diff --git a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridDelegate.qml b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridDelegate.qml
--- a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridDelegate.qml
+++ b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridDelegate.qml
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@
         anchors.fill: parent
         active: root.visible && label.truncated
         mainItem: toolTipDelegate
+
+        onContainsMouseChanged: item.GridView.view.itemContainsMouseChanged(containsMouse)
     }
 
     Keys.onPressed: {
diff --git a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridView.qml b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridView.qml
--- a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridView.qml
+++ b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemGridView.qml
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@
             GridView {
                 id: gridView
 
+                signal itemContainsMouseChanged(bool containsMouse)
+
                 property bool usesPlasmaTheme: false
 
                 property int iconSize: units.iconSizes.huge
@@ -285,6 +287,7 @@
 
                 onCurrentIndexChanged: {
                     if (currentIndex != -1) {
+                        hoverArea.hoverEnabled = false
                         focus = true;
                     }
                 }
@@ -341,6 +344,21 @@
                         itemGrid.keyNavDown();
                     }
                 }
+
+                onItemContainsMouseChanged: {
+                    if (!containsMouse) {
+                        if (!actionMenu.opened) {
+                            gridView.currentIndex = -1;
+                        }
+
+                        hoverArea.pressX = -1;
+                        hoverArea.pressY = -1;
+                        hoverArea.lastX = -1;
+                        hoverArea.lastY = -1;
+                        hoverArea.pressedItem = null;
+                        hoverArea.hoverEnabled = true;
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -449,20 +467,6 @@
                     }
                 }
             }
-
-            onContainsMouseChanged: {
-                if (!containsMouse) {
-                    if (!actionMenu.opened) {
-                        gridView.currentIndex = -1;
-                    }
-
-                    pressX = -1;
-                    pressY = -1;
-                    lastX = -1;
-                    lastY = -1;
-                    pressedItem = null;
-                }
-            }
         }
     }
 }