diff --git a/src/desktop/Window.cpp b/src/desktop/Window.cpp
index 706d21cc496..3d862e03345 100644
--- a/src/desktop/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/desktop/Window.cpp
@@ -437,6 +437,8 @@ void CWindow::moveToWorkspace(PHLWORKSPACE pWorkspace) {
 
     const auto  OLDWORKSPACE = m_workspace;
 
+    bool        previouslyEmpty = !pWorkspace->hasWindow();
+
     if (OLDWORKSPACE->isVisible()) {
         m_movingToWorkspaceAlpha->setValueAndWarp(1.F);
         *m_movingToWorkspaceAlpha = 0.F;
@@ -462,6 +464,18 @@ void CWindow::moveToWorkspace(PHLWORKSPACE pWorkspace) {
         g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "movewindow", .data = std::format("{:x},{}", rc<uintptr_t>(this), pWorkspace->m_name)});
         g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "movewindowv2", .data = std::format("{:x},{},{}", rc<uintptr_t>(this), pWorkspace->m_id, pWorkspace->m_name)});
         EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("moveWindow", (std::vector<std::any>{m_self.lock(), pWorkspace}));
+
+        if (!OLDWORKSPACE->hasWindow()) {
+            g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "depopulateworkspace", .data = OLDWORKSPACE->m_name});
+            g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "depopulateworkspacev2", .data = std::format("{},{}", OLDWORKSPACE->m_id, OLDWORKSPACE->m_name)});
+            EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("depopulateWorkspace", OLDWORKSPACE);
+        }
+
+        if (previouslyEmpty) {
+            g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "populateworkspace", .data = pWorkspace->m_name});
+            g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{.event = "populateworkspacev2", .data = std::format("{},{}", pWorkspace->m_id, pWorkspace->m_name)});
+            EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("populateWorkspace", pWorkspace);
+        }
     }
 
     if (const auto SWALLOWED = m_swallowed.lock()) {
@@ -471,7 +485,7 @@ void CWindow::moveToWorkspace(PHLWORKSPACE pWorkspace) {
         }
     }
 
-    if (OLDWORKSPACE && g_pCompositor->isWorkspaceSpecial(OLDWORKSPACE->m_id) && OLDWORKSPACE->getWindows() == 0 && *PCLOSEONLASTSPECIAL) {
+    if (OLDWORKSPACE && g_pCompositor->isWorkspaceSpecial(OLDWORKSPACE->m_id) && !OLDWORKSPACE->hasWindow() && *PCLOSEONLASTSPECIAL) {
         if (const auto PMONITOR = OLDWORKSPACE->m_monitor.lock(); PMONITOR)
             PMONITOR->setSpecialWorkspace(nullptr);
     }
@@ -526,10 +540,10 @@ void CWindow::onUnmap() {
     // if the special workspace now has 0 windows, it will be closed, and this
     // window will no longer pass render checks, cuz the workspace will be nuked.
     // throw it into the main one for the fadeout.
-    if (m_workspace->m_isSpecialWorkspace && m_workspace->getWindows() == 0)
+    if (m_workspace->m_isSpecialWorkspace && !m_workspace->hasWindow())
         m_lastWorkspace = m_monitor->activeWorkspaceID();
 
-    if (*PCLOSEONLASTSPECIAL && m_workspace && m_workspace->getWindows() == 0 && onSpecialWorkspace()) {
+    if (*PCLOSEONLASTSPECIAL && m_workspace && !m_workspace->hasWindow() && onSpecialWorkspace()) {
         const auto PMONITOR = m_monitor.lock();
         if (PMONITOR && PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace && PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace == m_workspace)
             PMONITOR->setSpecialWorkspace(nullptr);
diff --git a/src/desktop/Workspace.cpp b/src/desktop/Workspace.cpp
index 7e1dcd5b6f1..64cb4f951ca 100644
--- a/src/desktop/Workspace.cpp
+++ b/src/desktop/Workspace.cpp
@@ -561,3 +561,7 @@ void CWorkspace::setPersistent(bool persistent) {
 bool CWorkspace::isPersistent() {
     return m_persistent;
 }
+
+bool CWorkspace::hasWindow() {
+    return std::ranges::any_of(g_pCompositor->m_windows, [this](const auto& w) { return w->workspaceID() == m_id && w->m_isMapped; });
+}
diff --git a/src/desktop/Workspace.hpp b/src/desktop/Workspace.hpp
index 72bc3a67e9d..1028304aeb7 100644
--- a/src/desktop/Workspace.hpp
+++ b/src/desktop/Workspace.hpp
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class CWorkspace {
     void             updateWindows();
     void             setPersistent(bool persistent);
     bool             isPersistent();
+    bool             hasWindow();
 
     struct {
         CSignalT<> destroy;
diff --git a/src/events/Windows.cpp b/src/events/Windows.cpp
index 9a1c07d95d2..1c909cebe3d 100644
--- a/src/events/Windows.cpp
+++ b/src/events/Windows.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ void Events::listener_mapWindow(void* owner, void* data) {
         Desktop::focusState()->rawMonitorFocus(g_pCompositor->getMonitorFromVector({}));
         PMONITOR = Desktop::focusState()->monitor();
     }
-    auto PWORKSPACE          = PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace ? PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace : PMONITOR->m_activeWorkspace;
+    auto PWORKSPACE               = PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace ? PMONITOR->m_activeSpecialWorkspace : PMONITOR->m_activeWorkspace;
+    bool workspacePreviouslyEmpty = !PWORKSPACE->hasWindow();
+
     PWINDOW->m_monitor       = PMONITOR;
     PWINDOW->m_workspace     = PWORKSPACE;
     PWINDOW->m_isMapped      = true;
@@ -370,6 +372,10 @@ void Events::listener_mapWindow(void* owner, void* data) {
     // emit the IPC event before the layout might focus the window to avoid a focus event first
     g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{"openwindow", std::format("{:x},{},{},{}", PWINDOW, PWORKSPACE->m_name, PWINDOW->m_class, PWINDOW->m_title)});
     EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("openWindowEarly", PWINDOW);
+    if (workspacePreviouslyEmpty) {
+        g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{"populateworkspace", PWORKSPACE->m_name});
+        g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{"populateworkspacev2", std::format("{},{}", PWORKSPACE->m_id, PWORKSPACE->m_name)});
+    }
 
