diff --git a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/StatusNotifierItem.qml b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/StatusNotifierItem.qml
--- a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/StatusNotifierItem.qml
+++ b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/StatusNotifierItem.qml
@@ -68,7 +68,14 @@
             var operation = service.operationDescription("Activate");
             operation.x = pos.x;
             operation.y = pos.y;
-            service.startOperationCall(operation);
+            var job = service.startOperationCall(operation);
+            job.finished.connect(function () {
+                if (job.result) {
+                    // On error try to invoke the context menu.
+                    // Workaround primarily for apps using libappindicator.
+                    contextMenu(mouse);
+                }
+            });
             break;
         }
         case Qt.MiddleButton:
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 void StatusNotifierItemJob::start()
 {
     if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("Activate")) {
-        m_source->activate(parameters()[QStringLiteral("x")].toInt(), parameters()[QStringLiteral("y")].toInt());
-        setResult(0);
+        bool error = m_source->activate(parameters()[QStringLiteral("x")].toInt(), parameters()[QStringLiteral("y")].toInt());
+        setResult(QVariant(error));
     } else if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("SecondaryActivate")) {
         m_source->secondaryActivate(parameters()[QStringLiteral("x")].toInt(), parameters()[QStringLiteral("y")].toInt());
         setResult(0);
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
     ~StatusNotifierItemSource() override;
     Plasma::Service *createService();
 
-    void activate(int x, int y);
+    bool activate(int x, int y);
     void secondaryActivate(int x, int y);
     void scroll(int delta, const QString &direction);
     void contextMenu(int x, int y);
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
@@ -466,11 +466,13 @@
     //hopefully huge and enormous not necessary right now, since it's quite costly
 }
 
-void StatusNotifierItemSource::activate(int x, int y)
+bool StatusNotifierItemSource::activate(int x, int y)
 {
     if (m_statusNotifierItemInterface && m_statusNotifierItemInterface->isValid()) {
-        m_statusNotifierItemInterface->call(QDBus::NoBlock, QStringLiteral("Activate"), x, y);
+        m_statusNotifierItemInterface->call(QDBus::BlockWithGui, QStringLiteral("Activate"), x, y);
+        return m_statusNotifierItemInterface->lastError().isValid();
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 void StatusNotifierItemSource::secondaryActivate(int x, int y)