diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index 182172a..ca45f3f 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -847,6 +847,36 @@ client_frame_new(struct client *c)
      XReparentWindow(W->dpy, c->win, c->frame, c->border, c->tbarw);
 }
 
+static void
+_apply_rule(struct client *c, struct rule *r)
+{
+     if(r->screen != -1)
+          c->screen = screen_gb_id(r->screen);
+
+     c->tag = c->screen->seltag;
+     if(r->tag != -1)
+          c->tag = tag_gb_id(c->screen, r->tag);
+
+     c->theme = r->theme;
+
+     /* free = false for originally free client */
+     if(r->flags & RULE_FREE)
+          c->flags |=  CLIENT_FREE;
+     else
+          c->flags &= ~CLIENT_FREE;
+
+     /* Free rule is not compatible with tab rule */
+     if(r->flags & RULE_TAB)
+          W->flags ^= WMFS_TABNOC; /* < can be disable by client_tab_next_opened */
+
+     /* TODO
+     if(r->flags & RULE_IGNORE_TAG)
+     {}
+     */
+
+     c->flags |= CLIENT_RULED;
+}
+
 #define RINSTANCE 0x01
 #define RCLASS    0x02
 #define RROLE     0x04
@@ -855,6 +885,7 @@ static void
 client_apply_rule(struct client *c)
 {
      struct rule *r;
+     struct rule *defaultr = NULL;
      char *wmname = NULL;
      char *role = NULL;
      int f;
@@ -883,8 +914,11 @@ client_apply_rule(struct client *c)
           XFree(data);
      }
 
+     /* Apply a specific rule */
      SLIST_FOREACH(r, &W->h.rule, next)
      {
+          if (r->instance && !strcmp(r->instance, "*"))
+               defaultr = r;
           if(s)
           {
                FLAGAPPLY(flags, (xch.res_name && r->instance && !strcmp(xch.res_name, r->instance)), RINSTANCE);
@@ -895,33 +929,7 @@ client_apply_rule(struct client *c)
           FLAGAPPLY(flags, ((role && r->role && !strcmp(role, r->role)) || !role || !r->role), RROLE);
 
           if(flags & (RINSTANCE | RCLASS | RNAME) && flags & RROLE)
-          {
-               if(r->screen != -1)
-                    c->screen = screen_gb_id(r->screen);
-
-               c->tag = c->screen->seltag;
-               if(r->tag != -1)
-                    c->tag = tag_gb_id(c->screen, r->tag);
-
-               c->theme = r->theme;
-
-               /* free = false for originally free client */
-               if(r->flags & RULE_FREE)
-                    c->flags |=  CLIENT_FREE;
-               else
-                    c->flags &= ~CLIENT_FREE;
-
-               /* Free rule is not compatible with tab rule */
-               if(r->flags & RULE_TAB)
-                    W->flags ^= WMFS_TABNOC; /* < can be disable by client_tab_next_opened */
-
-               /* TODO
-                  if(r->flags & RULE_IGNORE_TAG)
-                  {}
-               */
-
-               c->flags |= CLIENT_RULED;
-          }
+               _apply_rule(c, r);
           flags = 0;
      }
 
@@ -930,6 +938,10 @@ client_apply_rule(struct client *c)
 
      if(wmname)
           free(wmname);
+
+     /* Apply default rule */
+     if (!(c->flags & CLIENT_RULED) && defaultr != NULL)
+          _apply_rule(c, defaultr);
 }
 
 struct client*