diff --git a/js/ui/popupMenu.js b/js/ui/popupMenu.js
index b0d219f5a..b5b156db6 100644
--- a/js/ui/popupMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/popupMenu.js
@@ -754,6 +754,13 @@ const PopupMenuBase = new Lang.Class({
         return false;
     },
 
+    itemActivated: function(animate) {
+        if (animate == undefined)
+            animate = BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.FULL;
+
+        this._getTopMenu().close(animate);
+    },
+
     /**
      * _connectSubMenuSignals:
      * @object: a menu item, or a menu section
@@ -800,7 +807,7 @@ const PopupMenuBase = new Lang.Class({
         }));
         menuItem._activateId = menuItem.connect('activate', Lang.bind(this, function (menuItem, event) {
             this.emit('activate', menuItem);
-            this.close(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.FULL);
+            this.itemActivated(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.FULL);
         }));
         // the weird name is to avoid a conflict with some random property
         // the menuItem may have, called destroyId
diff --git a/js/ui/userMenu.js b/js/ui/userMenu.js
index 86980c5a6..68a300a4d 100644
--- a/js/ui/userMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/userMenu.js
@@ -803,13 +803,13 @@ const UserMenuButton = new Lang.Class({
     },
 
     _onLockScreenActivate: function() {
-        this.menu.close(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
+        this.menu.itemActivated(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
         Main.overview.hide();
         Main.screenShield.lock(true);
     },
 
     _onLoginScreenActivate: function() {
-        this.menu.close(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
+        this.menu.itemActivated(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
         Main.overview.hide();
         if (Main.screenShield)
             Main.screenShield.lock(false);
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ const UserMenuButton = new Lang.Class({
                         this._session.ShutdownRemote();
             }));
         } else {
-            this.menu.close(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
+            this.menu.itemActivated(BoxPointer.PopupAnimation.NONE);
             this._loginManager.suspend();
         }
     }