diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/CustomControls/ToolStripEx.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/CustomControls/ToolStripEx.cs
index fe7a40bf41..bfe6182d4b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/CustomControls/ToolStripEx.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/CustomControls/ToolStripEx.cs
@@ -73,6 +73,41 @@ public class MenuStripEx : MenuStrip
 	}
 }
 
+/// <summary>
+/// This class adds on to the functionality provided in System.Windows.Forms.MenuStrip.
+/// </summary>
+public class StatusStripEx : StatusStrip
+{
+	private bool clickThrough = true;
+
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Gets or sets whether the ToolStripEx honors item clicks when its containing form does
+	/// not have input focus.
+	/// </summary>
+	public bool ClickThrough
+	{
+		get
+		{
+			return clickThrough;
+		}
+		set
+		{
+			clickThrough = value;
+		}
+	}
+
+	protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
+	{
+		base.WndProc(ref m);
+		if (clickThrough &&
+			m.Msg == NativeConstants.WM_MOUSEACTIVATE &&
+			m.Result == (IntPtr)NativeConstants.MA_ACTIVATEANDEAT)
+		{
+			m.Result = (IntPtr)NativeConstants.MA_ACTIVATE;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 internal sealed class NativeConstants
 {
 	private NativeConstants(){}
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Designer.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Designer.cs
index 7baa472236..7f9d5691e8 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Designer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.Designer.cs
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 			this.OnlineHelpMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.ForumsMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.AboutMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
-			this.MainStatusBar = new System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip();
+			this.MainStatusBar = new StatusStripEx();
 			this.DumpStatusButton = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownButton();
 			this.EmuStatus = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel();
 			this.PlayRecordStatusButton = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDownButton();
@@ -3248,7 +3248,7 @@
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem ToolBoxMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator toolStripSeparator12;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem SwitchToFullscreenMenuItem;
-		private System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip MainStatusBar;
+		private StatusStripEx MainStatusBar;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel EmuStatus;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem MessagesMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem TI83SubMenu;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/NES/NESPPU.Designer.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/NES/NESPPU.Designer.cs
index 35fd3a4b41..06038b8fbe 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/NES/NESPPU.Designer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/NES/NESPPU.Designer.cs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
 			this.SaveWindowPositionMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.AlwaysOnTopMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.FloatingWindowMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
-			this.NesPPUStatusBar = new System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip();
+			this.NesPPUStatusBar = new StatusStripEx();
 			this.toolStripStatusLabel1 = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel();
 			this.Messagetimer = new System.Windows.Forms.Timer(this.components);
 			this.CHRROMGroup = new System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox();
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem CopyPatternToClipboardMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem CopySpriteToClipboardMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator toolStripSeparator2;
-		private System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip NesPPUStatusBar;
+		private StatusStripEx NesPPUStatusBar;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel toolStripStatusLabel1;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.Timer Messagetimer;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem AlwaysOnTopMenuItem;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/TAStudio/TAStudio.Designer.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/TAStudio/TAStudio.Designer.cs
index 6d397b042d..f83434e2a5 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/TAStudio/TAStudio.Designer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/TAStudio/TAStudio.Designer.cs
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 			this.TasView = new BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk.TasListView();
 			this.Frame = ((System.Windows.Forms.ColumnHeader)(new System.Windows.Forms.ColumnHeader()));
 			this.Log = ((System.Windows.Forms.ColumnHeader)(new System.Windows.Forms.ColumnHeader()));
-			this.TasStatusStrip = new System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip();
+			this.TasStatusStrip = new StatusStripEx();
 			this.MessageStatusLabel = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel();
 			this.SplicerStatusLabel = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel();
 			this.TasPlaybackBox = new BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk.PlaybackBox();
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator toolStripSeparator12;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem RestoreDefaultSettingsMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem AutoloadProjectMenuItem;
-		private System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip TasStatusStrip;
+		private StatusStripEx TasStatusStrip;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel MessageStatusLabel;
 		private PlaybackBox TasPlaybackBox;
 		private BookmarksBranchesBox TasBookmarksBranchesBox;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamWatch.Designer.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamWatch.Designer.cs
index eafbb221f0..0a509a7b03 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamWatch.Designer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamWatch.Designer.cs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 			this.ShowChangeCountsContextMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.ShowDiffContextMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
 			this.ShowDomainContextMenuItem = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem();
-			this.statusStrip1 = new System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip();
+			this.statusStrip1 = new StatusStripEx();
 			this.MessageLabel = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel();
 			this.toolStrip1 = new ToolStripEx();
 			this.newToolStripButton = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem ShowDomainContextMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem AlwaysOnTopMenuItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem FloatingWindowMenuItem;
-		private System.Windows.Forms.StatusStrip statusStrip1;
+		private StatusStripEx statusStrip1;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripStatusLabel MessageLabel;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton ErrorIconButton;
 	}