diff --git a/src/dolphinmainwindow.cpp b/src/dolphinmainwindow.cpp
index d9b534e3f6..0523085ae7 100644
--- a/src/dolphinmainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/dolphinmainwindow.cpp
@@ -397,6 +397,8 @@ void DolphinMainWindow::openNewTab()
 
 void DolphinMainWindow::openNewTab(const KUrl& url)
 {
+    QWidget* focusWidget = QApplication::focusWidget();
+
     if (m_viewTab.count() == 1) {
         // Only one view is open currently and hence no tab is shown at
         // all. Before creating a tab for 'url', provide a tab for the current URL.
@@ -429,6 +431,12 @@ void DolphinMainWindow::openNewTab(const KUrl& url)
         m_viewTab[tabIndex].secondaryView->setActive(true);
         m_viewTab[tabIndex].isPrimaryViewActive = false;
     }
+
+    if (focusWidget != 0) {
+        // The DolphinViewContainer grabbed the keyboard focus. As the tab is opened
+        // in background, assure that the previous focused widget gets the focus back.
+        focusWidget->setFocus();
+    }
 }
 
 void DolphinMainWindow::activateNextTab()
@@ -487,6 +495,14 @@ void DolphinMainWindow::toggleActiveView()
     setActiveViewContainer(m_activeViewContainer == right ? left : right);
 }
 
+void DolphinMainWindow::showEvent(QShowEvent* event)
+{
+    KXmlGuiWindow::showEvent(event);
+    if (!event->spontaneous()) {
+        m_activeViewContainer->view()->setFocus();
+    }
+}
+
 void DolphinMainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event)
 {
     DolphinSettings& settings = DolphinSettings::instance();
diff --git a/src/dolphinmainwindow.h b/src/dolphinmainwindow.h
index cfdc21618d..269c71844d 100644
--- a/src/dolphinmainwindow.h
+++ b/src/dolphinmainwindow.h
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ signals:
     void requestItemInfo(const KFileItem& item);
 
 protected:
+    /** @see QWidget::showEvent() */
+    virtual void showEvent(QShowEvent* event);
+
     /** @see QMainWindow::closeEvent() */
     virtual void closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event);