ -2175,7 +2178,7 @@ setfullscreen(Client *c, int fullscreen)
 
 	if (fullscreen) {
 		c->prev = c->geom;
-		resize(c, c->mon->m, 0);
+		resize(c, c->mon->m, 0, 0);
 		/* The xdg-protocol specifies:
 		 *
 		 * If the fullscreened surface is not opaque, the compositor must make
@@ -2193,7 +2196,7 @@ setfullscreen(Client *c, int fullscreen)
 	} else {
 		/* restore previous size instead of arrange for floating windows since
 		 * client positions are set by the user and cannot be recalculated */
-		resize(c, c->prev, 0);
+		resize(c, c->prev, 0, 1);
 		if (c->fullscreen_bg) {
 			wlr_scene_node_destroy(&c->fullscreen_bg->node);
 			c->fullscreen_bg = NULL;
@@ -2206,12 +2209,17 @@ setfullscreen(Client *c, int fullscreen)
 void
 setlayout(const Arg *arg)
 {
+	Client *c;
 	if (!selmon)
 		return;
 	if (!arg || !arg->v || arg->v != selmon->lt[selmon->sellt])
 		selmon->sellt ^= 1;
 	if (arg && arg->v)
 		selmon->lt[selmon->sellt] = (Layout *)arg->v;
+	/* floating layout, draw borders around all clients */
+	if (!selmon->lt[selmon->sellt]->arrange)
+		wl_list_for_each(c, &clients, link)
+			resize(c, c->geom, 0, 1);
 	/* TODO change layout symbol? */
 	arrange(selmon);
 	printstatus();
@@ -2249,7 +2257,7 @@ setmon(Client *c, Monitor *m, unsigned int newtags)
 	}
 	if (m) {
 		/* Make sure window actually overlaps with the monitor */
-		resize(c, c->geom, 0);
+		resize(c, c->geom, 0, 1);
 		wlr_surface_send_enter(client_surface(c), m->wlr_output);
 		c->tags = newtags ? newtags : m->tagset[m->seltags]; /* assign tags of target monitor */
 		setfullscreen(c, c->isfullscreen); /* This will call arrange(c->mon) */
@@ -2522,7 +2530,7 @@ tagmon(const Arg *arg)
 void
 tile(Monitor *m)
 {
-	unsigned int i, n = 0, mw, my, ty;
+	unsigned int i, n = 0, mw, my, ty, draw_borders = 1;
 	Client *c;
 
 	wl_list_for_each(c, &clients, link)
@@ -2531,6 +2539,9 @@ tile(Monitor *m)
 	if (n == 0)
 		return;
 
+	if (n == smartborders)
+		draw_borders = 0;
+
 	if (n > m->nmaster)
 		mw = m->nmaster ? m->w.width * m->mfact : 0;
 	else
@@ -2541,11 +2552,11 @@ tile(Monitor *m)
 			continue;
 		if (i < m->nmaster) {
 			resize(c, (struct wlr_box){.x = m->w.x, .y = m->w.y + my, .width = mw,
-				.height = (m->w.height - my) / (MIN(n, m->nmaster) - i)}, 0);
+				.height = (m->w.height - my) / (MIN(n, m->nmaster) - i)}, 0, draw_borders);
 			my += c->geom.height;
 		} else {
 			resize(c, (struct wlr_box){.x = m->w.x + mw, .y = m->w.y + ty,
-				.width = m->w.width - mw, .height = (m->w.height - ty) / (n - i)}, 0);
+				.width = m->w.width - mw, .height = (m->w.height - ty) / (n - i)}, 0, draw_borders);
 			ty += c->geom.height;
 		}
 		i++;