diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index f07a4528a..633d9cf8e 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ CHANGES IN FLTK 1.1.8
 	  STR #1742, STR #1777, STR #1794, STR #1827, STR #1843,
 	  STR #1796, STR #1815, STR #1726, STR #1753, STR #1855,
 	  STR #1862, STR #1867, STR #1874)
+	- Fixed lockout when mixing popups and alerts
+	  (STR # 1869)
 	- Fixed recursion crash in event handling (STR #1873)
 	- Fixed missing return coe in 'fltk-config' (STR #1875)
 	- Fixed inconsistencies with CHANGED flags (STR #1719)
diff --git a/src/fl_ask.cxx b/src/fl_ask.cxx
index 0f9abcbb5..753fc72c0 100644
--- a/src/fl_ask.cxx
+++ b/src/fl_ask.cxx
@@ -208,6 +208,10 @@ static int innards(const char* fmt, va_list ap,
     button[0]->shortcut(FL_Escape);
 
   message_form->show();
+  // deactivate Fl::grab(), because it is incompatible with Fl::readqueue()
+  Fl_Window* g = Fl::grab();
+  if (g) // do an alternative grab to avoid floating menus, if possible
+    Fl::grab(message_form);
   int r;
   for (;;) {
     Fl_Widget *o = Fl::readqueue();
@@ -217,6 +221,8 @@ static int innards(const char* fmt, va_list ap,
     else if (o == button[2]) {r = 2; break;}
     else if (o == message_form) {r = 0; break;}
   }
+  if (g) // regrab the previous popup menu, if there was one
+    Fl::grab(g);
   message_form->hide();
   icon->label(prev_icon_label);
   return r;