diff --git a/strans.c b/strans.c
index 8954ffc..4f45137 100644
--- a/strans.c
+++ b/strans.c
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 static Im im;
 static void *activeowner;
+static void *lostowner;	/* the context the engine was taken from */
+static Str lost;
 static int clientpre;	/* the owner draws its own preedit */
 static Caret caret;
 static Drawcmd lastdraw;
@@ -663,6 +665,20 @@ flush(Str *com)
 	reset();
 }
 
+/*
+ * Focus can be lost after the next context's keys arrive, so the engine
+ * changes hands with text still pending.  The context it was taken from
+ * gets that text back when it is next heard from.
+ */
+static void
+takelost(void *owner, Str *com)
+{
+	if(owner != lostowner)
+		return;
+	sappend(com, &lost);
+	lostowner = nil;
+}
+
 /*
  * A search takes over the keys.  Hanja converts the pending syllable, so
  * it becomes the query; anything else pending is committed.
@@ -881,6 +897,7 @@ init(void)
 	memset(&search, 0, sizeof search);
 	memset(&caret, 0, sizeof caret);
 	activeowner = nil;
+	lostowner = nil;
 	clientpre = 0;
 	memset(&lastdraw, 0, sizeof lastdraw);
 }
@@ -902,6 +919,7 @@ imhandlekey(Keyreq *kr)
 	res.eaten = 1;
 	switch(kr->op){
 	case Keyrelease:
+		takelost(kr->owner, &res.commit);
 		if(kr->owner == activeowner){
 			flush(&res.commit);
 			activeowner = nil;
@@ -909,6 +927,7 @@ imhandlekey(Keyreq *kr)
 		}
 		break;
 	case Keyreset:
+		takelost(kr->owner, &res.commit);
 		if(kr->owner == activeowner)
 			flush(&res.commit);
 		break;
@@ -927,7 +946,9 @@ imhandlekey(Keyreq *kr)
 			clientpre = kr->clientpre;
 		if(keymeaningful(kr->ks)){
 			if(kr->owner != activeowner){
-				reset();
+				sclear(&lost);
+				flush(&lost);
+				lostowner = lost.n > 0 ? activeowner : nil;
 				activeowner = kr->owner;
 				clientpre = kr->clientpre;
 			}
diff --git a/tests/engine_test.c b/tests/engine_test.c
index f153e59..15b6e4a 100644
--- a/tests/engine_test.c
+++ b/tests/engine_test.c
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ engine_active_owner_lifecycle(struct ct *t)
 	checkstr(t, "takeover resets old preedit", "ん", &res.preedit);
 	CT_EQ_PTR(t, &b, activeowner);
 	res = ownerrequest(&a, Keyreset, 0, 0);
+	checkstr(t, "the taken owner gets its reading back", "か", &res.commit);
 	CT_EQ_INT(t, 0, res.preedit.n);
 	impre(&im, &shown);
 	checkstr(t, "stale reset preserves owner", "ん", &shown);
diff --git a/tests/server_test.c b/tests/server_test.c
index 66571f3..7f2640e 100644
--- a/tests/server_test.c
+++ b/tests/server_test.c
@@ -284,7 +284,8 @@ server_connection_ownership(struct ct *t)
 	req = nextrequest(t, &f.pump, Keyreset);
 	CT_EQ_PTR(t, aowner, req.owner);
 	allowrequest(&f.pump);
-	CT_CHECK(t, readreply(t, &a, 1, "", preedit));
+	/* The reset hands back what the takeover took from this client. */
+	CT_CHECK(t, readreply(t, &a, 1, "か", preedit));
 	CT_EQ_STR(t, "", preedit);
 	CT_EQ_PTR(t, bowner, testengineowner());
 	if(!sendkey(t, &b, 1, 0, 0))
diff --git a/tests/xim_adapter_test.c b/tests/xim_adapter_test.c
index b4864bc..5840084 100644
--- a/tests/xim_adapter_test.c
+++ b/tests/xim_adapter_test.c
@@ -1059,9 +1059,12 @@ xim_adapter_callback_owner_loss(struct ct *t)
 	checkpreowner();
 	notrace(t, &f);
 
-	/* Late XIM lifecycle messages remain idempotent after owner cleanup. */
+	/* The release hands back the reading the takeover took. */
 	release(&state);
 	nexttrace(t, &f, Keyrelease, &state);
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 5, nwirecalls);
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, Wcommit, wirecalls[4].op);
+	/* Late XIM lifecycle messages remain idempotent after owner cleanup. */
 	release(&state);
 	notrace(t, &f);
 	memset(&hdr, 0, sizeof hdr);
@@ -1071,7 +1074,7 @@ xim_adapter_callback_owner_loss(struct ct *t)
 	hdr.major_opcode = XCB_XIM_DESTROY_IC;
 	callback(nil, nil, ic, &hdr, nil, nil, nil);
 	notrace(t, &f);
-	CT_EQ_INT(t, 4, nwirecalls);
+	CT_EQ_INT(t, 5, nwirecalls);
 
 	memset(&req, 0, sizeof req);
 	req.owner = &foreign;