diff --git a/system/desktop/home-manager/xmonad/Main.hs b/system/desktop/home-manager/xmonad/Main.hs
index 387a0da..6a4a37d 100644
--- a/system/desktop/home-manager/xmonad/Main.hs
+++ b/system/desktop/home-manager/xmonad/Main.hs
@@ -160,13 +160,17 @@ myKeys XConfig {modMask = modm} =
     --
     -- mod-[1..9], Switch to workspace N
   [ ( (m .|. modm, k)
-    , removeEmptyWorkspaceAfterExcept nonRemovableWorkspaces $ windows $ f i)
+    , do removeEmptyWorkspaceAfterExcept nonRemovableWorkspaces $ windows $ f i
+         updateBoring
+    )
   | (i, k) <- zip myWorkspaces [xK_1 .. xK_9]
   , (f, m) <- [(W.greedyView, 0)]
   ] ++
     -- mod-<shift>-[1..9] move window to workspace N
     -- mod-<control>-[1..9] copy window to workspace N
-  [ ((m .|. modm, k), windows $ f i)
+  [ ((m .|. modm, k),
+     do windows $ f i
+        updateBoring)
   | (i, k) <- zip myWorkspaces [xK_1 .. xK_9]
   , (f, m) <- [(W.shift, shiftMask), (copy, controlMask)]
   ]
@@ -220,8 +224,10 @@ myAdditionaKeys
  =
   (multiKeys
      [ ( "`"
-       , removeEmptyWorkspaceAfterExcept nonRemovableWorkspaces $
-         withWorkspace autoXPConfig (windows . W.greedyView))
+       , do
+           removeEmptyWorkspaceAfterExcept nonRemovableWorkspaces
+             ( withWorkspace autoXPConfig (windows . W.greedyView ))
+           updateBoring)
     -- move focused window to workspace
      , ("S-<Space>", withWorkspace myXPConfig (windows . W.shift))
     -- copy focused window to workspace
@@ -239,7 +245,9 @@ myAdditionaKeys
      , ( "r"
        , do renameWorkspace myXPConfig
             sequence_ [addHiddenWorkspace ws | ws <- myWorkspaces])
-     , ("<Esc>", toggleWS' ["NSP"])
+     , ("<Esc>", do toggleWS' ["NSP"]
+                    updateBoring
+       )
      ]) ++
     -- ------------------------------------------------------------
     --
@@ -251,7 +259,8 @@ myAdditionaKeys
      [ ("<Return>", spawn $ XMonad.terminal defaults)
      , ("q", kill1)
     -- open scratchpad
-     , ("-", scratchpadSpawnAction defaults)
+     , ("-", do scratchpadSpawnAction defaults
+                updateBoring)
      ]) ++
   [ ( "<Print>"
     -- create screenshot
@@ -483,6 +492,12 @@ main = do
 myTerm :: FilePath
 myTerm = nixStartTerminal
 
+-- make sure we never select a boring window
+-- when we select another workspace.
+updateBoring = do focusUp
+                  focusDown
+
+
 -- A structure containing your configuration settings, overriding
 -- fields in the default config. Any you don't override, will
 -- use the defaults defined in xmonad/XMonad/Config.hs
@@ -512,12 +527,20 @@ defaults =
     -- key bindings
     , keys = myKeys
     , mouseBindings = mouse
-    -- hooks, layouts
-    , layoutHook = focusTracking $ historyLayout myLayout
+
+    -- todo: historyLayout does not work with boring windows yet
+    , layoutHook = focusTracking $ myLayout
+    -- , layoutHook = focusTracking $ historyLayout myLayout
+
+    -- todo : runAllPending does not work with boring windows yet
+    , logHook = myLogHook
+    -- , logHook = myLogHook <> runAllPending
+
+    , startupHook = startUp
     , manageHook = myManageHook
     , handleEventHook = myEventHook
-    , logHook = myLogHook <> runAllPending
-    , startupHook = startUp
+
+
     } `additionalKeysP`
   myAdditionaKeys