diff --git a/src/ipc.c b/src/ipc.c
index 1a76950a..6106bce7 100644
--- a/src/ipc.c
+++ b/src/ipc.c
@@ -155,6 +155,20 @@ IPC_HANDLER(command) {
                      I3_IPC_REPLY_TYPE_COMMAND, strlen(reply));
 }
 
+static void dump_rect(yajl_gen gen, const char *name, Rect r) {
+    ystr(name);
+    y(map_open);
+    ystr("x");
+    y(integer, r.x);
+    ystr("y");
+    y(integer, r.y);
+    ystr("width");
+    y(integer, r.width);
+    ystr("height");
+    y(integer, r.height);
+    y(map_close);
+}
+
 void dump_node(yajl_gen gen, struct Con *con, bool inplace_restart) {
     y(map_open);
     ystr("id");
@@ -178,17 +192,8 @@ void dump_node(yajl_gen gen, struct Con *con, bool inplace_restart) {
     ystr("border");
     y(integer, con->border_style);
 
-    ystr("rect");
-    y(map_open);
-    ystr("x");
-    y(integer, con->rect.x);
-    ystr("y");
-    y(integer, con->rect.y);
-    ystr("width");
-    y(integer, con->rect.width);
-    ystr("height");
-    y(integer, con->rect.height);
-    y(map_close);
+    dump_rect(gen, "rect", con->rect);
+    dump_rect(gen, "window_rect", con->window_rect);
 
     ystr("name");
     ystr(con->name);
diff --git a/src/load_layout.c b/src/load_layout.c
index 554d02e5..92270390 100644
--- a/src/load_layout.c
+++ b/src/load_layout.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ static Con *json_node;
 static Con *to_focus;
 static bool parsing_swallows;
 static bool parsing_rect;
+static bool parsing_window_rect;
 struct Match *current_swallow;
 
 static int json_start_map(void *ctx) {
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ static int json_start_map(void *ctx) {
         match_init(current_swallow);
         TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&(json_node->swallow_head), current_swallow, matches);
     } else {
-        if (!parsing_rect)
+        if (!parsing_rect && !parsing_window_rect)
             json_node = con_new(json_node);
     }
     return 1;
@@ -33,10 +34,12 @@ static int json_start_map(void *ctx) {
 
 static int json_end_map(void *ctx) {
     LOG("end of map\n");
-    if (!parsing_swallows && !parsing_rect)
+    if (!parsing_swallows && !parsing_rect && !parsing_window_rect)
         json_node = json_node->parent;
     if (parsing_rect)
         parsing_rect = false;
+    if (parsing_window_rect)
+        parsing_window_rect = false;
     return 1;
 }
 
@@ -56,6 +59,8 @@ static int json_key(void *ctx, const unsigned char *val, unsigned int len) {
     }
     if (strcasecmp(last_key, "rect") == 0)
         parsing_rect = true;
+    if (strcasecmp(last_key, "window_rect") == 0)
+        parsing_window_rect = true;
     return 1;
 }
 
@@ -99,19 +104,19 @@ static int json_int(void *ctx, long val) {
         to_focus = json_node;
     }
 
-    if (parsing_rect) {
+    if (parsing_rect || parsing_window_rect) {
+        Rect *r = (parsing_rect ? &(json_node->rect) : &(json_node->window_rect));
         if (strcasecmp(last_key, "x") == 0)
-            json_node->rect.x = val;
+            r->x = val;
         else if (strcasecmp(last_key, "y") == 0)
-            json_node->rect.y = val;
+            r->y = val;
         else if (strcasecmp(last_key, "width") == 0)
-            json_node->rect.width = val;
+            r->width = val;
         else if (strcasecmp(last_key, "height") == 0)
-            json_node->rect.height = val;
+            r->height = val;
         else printf("WARNING: unknown key %s in rect\n", last_key);
         printf("rect now: (%d, %d, %d, %d)\n",
-                json_node->rect.x, json_node->rect.y,
-                json_node->rect.width, json_node->rect.height);
+                r->x, r->y, r->width, r->height);
     }
     if (parsing_swallows) {
         if (strcasecmp(last_key, "id") == 0) {
@@ -159,6 +164,8 @@ void tree_append_json(const char *filename) {
     yajl_status stat;
     json_node = focused;
     to_focus = NULL;
+    parsing_rect = false;
+    parsing_window_rect = false;
     setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, "C");
     stat = yajl_parse(hand, (const unsigned char*)buf, n);
     if (stat != yajl_status_ok &&