diff --git a/src/common/containr.cpp b/src/common/containr.cpp
index ecc7570e70..fbd3ea33d2 100644
--- a/src/common/containr.cpp
+++ b/src/common/containr.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ bool wxControlContainerBase::UpdateCanFocusChildren()
     {
         m_acceptsFocusChildren = acceptsFocusChildren;
 
-        m_winParent->SetCanFocus(AcceptsFocusRecursively());
+        // In the ports where it does something non trivial, the parent window
+        // should only be focusable if it doesn't have any focusable children
+        // (e.g. native focus handling in wxGTK totally breaks down otherwise).
+        m_winParent->SetCanFocus(m_acceptsFocusSelf && !m_acceptsFocusChildren);
     }
 
     return m_acceptsFocusChildren;