diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 40b6caf0e..76fbe7b13 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -394,6 +394,12 @@ class Boss(Thread):
     def change_mouse_cursor(self, click=False):
         self.glfw_window.set_click_cursor(click)
 
+    def request_attention(self):
+        try:
+            self.glfw_window.request_window_attention()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass   # needs glfw 3.3
+
     def start_cursor_blink(self):
         self.cursor_blinking = True
         if self.opts.cursor_stop_blinking_after > 0:
diff --git a/kitty/glfw.c b/kitty/glfw.c
index 457a7084c..8285d5d32 100644
--- a/kitty/glfw.c
+++ b/kitty/glfw.c
@@ -318,6 +318,14 @@ get_window_size(Window *self) {
     return Py_BuildValue("ii", w, h);
 }
 
+#ifdef glfwRequestWindowAttention
+static PyObject*
+request_window_attention(Window *self) {
+    glfwRequestWindowAttention(self->window);
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+#endif
+
 
 // Boilerplate {{{
 #define MND(name, args) {#name, (PyCFunction)name, args, ""}
@@ -329,6 +337,9 @@ static PyMethodDef methods[] = {
     MND(should_close, METH_NOARGS),
     MND(get_framebuffer_size, METH_NOARGS),
     MND(get_window_size, METH_NOARGS),
+#ifdef glfwRequestWindowAttention
+    MND(request_window_attention, METH_NOARGS),
+#endif
     MND(set_should_close, METH_VARARGS),
     MND(set_input_mode, METH_VARARGS),
     MND(is_key_pressed, METH_VARARGS),
diff --git a/kitty/window.py b/kitty/window.py
index 1b6f2b9a1..4b110e267 100644
--- a/kitty/window.py
+++ b/kitty/window.py
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ class Window:
                 pass  # failure to beep is not critical
         if self.opts.visual_bell_duration > 0:
             self.start_visual_bell_at = monotonic()
-            glfw_post_empty_event()
+        tm = get_boss()
+        tm.queue_ui_action(tm.request_attention)
+        glfw_post_empty_event()
 
     def use_utf8(self, on):
         self.child.set_iutf8(on)
@@ -227,7 +229,7 @@ class Window:
         x, y = max(0, x - self.geometry.left), max(0, y - self.geometry.top)
         self.last_mouse_cursor_pos = x, y
         tm = get_boss()
-        tm.queue_ui_action(get_boss().change_mouse_cursor, self.char_grid.has_url_at(x, y))
+        tm.queue_ui_action(tm.change_mouse_cursor, self.char_grid.has_url_at(x, y))
         if send_event:
             x, y = self.char_grid.cell_for_pos(x, y)
             if x is not None: