diff --git a/src/gui/Dialog.cxx b/src/gui/Dialog.cxx
index c1b9dbb8a..296ce9d73 100644
--- a/src/gui/Dialog.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/Dialog.cxx
@@ -422,9 +422,12 @@ void Dialog::drawDialog()
   // Draw outlines for focused widgets
   // Don't change focus, since this will trigger lost and received
   // focus events
-  if(_focusedWidget)
+  if (_focusedWidget)
+  {
     _focusedWidget = Widget::setFocusForChain(this, getFocusList(),
-                        _focusedWidget, 0, false);
+      _focusedWidget, 0, false);
+    _focusedWidget->draw(); // make sure the highlight color is drawn initially
+  }
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
diff --git a/src/gui/Widget.cxx b/src/gui/Widget.cxx
index ebc86a2c1..5cef6eb93 100644
--- a/src/gui/Widget.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/Widget.cxx
@@ -284,8 +284,10 @@ Widget* Widget::setFocusForChain(GuiObject* boss, WidgetArray& arr,
 
   if(emitFocusEvents)
     tmp->receivedFocus();
-  else
+  else {
     tmp->_hasFocus = true;
+    tmp->setFlags(Widget::FLAG_HILITED);
+  }
 
   if (onTop)
       s.frameRect(x, y, w, h, kWidFrameColor, FrameStyle::Dashed);