diff --git a/krusader/BookMan/krbookmarkhandler.cpp b/krusader/BookMan/krbookmarkhandler.cpp
--- a/krusader/BookMan/krbookmarkhandler.cpp
+++ b/krusader/BookMan/krbookmarkhandler.cpp
@@ -577,7 +577,8 @@
             // match prefix of the action text to the query
             if (act->text().left(_quickSearchText().length()).compare(_quickSearchText(), Qt::CaseInsensitive) == 0) {
                 _highlightAction(act);
-                if (!firstMatch) {
+                if (!firstMatch || firstMatch->menu()) {
+                    //Can't highlight menus (see comment below), hopefully pick something we can
                     firstMatch = act;
                 }
                 nMatches++;
@@ -596,14 +597,27 @@
         if (nMatches == 1) {
             _setQuickSearchText("");
             if ((bool) firstMatch->menu()) {
-                menu->setActiveAction(firstMatch);
+                menu->setActiveAction(nullptr);
+                int menuWidth = menu->sizeHint().width();
+                QPoint submenuPos = menu->mapToGlobal(QPoint(menuWidth, 0));
+                firstMatch->menu()->exec(submenuPos);
             } else {
                 firstMatch->activate(QAction::Trigger);
             }
-        } else {
-            // if no match is found, firstMatch == nullptr
-            // this is intended as it will unset active item of the menu
-            menu->setActiveAction(firstMatch);
+            return true;
+        } else if (nMatches > 1) {
+            //because of a bug submenus cannot be highlighted
+            //https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-939
+            if (!firstMatch->menu()) {
+                menu->setActiveAction(firstMatch);
+            } else {
+                qDebug() << "We only found submenus, highlighting nothing";
+                menu->setActiveAction(nullptr);
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+        else {
+            menu->setActiveAction(nullptr);
         }
     }