From 445fd57eb4818c28bec11af9c976b84883fd1b4b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: lenemter <lenemter@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:21:12 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] Super+Tab: create a new workspace when there's just one

---
 data/gala.metainfo.xml.in |  1 +
 src/WindowManager.vala    | 20 ++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/data/gala.metainfo.xml.in b/data/gala.metainfo.xml.in
index d5763d941..7e80578ff 100644
--- a/data/gala.metainfo.xml.in
+++ b/data/gala.metainfo.xml.in
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
       </description>
       <issues>
         <issue url="https://github.com/elementary/gala/issues/2767">Pinch gestures are switching between workspaces instead of zooming</issue>
+        <issue url="https://github.com/elementary/gala/issues/1083">Super+Tab should create a new workspace when there's just one</issue>
       </issues>
     </release>
 
diff --git a/src/WindowManager.vala b/src/WindowManager.vala
index 5a4d4dd16..6aff3af52 100644
--- a/src/WindowManager.vala
+++ b/src/WindowManager.vala
@@ -476,11 +476,24 @@ namespace Gala {
             return Clutter.EVENT_STOP;
         }
 
-        private void handle_cycle_workspaces (Meta.Display display, Meta.Window? window, Clutter.KeyEvent? event,
-            Meta.KeyBinding binding) {
-            var direction = (binding.get_name () == "cycle-workspaces-next" ? 1 : -1);
+        private void handle_cycle_workspaces (
+            Meta.Display display,
+            Meta.Window? window,
+            Clutter.KeyEvent? event,
+            Meta.KeyBinding binding
+        ) {
             unowned var manager = display.get_workspace_manager ();
             var active_workspace_index = manager.get_active_workspace_index ();
+
+            var timestamp = event != null ? event?.get_time () : Meta.CURRENT_TIME;
+
+            // If only 1 populated workspace is present we allow switching to new workspace
+            if (manager.n_workspaces == 2) {
+                manager.get_workspace_by_index (1 - active_workspace_index).activate (timestamp);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var direction = binding.get_name () == "cycle-workspaces-next" ? 1 : -1;
             var index = active_workspace_index + direction;
 
             if (index < 0) {
@@ -490,7 +503,6 @@ namespace Gala {
             }
 
             if (active_workspace_index != index) {
-                var timestamp = event != null ? event.get_time () : Meta.CURRENT_TIME;
                 manager.get_workspace_by_index (index).activate (timestamp);
             } else {
                 InternalUtils.bell_notify (display);