diff --git a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemListView.qml b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemListView.qml
--- a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemListView.qml
+++ b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/ItemListView.qml
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
     property alias keyNavigationWraps: listView.keyNavigationWraps
     property alias showChildDialogs: listView.showChildDialogs
     property alias model: listView.model
+    property alias count: listView.count
     property alias containsMouse: listener.containsMouse
     property alias resetOnExitDelay: resetIndexTimer.interval
 
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@
 
             if (containsMouse) {
                 resetIndexTimer.stop();
+                itemList.forceActiveFocus();
             } else if ((!childDialog || !dialog)
                 && (!currentItem || !currentItem.menu.opened)) {
                 resetIndexTimer.start();
@@ -156,8 +158,6 @@
 
                 onCurrentIndexChanged: {
                     if (currentIndex != -1) {
-                        itemList.forceActiveFocus();
-
                         if (childDialog) {
                             if (currentItem && currentItem.hasChildren) {
                                 childDialog.model = model.modelForRow(currentIndex);
diff --git a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/MenuRepresentation.qml b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/MenuRepresentation.qml
--- a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/MenuRepresentation.qml
+++ b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/MenuRepresentation.qml
@@ -376,28 +376,34 @@
                 if (rootList.visible) {
                     rootList.showChildDialogs = false;
                     rootList.currentIndex = rootList.model.count - 1;
+                    rootList.forceActiveFocus();
                     rootList.showChildDialogs = true;
                 }
 
                 if (runnerColumns.visible) {
                     for (var i = 0; i < runnerModel.count; ++i) {
                         if (runnerModel.modelForRow(i).count) {
-                            runnerColumnsRepeater.itemAt(i).currentIndex = runnerModel.modelForRow(i).count - 1;
+                            var targetList = runnerColumnsRepeater.itemAt(i);
+                            targetList.currentIndex = runnerModel.modelForRow(i).count - 1;
+                            targetList.forceActiveFocus();
                             break;
                         }
                     }
                 }
             } else if (event.key == Qt.Key_Down) {
                 if (rootList.visible) {
                     rootList.showChildDialogs = false;
                     rootList.currentIndex = 0;
+                    rootList.forceActiveFocus();
                     rootList.showChildDialogs = true;
                 }
 
                 if (runnerColumns.visible) {
                     for (var i = 0; i < runnerModel.count; ++i) {
                         if (runnerModel.modelForRow(i).count) {
-                            runnerColumnsRepeater.itemAt(i).currentIndex = 0;
+                            var targetList = runnerColumnsRepeater.itemAt(i);
+                            targetList.currentIndex = 0;
+                            targetList.forceActiveFocus();
                             break;
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/RunnerResultsList.qml b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/RunnerResultsList.qml
--- a/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/RunnerResultsList.qml
+++ b/applets/kicker/package/contents/ui/RunnerResultsList.qml
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@
                 visible: false;
             }
         }
+
+        onCountChanged: {
+            if (index == 0 && searchField.focus) {
+                currentIndex = 0;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     Component.onCompleted: {