diff --git a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
--- a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
+++ b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@
     property var dialog: null
     property Item editor: null
 
+    function positionViewAtBeginning() {
+        gridView.positionViewAtBeginning();
+    }
+
     function rename() {
         if (gridView.currentIndex != -1) {
             var renameAction = folderView.model.action("rename");
@@ -279,6 +283,7 @@
 
             if (!hoveredItem || hoveredItem.blank) {
                 if (!gridView.ctrlPressed) {
+                    gridView.currentIndex = -1;
                     dir.clearSelection();
                 }
 
@@ -1106,6 +1111,7 @@
             onListingCompleted: {
                 if (!gridView.model && plasmoid.expanded) {
                     gridView.model = positioner;
+                    gridView.currentIndex = isPopup ? 0 : -1;
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderViewLayer.qml b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderViewLayer.qml
--- a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderViewLayer.qml
+++ b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderViewLayer.qml
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 
     readonly property bool lockedByKiosk: !KAuthorized.authorize("editable_desktop_icons")
 
+    focus: true
+
     function updateContextualActions() {
         folderView.model.updateActions();
 
@@ -170,6 +172,7 @@
                 if (plasmoid.expanded) {
                     folderView.currentIndex = -1;
                     folderView.forceActiveFocus();
+                    folderView.positionViewAtBeginning();
                 } else {
                     goHome();
 
diff --git a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -259,6 +259,12 @@
         return length >= Qt.styleHints.startDragDistance;
     }
 
+    onFocusChanged: {
+        if (focus && isFolder) {
+            folderViewLayer.item.forceActiveFocus();
+        }
+    }
+
     onDragEnter: {
         if (isContainment && plasmoid.immutable && !(isFolder && FolderTools.isFileDrag(event))) {
             event.ignore();
@@ -415,8 +421,9 @@
     MouseArea { // unfocus any plasmoid when clicking empty desktop area
         anchors.fill: parent
         onPressed: {
-            root.forceActiveFocus()
+            root.forceActiveFocus();
             mouse.accepted = false // Bug 351277
+
             if (toolBox && toolBox.open) {
                 toolBox.open = false;
             }
@@ -448,8 +455,9 @@
         Connections {
             target: folderViewLayer.view
 
+            // `FolderViewDropArea` is not a FocusScope. We need to forward manually.
             onPressed: {
-                folderViewLayer.focus = true;
+                folderViewLayer.forceActiveFocus();
             }
         }
     }