diff --git a/src/html/htmlwin.cpp b/src/html/htmlwin.cpp
index 8ac31d319f..c437f70709 100644
--- a/src/html/htmlwin.cpp
+++ b/src/html/htmlwin.cpp
@@ -1136,9 +1136,10 @@ void wxHtmlWindow::OnMouseDown(wxMouseEvent& event)
             CaptureMouse();
         }
     }
-#else
-    wxUnusedVar(event);
 #endif // wxUSE_CLIPBOARD
+
+    // in any case, let the default handler set focus to this window
+    event.Skip();
 }
 
 void wxHtmlWindow::OnMouseUp(wxMouseEvent& event)
@@ -1163,8 +1164,6 @@ void wxHtmlWindow::OnMouseUp(wxMouseEvent& event)
     }
 #endif // wxUSE_CLIPBOARD
 
-    SetFocus();
-
     wxPoint pos = CalcUnscrolledPosition(event.GetPosition());
     wxHtmlWindowMouseHelper::HandleMouseClick(m_Cell, pos, event);
 }