diff --git a/group.c b/group.c
index ef93de3..16e274d 100644
--- a/group.c
+++ b/group.c
@@ -48,17 +48,14 @@ const char *num_to_name[] = {
 static void
 group_assign(struct group_ctx *gc, struct client_ctx *cc)
 {
-	if (gc == NULL)
-		gc = TAILQ_FIRST(&cc->sc->groupq);
-	if (cc->group == gc)
-		return;
-
 	if (cc->group != NULL)
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&cc->group->clients, cc, group_entry);
 
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&gc->clients, cc, group_entry);
 	cc->group = gc;
 
+	if (cc->group != NULL)
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&gc->clients, cc, group_entry);
+
 	xu_ewmh_net_wm_desktop(cc);
 }
 
@@ -354,7 +351,7 @@ group_autogroup(struct client_ctx *cc)
 	struct screen_ctx	*sc = cc->sc;
 	struct autogroupwin	*aw;
 	struct group_ctx	*gc;
-	int			 num = -1, both_match = 0;
+	int			 num = -2, both_match = 0;
 	long			*grpnum;
 
 	if (cc->ch.res_class == NULL || cc->ch.res_name == NULL)
@@ -362,12 +359,9 @@ group_autogroup(struct client_ctx *cc)
 
 	if (xu_getprop(cc->win, ewmh[_NET_WM_DESKTOP],
 	    XA_CARDINAL, 1, (unsigned char **)&grpnum) > 0) {
-		if (*grpnum == -1)
-			num = 0;
-		else if (*grpnum > CALMWM_NGROUPS || *grpnum < 0)
+		num = *grpnum;
+		if (num > CALMWM_NGROUPS || num < -1)
 			num = CALMWM_NGROUPS - 1;
-		else
-			num = *grpnum;
 		XFree(grpnum);
 	} else {
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(aw, &Conf.autogroupq, entry) {
@@ -382,6 +376,11 @@ group_autogroup(struct client_ctx *cc)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if ((num == -1) || (num == 0)) {
+		group_assign(NULL, cc);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(gc, &sc->groupq, entry) {
 		if (gc->num == num) {
 			group_assign(gc, cc);
diff --git a/mousefunc.c b/mousefunc.c
index d6373cb..295d3a1 100644
--- a/mousefunc.c
+++ b/mousefunc.c
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ mousefunc_menu_unhide(struct client_ctx *cc, union arg *arg)
 			if (wname == NULL)
 				continue;
 
-			menuq_add(&menuq, cc, "(%d) %s", cc->group->num, wname);
+			menuq_add(&menuq, cc, "(%d) %s",
+			    cc->group ? cc->group->num : 0, wname);
 		}
 
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(&menuq))
diff --git a/search.c b/search.c
index fd1210e..4b4f457 100644
--- a/search.c
+++ b/search.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ search_print_client(struct menu *mi, int list)
 		cc->matchname = cc->name;
 
 	(void)snprintf(mi->print, sizeof(mi->print), "(%d) %c%s",
-	    cc->group->num, flag, cc->matchname);
+	    cc->group ? cc->group->num : 0, flag, cc->matchname);
 
 	if (!list && cc->matchname != cc->name &&
 	    strlen(mi->print) < sizeof(mi->print) - 1) {
diff --git a/xutil.c b/xutil.c
index 3c4d004..847b148 100644
--- a/xutil.c
+++ b/xutil.c
@@ -291,7 +291,10 @@ xu_ewmh_net_desktop_names(struct screen_ctx *sc, char *data, int n)
 void
 xu_ewmh_net_wm_desktop(struct client_ctx *cc)
 {
-	long	 num = cc->group->num;
+	long	 num = 0xffffffff;
+
+	if (cc->group)
+		num = cc->group->num;
 
 	XChangeProperty(X_Dpy, cc->win, ewmh[_NET_WM_DESKTOP],
 	    XA_CARDINAL, 32, PropModeReplace, (unsigned char *)&num, 1);