diff --git a/wl.c b/wl.c
index 28ea693..aef2f47 100644
--- a/wl.c
+++ b/wl.c
@@ -314,14 +314,15 @@ popup(Drawcmd *dc)
 /*
  * drawc is empty or holds exactly what the engine last published, so one
  * take is enough.  lastdraw follows the engine and not our surface, so
- * take it wherever the two can part.
+ * take it wherever the two can part -- but show it only while the engine
+ * is ours: what it drew for another frontend is not ours to put up.
  */
 static void
 takedraw(void)
 {
 	Drawcmd dc;
 
-	if(channbrecv(drawc, &dc) > 0)
+	if(channbrecv(drawc, &dc) > 0 && engaged)
 		popup(&dc);
 }