     if (PWINDOW->m_isFloating) {
         g_pLayoutManager->getCurrentLayout()->onWindowCreated(PWINDOW);
@@ -510,6 +516,9 @@ void Events::listener_mapWindow(void* owner, void* data) {
 
     // emit the hook event here after basic stuff has been initialized
     EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("openWindow", PWINDOW);
+    if (workspacePreviouslyEmpty) {
+        EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("populateWorkspace", PWORKSPACE);
+    }
 
     // apply data from default decos. Borders, shadows.
     g_pDecorationPositioner->forceRecalcFor(PWINDOW);
@@ -627,6 +636,12 @@ void Events::listener_unmapWindow(void* owner, void* data) {
     // do this after onWindowRemoved because otherwise it'll think the window is invalid
     PWINDOW->m_isMapped = false;
 
+    if (!PWINDOW->m_workspace->hasWindow()) {
+        g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{"depopulateworkspace", PWINDOW->m_workspace->m_name});
+        g_pEventManager->postEvent(SHyprIPCEvent{"depopulateworkspacev2", std::format("{},{}", PWINDOW->m_workspace->m_id, PWINDOW->m_workspace->m_name)});
+        EMIT_HOOK_EVENT("depopulateWorkspace", PWINDOW->m_workspace);
+    }
+
     // refocus on a new window if needed
     if (wasLastWindow) {
         static auto FOCUSONCLOSE     = CConfigValue<Hyprlang::INT>("input:focus_on_close");
@@ -644,7 +659,7 @@ void Events::listener_unmapWindow(void* owner, void* data) {
                 g_pCompositor->setWindowFullscreenInternal(PWINDOWCANDIDATE, CURRENTFSMODE);
         }
 
-        if (!PWINDOWCANDIDATE && PWINDOW->m_workspace && PWINDOW->m_workspace->getWindows() == 0)
+        if (!PWINDOWCANDIDATE && PWINDOW->m_workspace && !PWINDOW->m_workspace->hasWindow())
             g_pInputManager->refocus();
 
         g_pInputManager->sendMotionEventsToFocused();
diff --git a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
index 25b179e9deb..0686c5577e8 100644
--- a/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/MiscFunctions.cpp
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ SWorkspaceIDName getWorkspaceIDNameFromString(const std::string& in) {
         WORKSPACEID id = next ? Desktop::focusState()->monitor()->activeWorkspaceID() : 0;
         while (++id < LONG_MAX) {
             const auto PWORKSPACE = g_pCompositor->getWorkspaceByID(id);
-            if (!invalidWSes.contains(id) && (!PWORKSPACE || PWORKSPACE->getWindows() == 0)) {
+            if (!invalidWSes.contains(id) && (!PWORKSPACE || !PWORKSPACE->hasWindow())) {
                 result.id = id;
                 return result;
             }
diff --git a/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp b/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
index 2fd7ba9902a..60e9bab983d 100644
--- a/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/KeybindManager.cpp
@@ -2262,7 +2262,7 @@ SDispatchResult CKeybindManager::circleNext(std::string arg) {
     if (!Desktop::focusState()->window()) {
         // if we have a clear focus, find the first window and get the next focusable.
         const auto PWS = Desktop::focusState()->monitor()->m_activeWorkspace;
-        if (PWS && PWS->getWindows() > 0) {
+        if (PWS && PWS->hasWindow()) {
             const auto PWINDOW = PWS->getFirstWindow();
             switchToWindow(PWINDOW);
         }
diff --git a/src/managers/input/UnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture.cpp b/src/managers/input/UnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture.cpp
index 6dae1e63463..c00fe16037f 100644
--- a/src/managers/input/UnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/input/UnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void CUnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture::update(double delta) {
     m_delta = std::clamp(m_delta, sc<double>(-SWIPEDISTANCE), sc<double>(SWIPEDISTANCE));
 
     if ((m_workspaceBegin->m_id == workspaceIDLeft && *PSWIPENEW && (m_delta < 0)) ||
-        (m_delta > 0 && m_workspaceBegin->getWindows() == 0 && workspaceIDRight <= m_workspaceBegin->m_id) || (m_delta < 0 && m_workspaceBegin->m_id <= workspaceIDLeft)) {
+        (m_delta > 0 && !m_workspaceBegin->hasWindow() && workspaceIDRight <= m_workspaceBegin->m_id) || (m_delta < 0 && m_workspaceBegin->m_id <= workspaceIDLeft)) {
 
         m_delta = 0;
         g_pHyprRenderer->damageMonitor(m_monitor.lock());
@@ -311,4 +311,4 @@ void CUnifiedWorkspaceSwipeGesture::end() {
     for (auto const& ls : Desktop::focusState()->monitor()->m_layerSurfaceLayers[2]) {
         *ls->m_alpha = pSwitchedTo->m_hasFullscreenWindow && pSwitchedTo->m_fullscreenMode == FSMODE_FULLSCREEN ? 0.f : 1.f;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}