diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0e61bc01a..9040fbbe1 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+2004-12-19  Elijah Newren  <newren@gmail.com>
+
+	Focus the desktop when showing it.  Fixes #159257.
+
+	* src/display.c (event_callback): obtain a timestamp to pass to
+	meta_screen_show_desktop
+
+	* src/keybindings.c (handle_toggle_desktop): obtain a timestamp to
+	pass to meta_screen_show_desktop
+
+	* src/screen.c (meta_screen_show_desktop): add a timestamp
+	parameter, get the most recently used window of type DESKTOP (if
+	there is one) and focus it
+
+	* src/screen.h (meta_screen_show_desktop): add a timestamp
+	parameter
+
 2004-12-19  Elijah Newren  <newren@gmail.com>
 
 	Thanks to ash@contact.bg for this fix.
diff --git a/src/display.c b/src/display.c
index 225d6c754..65692a4d5 100644
--- a/src/display.c
+++ b/src/display.c
@@ -2152,7 +2152,7 @@ event_callback (XEvent   *event,
 		  meta_verbose ("Request to %s desktop\n", showing_desktop ? "show" : "hide");
                   
 		  if (showing_desktop)
-		    meta_screen_show_desktop (screen);
+		    meta_screen_show_desktop (screen, meta_display_get_current_time_roundtrip (display));
 		  else
 		    {
 		      meta_screen_unshow_desktop (screen);
diff --git a/src/keybindings.c b/src/keybindings.c
index 3adb85f06..27e82ce09 100644
--- a/src/keybindings.c
+++ b/src/keybindings.c
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ handle_toggle_desktop (MetaDisplay    *display,
                                            event->xkey.time);
     }
   else
-    meta_screen_show_desktop (screen);
+    meta_screen_show_desktop (screen, event->xkey.time);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index 9cb462d15..ab07dd80f 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -2229,14 +2229,36 @@ meta_screen_minimize_all_on_active_workspace_except (MetaScreen *screen,
 }
 
 void
-meta_screen_show_desktop (MetaScreen *screen)
+meta_screen_show_desktop (MetaScreen *screen, 
+                          Time        timestamp)
 {
+  GList *windows;
+
   if (screen->active_workspace->showing_desktop)
     return;
   
   screen->active_workspace->showing_desktop = TRUE;
   
   queue_windows_showing (screen);
+
+  /* Focus the most recently used META_WINDOW_DESKTOP window, if there is one;
+   * see bug 159257.
+   */
+  windows = screen->active_workspace->mru_list;
+  while (windows != NULL)
+    {
+      MetaWindow *w = windows->data;
+      
+      if (w->screen == screen  && 
+          w->type == META_WINDOW_DESKTOP)
+        {
+          meta_window_focus (w, timestamp);
+          break;
+        }
+      
+      windows = windows->next;
+    }
+
   
   meta_screen_update_showing_desktop_hint (screen);
 }
diff --git a/src/screen.h b/src/screen.h
index 30b45d01b..46bf2208f 100644
--- a/src/screen.h
+++ b/src/screen.h
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ void     meta_screen_minimize_all_on_active_workspace_except (MetaScreen *screen
                                                               MetaWindow *keep);
 
 /* Show/hide the desktop (temporarily hide all windows) */
-void     meta_screen_show_desktop        (MetaScreen *screen);
+void     meta_screen_show_desktop        (MetaScreen *screen,
+                                          Time        timestamp);
 void     meta_screen_unshow_desktop      (MetaScreen *screen);
 
 /* Update whether the destkop is being shown for the current active_workspace */