diff -ur empathy-2.31.92/src/empathy-chat-window.c empathy-2.31.92.patched/src/empathy-chat-window.c
--- empathy-2.31.92/src/empathy-chat-window.c	2010-09-01 14:01:33.000000000 +0400
+++ empathy-2.31.92.patched/src/empathy-chat-window.c	2010-09-17 16:10:29.000000000 +0400
@@ -2067,9 +2067,8 @@
 	return EMPATHY_CHAT_WINDOW (g_object_new (EMPATHY_TYPE_CHAT_WINDOW, NULL));
 }
 
-/* Returns the window to open a new tab in if there is only one window
- * visble, otherwise, returns NULL indicating that a new window should
- * be added.
+/* Returns the window to open a new tab in if there is a suitable window,
+ * otherwise, returns NULL indicating that a new window should be added.
  */
 EmpathyChatWindow *
 empathy_chat_window_get_default (gboolean room)
@@ -2097,21 +2096,22 @@
 		priv = GET_PRIV (chat_window);
 
 		dialog = empathy_chat_window_get_dialog (chat_window);
-		if (empathy_window_get_is_visible (GTK_WINDOW (dialog))) {
-			guint nb_rooms, nb_private;
-			empathy_chat_window_get_nb_chats (chat_window, &nb_rooms, &nb_private);
-
-			/* Skip the window if there aren't any rooms in it */
-			if (room && nb_rooms == 0)
-				continue;
-
-			/* Skip the window if there aren't any 1-1 chats in it */
-			if (!room && nb_private == 0)
-				continue;
-
-			/* Found a visible window on this desktop */
-			return chat_window;
-		}
+
+		guint nb_rooms, nb_private;
+		empathy_chat_window_get_nb_chats (chat_window, &nb_rooms, &nb_private);
+
+		/* Skip the window if there aren't any rooms in it */
+		if (room && nb_rooms == 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* Skip the window if there aren't any 1-1 chats in it */
+		if (!room && nb_private == 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* Found a window on this desktop, make it visible if necessary */
+		if (!empathy_window_get_is_visible (GTK_WINDOW (dialog)))
+			empathy_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (dialog));
+		return chat_window;
 	}
 
 	return NULL;