diff --git a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.h b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.h
--- a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.h
+++ b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.h
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@
 
     QHash <PlasmaQuick::AppletQuickItem *, AppletContainer*> m_containerForApplet;
 
-    QPointer<QQuickWindow> m_window;
     QSizeF m_minimumItemSize;
     QSizeF m_defaultItemSize;
     QSizeF m_savedSize;
diff --git a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.cpp b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.cpp
--- a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.cpp
+++ b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/appletslayout.cpp
@@ -93,28 +93,6 @@
             polish();
         }
     });
-
-    m_window = window();
-    if (m_window) {
-        connect(m_window, &QWindow::activeChanged, this, [this]() {
-            if (!m_window->isActive()) {
-                setEditMode(false);
-            }
-        });
-    }
-    connect(this, &QQuickItem::windowChanged, this, [this]() {
-        if (m_window) {
-            disconnect(m_window, &QWindow::activeChanged, this, nullptr);
-        }
-        m_window = window();
-        if (m_window) {
-            connect(m_window, &QWindow::activeChanged, this, [this]() {
-                if (!m_window->isActive()) {
-                    setEditMode(false);
-                }
-            });
-        }
-    });
 }
 
 AppletsLayout::~AppletsLayout()
diff --git a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/itemcontainer.cpp b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/itemcontainer.cpp
--- a/components/containmentlayoutmanager/itemcontainer.cpp
+++ b/components/containmentlayoutmanager/itemcontainer.cpp
@@ -106,8 +106,7 @@
 
     m_editMode = editMode;
 
-    // Leave this decision to QML?
-    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver || m_layout->editMode()) {
+    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver || (m_layout && m_layout->editMode())) {
         m_contentItem->setEnabled(!editMode);
     }
 
@@ -153,7 +152,7 @@
 
     m_editModeCondition = condition;
 
-    setAcceptHoverEvents(condition == AfterMouseOver);
+    setAcceptHoverEvents(condition == AfterMouseOver || (m_layout && m_layout->editMode()));
 
     emit editModeConditionChanged();
 }
@@ -182,6 +181,7 @@
 
     if (m_layout) {
         disconnect(m_layout, &AppletsLayout::editModeConditionChanged, this,  nullptr);
+        disconnect(m_layout, &AppletsLayout::editModeChanged, this,  nullptr);
 
         if (m_editMode) {
             m_layout->hidePlaceHolder();
@@ -208,6 +208,9 @@
             emit editModeConditionChanged();
         }
     });
+    connect(m_layout, &AppletsLayout::editModeChanged, this, [this]() {
+        setAcceptHoverEvents(m_editModeCondition == AfterMouseOver || m_layout->editMode());
+    });
     emit layoutChanged();
 }
 
@@ -625,22 +628,26 @@
 {
     Q_UNUSED(event);
 
-    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver) {
+    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver && !m_layout->editMode()) {
         return;
     }
 
     if (m_closeEditModeTimer) {
         m_closeEditModeTimer->stop();
     }
 
-    m_editModeTimer->start(QGuiApplication::styleHints()->mousePressAndHoldInterval());
+    if (m_layout->editMode()) {
+        setEditMode(true);
+    } else {
+        m_editModeTimer->start(QGuiApplication::styleHints()->mousePressAndHoldInterval());
+    }
 }
 
 void ItemContainer::hoverLeaveEvent(QHoverEvent *event)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(event);
 
-    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver) {
+    if (m_editModeCondition != AfterMouseOver && !m_layout->editMode()) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/containmentactions/contextmenu/menu.cpp b/containmentactions/contextmenu/menu.cpp
--- a/containmentactions/contextmenu/menu.cpp
+++ b/containmentactions/contextmenu/menu.cpp
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@
 
     if (c->containmentType() == Plasma::Types::PanelContainment ||
         c->containmentType() == Plasma::Types::CustomPanelContainment) {
-        m_actionOrder << QStringLiteral("add widgets") << QStringLiteral("_add panel") << QStringLiteral("lock widgets") << QStringLiteral("_context") << QStringLiteral("configure") << QStringLiteral("remove");
+        m_actionOrder << QStringLiteral("add widgets") << QStringLiteral("_add panel") << QStringLiteral("lock widgets") << QStringLiteral("edit mode") << QStringLiteral("_context") << QStringLiteral("configure") << QStringLiteral("remove");
     } else {
         actions.insert(QStringLiteral("configure shortcuts"), false);
         m_actionOrder << QStringLiteral("_context") << QStringLiteral("_run_command") << QStringLiteral("add widgets") << QStringLiteral("_add panel")
-                      << QStringLiteral("manage activities") << QStringLiteral("remove") << QStringLiteral("lock widgets") << QStringLiteral("_sep1")
+                      << QStringLiteral("manage activities") << QStringLiteral("remove") << QStringLiteral("lock widgets") << QStringLiteral("edit mode") << QStringLiteral("_sep1")
                       <<QStringLiteral("_lock_screen") << QStringLiteral("_logout") << QStringLiteral("_sep2") << QStringLiteral("run associated application") << QStringLiteral("configure")
                       << QStringLiteral("configure shortcuts") << QStringLiteral("_sep3") << QStringLiteral("_wallpaper");
         disabled.insert(QStringLiteral("configure shortcuts"));
@@ -181,6 +181,10 @@
         if (c->corona()) {
             return c->corona()->actions()->action(QStringLiteral("lock widgets"));
         }
+    } else if (name == QLatin1String("edit mode")) {
+        if (c->corona()) {
+            return c->corona()->actions()->action(QStringLiteral("edit mode"));
+        }
     } else if (name == QLatin1String("manage activities")) {
         if (c->corona()) {
             return c->corona()->actions()->action(QStringLiteral("manage activities"));
diff --git a/shell/dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml b/shell/dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml
--- a/shell/dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml
+++ b/shell/dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <!DOCTYPE node PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD D-BUS Object Introspection 1.0//EN" "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/dbus/1.0/introspect.dtd">
 <node>
   <interface name="org.kde.PlasmaShell">
+    <property name="editMode" type="b" access="readwrite"/>
     <method name="toggleDashboard">
     </method>
     <method name="toggleActivityManager">
diff --git a/shell/shellcorona.cpp b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
--- a/shell/shellcorona.cpp
+++ b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,14 @@
     KDirWatch::self()->addFile(m_configPath);
     connect(KDirWatch::self(), &KDirWatch::dirty, this, &ShellCorona::configurationChanged);
     connect(KDirWatch::self(), &KDirWatch::created, this, &ShellCorona::configurationChanged);
+
+    connect(qApp, &QGuiApplication::focusWindowChanged,
+            this, [this] (QWindow *focusWindow) {
+            if (!focusWindow) {
+                setEditMode(false);
+            }
+        }
+    );
 }
 
 ShellCorona::~ShellCorona()