diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index 7b3647cb7..dc91f02df 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -212,6 +212,10 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
         this.addChrome(this.trayBox);
         this._setupTrayPressure();
 
+        this.modalDialogGroup = new St.Widget({ name: 'modalDialogGroup',
+                                                layout_manager: new Clutter.BinLayout() });
+        this.uiGroup.add_actor(this.modalDialogGroup);
+
         this.keyboardBox = new St.BoxLayout({ name: 'keyboardBox',
                                               reactive: true,
                                               track_hover: true });
diff --git a/js/ui/modalDialog.js b/js/ui/modalDialog.js
index be1612862..5d10613f8 100644
--- a/js/ui/modalDialog.js
+++ b/js/ui/modalDialog.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ const ModalDialog = new Lang.Class({
                                       x: 0,
                                       y: 0,
                                       accessible_role: Atk.Role.DIALOG });
-        Main.uiGroup.add_actor(this._group);
+        Main.layoutManager.modalDialogGroup.add_actor(this._group);
 
         let constraint = new Clutter.BindConstraint({ source: global.stage,
                                                       coordinate: Clutter.BindCoordinate.ALL });