diff --git a/src/Wm.zig b/src/Wm.zig
index 03943c9..ec110f4 100644
--- a/src/Wm.zig
+++ b/src/Wm.zig
@@ -866,8 +866,16 @@ fn render(self: *Wm) void {
             self.scratch_order.append(gpa, win) catch {};
         }
 
+        // A fullscreen window covers the whole output, tab bar included: the
+        // bar is placed above every window at the end of the sequence, so
+        // leaving it mapped would paint the strip over the fullscreen client.
+        const fullscreened = for (self.windows.items) |win| {
+            if (win.output != out or win.closed) continue;
+            if (win.visible and win.fullscreen) break true;
+        } else false;
+
         // The tab bar sits above the tiled windows it labels.
-        if (out.stacked and out.tabbar_box != null and config.tabbar_height > 0) {
+        if (!fullscreened and out.stacked and out.tabbar_box != null and config.tabbar_height > 0) {
             self.scratch_windows.clearRetainingCapacity();
             for (self.windows.items) |win| {
                 if (win.output != out or win.closed) continue;