diff --git a/river/Cursor.zig b/river/Cursor.zig
index 17b752e..e67e7d5 100644
--- a/river/Cursor.zig
+++ b/river/Cursor.zig
@@ -750,24 +750,7 @@ fn processMotion(self: *Self, device: *wlr.InputDevice, time: u32, delta_x: f64,
     switch (self.mode) {
         .passthrough => {
             self.wlr_cursor.move(device, dx, dy);
-
-            if (self.surfaceAt()) |result| {
-                const focus_change = self.seat.wlr_seat.pointer_state.focused_surface != result.surface;
-                if (server.config.focus_follows_cursor == .normal and focus_change) {
-                    switch (result.parent) {
-                        .view => |view| {
-                            if (self.seat.focused != .view or self.seat.focused.view != view) {
-                                self.seat.focusOutput(view.output);
-                                self.seat.focus(view);
-                                server.root.startTransaction();
-                            }
-                        },
-                        .layer_surface => {},
-                        .xwayland_unmanaged => assert(build_options.xwayland),
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
+            self.checkFocusFollowsCursor();
             self.passthrough(time);
         },
         .down => |view| {
@@ -826,6 +809,27 @@ fn processMotion(self: *Self, device: *wlr.InputDevice, time: u32, delta_x: f64,
     }
 }
 
+pub fn checkFocusFollowsCursor(self: *Self) void {
+    // Don't do focus-follows-cursor if a drag is in progress as focus change can't occur
+    if (self.seat.pointer_drag) return;
+    if (server.config.focus_follows_cursor == .disabled) return;
+    if (self.surfaceAt()) |result| {
+        if (self.seat.wlr_seat.pointer_state.focused_surface != result.surface) {
+            switch (result.parent) {
+                .view => |view| {
+                    if (self.seat.focused != .view or self.seat.focused.view != view) {
+                        self.seat.focusOutput(view.output);
+                        self.seat.focus(view);
+                        server.root.startTransaction();
+                    }
+                },
+                .layer_surface => {},
+                .xwayland_unmanaged => assert(build_options.xwayland),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Handle potential change in location of views on the output, as well as
 /// the target view of a cursor operation potentially being moved to a non-visible tag,
 /// becoming fullscreen, etc.
diff --git a/river/Seat.zig b/river/Seat.zig
index 966263d..ad94fc8 100644
--- a/river/Seat.zig
+++ b/river/Seat.zig
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ const Self = @This();
 
 const build_options = @import("build_options");
 const std = @import("std");
+const assert = std.debug.assert;
 const wlr = @import("wlroots");
 const wl = @import("wayland").server.wl;
 const xkb = @import("xkbcommon");
@@ -81,11 +82,15 @@ focus_stack: ViewStack(*View) = .{},
 /// List of status tracking objects relaying changes to this seat to clients.
 status_trackers: std.SinglyLinkedList(SeatStatus) = .{},
 
+/// True if a pointer drag is currently in progress
+pointer_drag: bool = false,
+
 request_set_selection: wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetSelection) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetSelection).init(handleRequestSetSelection),
 request_start_drag: wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestStartDrag) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestStartDrag).init(handleRequestStartDrag),
 start_drag: wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag) = wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag).init(handleStartDrag),
+pointer_drag_destroy: wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag) = wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag).init(handlePointerDragDestroy),
 request_set_primary_selection: wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetPrimarySelection) =
     wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetPrimarySelection).init(handleRequestSetPrimarySelection),
 
@@ -443,7 +448,15 @@ fn handleRequestStartDrag(
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "request_start_drag", listener);
 
     if (!self.wlr_seat.validatePointerGrabSerial(event.origin, event.serial)) {
-        log.debug("ignoring request to start drag, failed to validate serial {}", .{event.serial});
+        log.debug("ignoring request to start drag, " ++
+            "failed to validate pointer serial {}", .{event.serial});
+        if (event.drag.source) |source| source.destroy();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (self.pointer_drag) {
+        log.debug("ignoring request to start pointer drag, " ++
+            "another pointer drag is already in progress", .{});
         if (event.drag.source) |source| source.destroy();
         return;
     }
@@ -452,12 +465,14 @@ fn handleRequestStartDrag(
     self.wlr_seat.startPointerDrag(event.drag, event.serial);
 }
 
-fn handleStartDrag(
-    listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag),
-    wlr_drag: *wlr.Drag,
-) void {
+fn handleStartDrag(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag), wlr_drag: *wlr.Drag) void {
     const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "start_drag", listener);
 
+    assert(wlr_drag.grab_type == .keyboard_pointer);
+
+    self.pointer_drag = true;
+    wlr_drag.events.destroy.add(&self.pointer_drag_destroy);
+
     if (wlr_drag.icon) |wlr_drag_icon| {
         const node = util.gpa.create(std.SinglyLinkedList(DragIcon).Node) catch {
             log.crit("out of memory", .{});
@@ -469,6 +484,14 @@ fn handleStartDrag(
     self.cursor.mode = .passthrough;
 }
 
+fn handlePointerDragDestroy(listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.Drag), wlr_drag: *wlr.Drag) void {
+    const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "pointer_drag_destroy", listener);
+    self.pointer_drag = false;
+    self.pointer_drag_destroy.link.remove();
+    self.cursor.checkFocusFollowsCursor();
+    self.cursor.updateState();
+}
+
 fn handleRequestSetPrimarySelection(
     listener: *wl.Listener(*wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetPrimarySelection),
     event: *wlr.Seat.event.RequestSetPrimarySelection,