diff --git a/desktop-shell/shell.c b/desktop-shell/shell.c
index 9140bed2..c7ab2256 100644
--- a/desktop-shell/shell.c
+++ b/desktop-shell/shell.c
@@ -1386,18 +1386,75 @@ handle_pointer_focus(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 		weston_desktop_client_ping(client);
 }
 
+static void
+has_keyboard_focused_child_callback(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface,
+				    void *user_data);
+
+static void
+has_keyboard_focused_child_callback(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface,
+				    void *user_data)
+{
+	struct weston_surface *es = weston_desktop_surface_get_surface(surface);
+	struct shell_surface *shsurf = get_shell_surface(es);
+	bool *has_keyboard_focus = user_data;
+
+	if (shsurf->focus_count > 0) {
+		*has_keyboard_focus = true;
+		return;
+	}
+
+	weston_desktop_surface_foreach_child(shsurf->desktop_surface,
+					     has_keyboard_focused_child_callback,
+					     &has_keyboard_focus);
+}
+
+static bool
+has_keyboard_focused_child(struct shell_surface *shsurf)
+{
+	bool has_keyboard_focus = false;
+
+	if (shsurf->focus_count > 0)
+		return true;
+
+	weston_desktop_surface_foreach_child(shsurf->desktop_surface,
+					     has_keyboard_focused_child_callback,
+					     &has_keyboard_focus);
+
+	return has_keyboard_focus;
+}
+
+static void
+sync_surface_activated_state(struct shell_surface *shsurf)
+{
+	struct weston_desktop_surface *surface = shsurf->desktop_surface;
+	struct weston_desktop_surface *parent;
+	struct weston_surface *parent_surface;
+
+	parent = weston_desktop_surface_get_parent(surface);
+	if (parent) {
+		parent_surface = weston_desktop_surface_get_surface(parent);
+		sync_surface_activated_state(get_shell_surface(parent_surface));
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (has_keyboard_focused_child(shsurf))
+		weston_desktop_surface_set_activated(surface, true);
+	else
+		weston_desktop_surface_set_activated(surface, false);
+}
+
 static void
 shell_surface_deactivate(struct shell_surface *shsurf)
 {
 	if (--shsurf->focus_count == 0)
-		weston_desktop_surface_set_activated(shsurf->desktop_surface, false);
+		sync_surface_activated_state(shsurf);
 }
 
 static void
 shell_surface_activate(struct shell_surface *shsurf)
 {
 	if (shsurf->focus_count++ == 0)
-		weston_desktop_surface_set_activated(shsurf->desktop_surface, true);
+		sync_surface_activated_state(shsurf);
 }
 
 /* The surface will be inserted into the list immediately after the link
diff --git a/include/libweston/desktop.h b/include/libweston/desktop.h
index dd09c887..465c9f8f 100644
--- a/include/libweston/desktop.h
+++ b/include/libweston/desktop.h
@@ -216,6 +216,14 @@ struct weston_size
 weston_desktop_surface_get_max_size(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
 struct weston_size
 weston_desktop_surface_get_min_size(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
+struct weston_desktop_surface *
+weston_desktop_surface_get_parent(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
+void
+weston_desktop_surface_foreach_child(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface,
+				     void (* callback)(struct weston_desktop_surface *child,
+						       void *user_data),
+				     void *user_data);
+
 
 bool
 weston_desktop_window_menu_supported(struct weston_desktop *desktop);
diff --git a/libweston/desktop/internal.h b/libweston/desktop/internal.h
index c6c93d4a..95023f47 100644
--- a/libweston/desktop/internal.h
+++ b/libweston/desktop/internal.h
@@ -195,8 +195,6 @@ const struct weston_desktop_surface_implementation *
 weston_desktop_surface_get_implementation(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
 void *
 weston_desktop_surface_get_implementation_data(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
-struct weston_desktop_surface *
-weston_desktop_surface_get_parent(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
 bool
 weston_desktop_surface_get_grab(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface);
 
diff --git a/libweston/desktop/surface.c b/libweston/desktop/surface.c
index 4f1398c7..52e467fd 100644
--- a/libweston/desktop/surface.c
+++ b/libweston/desktop/surface.c
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ weston_desktop_surface_get_implementation_data(struct weston_desktop_surface *su
 	return surface->implementation_data;
 }
 
-struct weston_desktop_surface *
+WL_EXPORT struct weston_desktop_surface *
 weston_desktop_surface_get_parent(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface)
 {
 	return surface->parent;
@@ -878,3 +878,15 @@ weston_desktop_surface_popup_dismiss(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface)
 	wl_list_init(&surface->grab_link);
 	weston_desktop_surface_close(surface);
 }
+
+WL_EXPORT void
+weston_desktop_surface_foreach_child(struct weston_desktop_surface *surface,
+				     void (* callback)(struct weston_desktop_surface *child,
+						       void *user_data),
+				     void *user_data)
+{
+	struct weston_desktop_surface *child;
+
+	wl_list_for_each(child, &surface->children_list, children_link)
+		callback(child, user_data);
+}