diff --git a/kstyle/breezehelper.h b/kstyle/breezehelper.h
--- a/kstyle/breezehelper.h
+++ b/kstyle/breezehelper.h
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
         void renderDebugFrame( QPainter*, const QRect& ) const;
 
         //* focus rect
-        void renderFocusRect( QPainter*, const QRect&, const QColor&, const QColor& outline = QColor(), Sides = 0 ) const;
+        void renderFocusRect( QPainter*, const QRect&, const QColor&, const QColor& outline = QColor(), bool hasSides = false ) const;
 
         //* focus line
         void renderFocusLine( QPainter*, const QRect&, const QColor& ) const;
diff --git a/kstyle/breezehelper.cpp b/kstyle/breezehelper.cpp
--- a/kstyle/breezehelper.cpp
+++ b/kstyle/breezehelper.cpp
@@ -441,15 +441,15 @@
     }
 
     //______________________________________________________________________________
-    void Helper::renderFocusRect( QPainter* painter, const QRect& rect, const QColor& color, const QColor& outline, Sides sides ) const
+    void Helper::renderFocusRect( QPainter* painter, const QRect& rect, const QColor& color, const QColor& outline, bool hasSides ) const
     {
         if( !color.isValid() ) return;
 
         painter->save();
         painter->setRenderHints( QPainter::Antialiasing );
         painter->setBrush( color );
 
-        if( !( outline.isValid() && sides ) )
+        if( !( outline.isValid() && hasSides ) )
         {
 
             painter->setPen( Qt::NoPen );
@@ -463,10 +463,6 @@
             copy.adjust( 0.5, 0.5, -0.5, -0.5 );
 
             const qreal radius( frameRadius( -1.0 ) );
-            if( !(sides&SideTop) ) copy.adjust( 0, -radius, 0, 0 );
-            if( !(sides&SideBottom) ) copy.adjust( 0, 0, 0, radius );
-            if( !(sides&SideLeft) ) copy.adjust( -radius, 0, 0, 0 );
-            if( !(sides&SideRight) ) copy.adjust( 0, 0, radius, 0 );
 
             painter->setPen( outline );
             // painter->setBrush( Qt::NoBrush );
diff --git a/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp b/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
--- a/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
+++ b/kstyle/breezestyle.cpp
@@ -4770,19 +4770,13 @@
         if( useStrongFocus && ( selected || sunken ) )
         {
 
-            const auto color = _helper->focusColor( palette );
+            auto color = _helper->focusColor( palette );
+            color.setAlphaF(0.3);
+            const auto backgroundColor = color;
             const auto outlineColor = _helper->focusOutlineColor( palette );
+            bool hasSides = !menuItemOption->menuRect.isNull();
 
-            Sides sides = nullptr;
-            if( !menuItemOption->menuRect.isNull() )
-            {
-                if( rect.top() <= menuItemOption->menuRect.top() ) sides |= SideTop;
-                if( rect.bottom() >= menuItemOption->menuRect.bottom() ) sides |= SideBottom;
-                if( rect.left() <= menuItemOption->menuRect.left() ) sides |= SideLeft;
-                if( rect.right() >= menuItemOption->menuRect.right() ) sides |= SideRight;
-            }
-
-            _helper->renderFocusRect( painter, rect, color, outlineColor, sides );
+            _helper->renderFocusRect( painter, rect, backgroundColor, outlineColor, hasSides );
 
         }