diff --git a/src/activation.cpp b/src/activation.cpp
index 53bfe42fc6..20e0e5decd 100644
--- a/src/activation.cpp
+++ b/src/activation.cpp
@@ -814,9 +814,7 @@ enum Level {
 }
 
 // focus_in -> the window got FocusIn event
-// ignore_desktop - call comes from _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message, don't refuse just because of window
-//     is on a different desktop
-bool X11Window::allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time, bool focus_in, bool ignore_desktop)
+bool X11Window::allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time, bool focus_in)
 {
     auto window = this;
     // options->focusStealingPreventionLevel :
@@ -860,11 +858,6 @@ bool X11Window::allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time, bool focus_in, bool
         return false;
     }
 
-    // Desktop switching is only allowed in the "no protection" case
-    if (!ignore_desktop && !window->isOnCurrentDesktop()) {
-        return false; // allow only with level == 0
-    }
-
     // No active window, it's ok to pass focus
     // NOTICE that extreme protection needs to be handled before to allow protection on unmanged windows
     if (ac == nullptr || ac->isDesktop()) {
@@ -881,10 +874,6 @@ bool X11Window::allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time, bool focus_in, bool
         return true;
     }
 
-    if (!window->isOnCurrentDesktop()) { // we allowed explicit self-activation across virtual desktops
-        return false; // inside a window or if no window was active, but not otherwise
-    }
-
     // High FPS, not intr-window change. Only allow if the active window has only minor interest
     if (level > FSP::Medium && protection > FSP::Low) {
         return false;
diff --git a/src/netinfo.cpp b/src/netinfo.cpp
index e93c84d44a..c37c9203ba 100644
--- a/src/netinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/netinfo.cpp
@@ -163,12 +163,12 @@ void RootInfo::changeActiveWindow(xcb_window_t w, NET::RequestSource src, xcb_ti
             return; // WORKAROUND? With > 1 plasma activities, we cause this ourselves. bug #240673
         } else { // NET::FromApplication
             X11Window *c2;
-            if (c->allowWindowActivation(timestamp, false, true)) {
+            if (c->allowWindowActivation(timestamp, false)) {
                 workspace->activateWindow(c);
                 // if activation of the requestor's window would be allowed, allow activation too
             } else if (active_window != XCB_WINDOW_NONE
                        && (c2 = workspace->findClient(Predicate::WindowMatch, active_window)) != nullptr
-                       && c2->allowWindowActivation(timestampCompare(timestamp, c2->userTime() > 0 ? timestamp : c2->userTime()), false, true)) {
+                       && c2->allowWindowActivation(timestampCompare(timestamp, c2->userTime() > 0 ? timestamp : c2->userTime()), false)) {
                 workspace->activateWindow(c);
             } else {
                 c->demandAttention();
diff --git a/src/x11window.h b/src/x11window.h
index d67342d340..516d40a842 100644
--- a/src/x11window.h
+++ b/src/x11window.h
@@ -301,8 +301,7 @@ public:
     void handleSync();
     void handleSyncTimeout();
 
-    bool allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time = -1U, bool focus_in = false,
-                               bool ignore_desktop = false);
+    bool allowWindowActivation(xcb_timestamp_t time = -1U, bool focus_in = false);
 
     static void cleanupX11();