diff --git a/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/MultitaskingView.vala b/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/MultitaskingView.vala
index b1b71f9b8..2af5cd741 100644
--- a/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/MultitaskingView.vala
+++ b/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/MultitaskingView.vala
@@ -356,7 +356,6 @@ public class Gala.MultitaskingView : ActorTarget, ActivatableComponent {
         icon_groups.add_group (workspace.icon_group);
 
         workspace.window_selected.connect (window_selected);
-        workspace.selected.connect (activate_workspace);
 
         reposition_icon_groups (false);
     }
@@ -384,7 +383,6 @@ public class Gala.MultitaskingView : ActorTarget, ActivatableComponent {
         }
 
         workspace.window_selected.disconnect (window_selected);
-        workspace.selected.disconnect (activate_workspace);
 
         if (icon_groups.contains (workspace.icon_group)) {
             icon_groups.remove_group (workspace.icon_group);
@@ -412,25 +410,6 @@ public class Gala.MultitaskingView : ActorTarget, ActivatableComponent {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Activates the workspace of a WorkspaceClone
-     *
-     * @param close_view Whether to close the view as well. Will only be considered
-     *                   if the workspace is also the currently active workspace.
-     *                   Otherwise it will only be made active, but the view won't be
-     *                   closed.
-     */
-    private void activate_workspace (WorkspaceClone clone, bool close_view) {
-        unowned Meta.WorkspaceManager manager = display.get_workspace_manager ();
-        close_view = close_view && manager.get_active_workspace () == clone.workspace;
-
-        clone.workspace.activate (display.get_current_time ());
-
-        if (close_view) {
-            close ();
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Collect key events, mainly for redirecting them to the WindowCloneContainers to
      * select the active window.
diff --git a/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/WorkspaceClone.vala b/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/WorkspaceClone.vala
index 909bef403..987b112f2 100644
--- a/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/WorkspaceClone.vala
+++ b/src/Widgets/MultitaskingView/WorkspaceClone.vala
@@ -126,14 +126,6 @@ public class Gala.WorkspaceClone : ActorTarget {
      */
     public signal void window_selected (Meta.Window window);
 
-    /**
-     * The background has been selected. Switch to that workspace.
-     *
-     * @param close_view If the MultitaskingView should also consider closing itself
-     *                   after switching.
-     */
-    public signal void selected (bool close_view);
-
     public WindowManager wm { get; construct; }
     public Meta.Workspace workspace { get; construct; }
     public IconGroup icon_group { get; private set; }
@@ -170,9 +162,7 @@ public class Gala.WorkspaceClone : ActorTarget {
         var monitor_geometry = display.get_monitor_geometry (primary_monitor);
 
         var background_click_action = new Clutter.ClickAction ();
-        background_click_action.clicked.connect (() => {
-            selected (true);
-        });
+        background_click_action.clicked.connect (() => activate (true));
         background = new FramedBackground (display);
         background.add_action (background_click_action);
 
@@ -181,10 +171,10 @@ public class Gala.WorkspaceClone : ActorTarget {
             height = monitor_geometry.height,
         };
         window_container.window_selected.connect ((w) => { window_selected (w); });
-        window_container.requested_close.connect (() => selected (true));
+        window_container.requested_close.connect (() => activate (true));
 
         icon_group = new IconGroup (display, workspace, scale_factor);
-        icon_group.selected.connect (() => selected (true));
+        icon_group.selected.connect (() => activate (true));
 
         var icons_drop_action = new DragDropAction (DragDropActionType.DESTINATION, "multitaskingview-window");
         icon_group.add_action (icons_drop_action);
@@ -200,7 +190,7 @@ public class Gala.WorkspaceClone : ActorTarget {
 
             if (hovered && hover_activate_timeout == 0) {
                 hover_activate_timeout = Timeout.add (HOVER_ACTIVATE_DELAY, () => {
-                    selected (false);
+                    activate (false);
                     hover_activate_timeout = 0;
                     return false;
                 });
@@ -333,4 +323,12 @@ public class Gala.WorkspaceClone : ActorTarget {
             icon_group.backdrop_opacity = 1 - (float) (workspace.index () + progress).abs ().clamp (0, 1);
         }
     }
+
+    private void activate (bool close_view) {
+        if (close_view && workspace.active) {
+            wm.perform_action (SHOW_MULTITASKING_VIEW);
+        } else {
+            workspace.activate (Meta.CURRENT_TIME);
+        }
+    }
 }