diff --git a/src/core/window.c b/src/core/window.c
index 95ea18f2c..95a8e33e0 100644
--- a/src/core/window.c
+++ b/src/core/window.c
@@ -4502,6 +4502,8 @@ meta_window_focus (MetaWindow  *window,
 {
   MetaWorkspaceManager *workspace_manager = window->display->workspace_manager;
   MetaWindow *modal_transient;
+  MetaBackend *backend;
+  ClutterStage *stage;
 
   g_return_if_fail (!window->override_redirect);
 
@@ -4548,12 +4550,12 @@ meta_window_focus (MetaWindow  *window,
 
   META_WINDOW_GET_CLASS (window)->focus (window, timestamp);
 
-  if (window->display->event_route == META_EVENT_ROUTE_NORMAL)
-    {
-      MetaBackend *backend = meta_get_backend ();
-      ClutterStage *stage = CLUTTER_STAGE (meta_backend_get_stage (backend));
-      clutter_stage_set_key_focus (stage, NULL);
-    }
+  backend = meta_get_backend ();
+  stage = CLUTTER_STAGE (meta_backend_get_stage (backend));
+
+  if (window->display->event_route == META_EVENT_ROUTE_NORMAL &&
+      clutter_stage_get_grab_actor (stage) == NULL)
+    clutter_stage_set_key_focus (stage, NULL);
 
   if (window->close_dialog &&
       meta_close_dialog_is_visible (window->close_dialog))