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.h b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.h
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.h
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     void start() override;
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
+    void activateCallback(bool success);
     void contextMenuReady(QMenu *menu);
 
 private:
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemjob.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     m_source(source)
 {
     connect(source, SIGNAL(contextMenuReady(QMenu*)), this, SLOT(contextMenuReady(QMenu*)));
+    connect(source, SIGNAL(activateCallback(bool)), this, SLOT(activateCallback(bool)));
 }
 
 StatusNotifierItemJob::~StatusNotifierItemJob()
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@
 {
     if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("Activate")) {
         m_source->activate(parameters()[QStringLiteral("x")].toInt(), parameters()[QStringLiteral("y")].toInt());
-        setResult(0);
     } else if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("SecondaryActivate")) {
         m_source->secondaryActivate(parameters()[QStringLiteral("x")].toInt(), parameters()[QStringLiteral("y")].toInt());
         setResult(0);
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@
     }
 }
 
+void StatusNotifierItemJob::activateCallback(bool success)
+{
+    if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("Activate")) {
+        setResult(QVariant(success));
+    }
+}
+
 void StatusNotifierItemJob::contextMenuReady(QMenu *menu)
 {
     if (operationName() == QString::fromLatin1("ContextMenu")) {
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     void contextMenu(int x, int y);
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
+    void activateCallback(bool success);
     void contextMenuReady(QMenu *menu);
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
diff --git a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
--- a/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/statusnotifieritem/statusnotifieritemsource.cpp
@@ -469,7 +469,12 @@
 void StatusNotifierItemSource::activate(int x, int y)
 {
     if (m_statusNotifierItemInterface && m_statusNotifierItemInterface->isValid()) {
-        m_statusNotifierItemInterface->call(QDBus::NoBlock, QStringLiteral("Activate"), x, y);
+        org::kde::StatusNotifierItem *snii = m_statusNotifierItemInterface;
+        m_statusNotifierItemInterface->call(QDBus::BlockWithGui, QStringLiteral("Activate"), x, y);
+
+        if (m_statusNotifierItemInterface == snii && snii->isValid()) {
+            emit activateCallback(!m_statusNotifierItemInterface->lastError().isValid());
+        }
     }
 }