diff --git a/include/wx/osx/cocoa/private.h b/include/wx/osx/cocoa/private.h
index 8394ebb6ff..ea782e9fae 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/cocoa/private.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/cocoa/private.h
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ public :
     virtual void        SetNeedsDisplay( const wxRect* where = NULL ) wxOVERRIDE;
     virtual bool        GetNeedsDisplay() const wxOVERRIDE;
 
+    virtual void        EnableFocusRing(bool enabled) wxOVERRIDE;
+
     virtual void        SetDrawingEnabled(bool enabled) wxOVERRIDE;
 
     virtual bool        CanFocus() const wxOVERRIDE;
diff --git a/include/wx/osx/core/private.h b/include/wx/osx/core/private.h
index ba57b86157..eb27786c47 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/core/private.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/core/private.h
@@ -301,8 +301,7 @@ public :
     virtual void        SetNeedsDisplay( const wxRect* where = NULL ) = 0;
     virtual bool        GetNeedsDisplay() const = 0;
 
-    virtual bool        NeedsFocusRect() const;
-    virtual void        SetNeedsFocusRect( bool needs );
+    virtual void        EnableFocusRing(bool WXUNUSED(enabled)) {}
 
     virtual bool        NeedsFrame() const;
     virtual void        SetNeedsFrame( bool needs );
@@ -598,7 +597,6 @@ protected :
     bool                m_wantsUserKey;
     bool                m_wantsUserMouse;
     wxWindowMac*        m_wxPeer;
-    bool                m_needsFocusRect;
     bool                m_needsFrame;
     bool                m_shouldSendEvents;
 
diff --git a/include/wx/osx/window.h b/include/wx/osx/window.h
index e327b0a55b..f761a598bc 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/window.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/window.h
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ public:
     void MacOnScroll( wxScrollEvent&event );
 
     virtual bool AcceptsFocus() const wxOVERRIDE;
+    virtual void EnableVisibleFocus(bool enabled) wxOVERRIDE;
 
     virtual bool IsDoubleBuffered() const wxOVERRIDE { return true; }
 
diff --git a/include/wx/window.h b/include/wx/window.h
index 8de7570428..de692b3708 100644
--- a/include/wx/window.h
+++ b/include/wx/window.h
@@ -767,6 +767,9 @@ public:
         // call this when the return value of AcceptsFocus() changes
     virtual void SetCanFocus(bool WXUNUSED(canFocus)) { }
 
+        // call to customize visible focus indicator if possible in the port
+    virtual void EnableVisibleFocus(bool WXUNUSED(enabled)) { }
+
         // navigates inside this window
     bool NavigateIn(int flags = wxNavigationKeyEvent::IsForward)
         { return DoNavigateIn(flags); }
diff --git a/interface/wx/window.h b/interface/wx/window.h
index 3776331ddc..9d1d235c9f 100644
--- a/interface/wx/window.h
+++ b/interface/wx/window.h
@@ -540,6 +540,22 @@ public:
     */
     virtual void SetCanFocus(bool canFocus);
 
+    /**
+        Enables or disables visible indication of keyboard focus.
+
+        By default, controls behave in platform-appropriate way and show focus
+        in the same way native applications do. In some very rare circumstances
+        it may be desirable to change the default (notably multiline text
+        controls don't normally have a focus indicator on Mac), which this
+        method allows. It should only be used if you have a good understanding
+        of the native platform's guidelines and user expectations.
+
+        This method is only implemented on Mac.
+
+        @since 3.1.5
+    */
+    virtual void EnableVisibleFocus(bool enable);
+
     /**
         This sets the window to receive keyboard input.
 
diff --git a/src/generic/grideditors.cpp b/src/generic/grideditors.cpp
index 7a328d9b97..dc01ce4465 100644
--- a/src/generic/grideditors.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/grideditors.cpp
@@ -460,10 +460,6 @@ void wxGridCellTextEditor::DoCreate(wxWindow* parent,
     text->SetMargins(0, 0);
     m_control = text;
 
-#ifdef __WXOSX__
-    wxWidgetImpl* impl = m_control->GetPeer();
-    impl->SetNeedsFocusRect(false);
-#endif
     // set max length allowed in the textctrl, if the parameter was set
     if ( m_maxChars != 0 )
     {
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/textctrl.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/textctrl.mm
index 1e46578226..3029096b03 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/textctrl.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/textctrl.mm
@@ -1590,7 +1590,6 @@ wxWidgetImplType* wxWidgetImpl::CreateTextControl( wxTextCtrl* wxpeer,
         v = [[wxNSTextScrollView alloc] initWithFrame:r];
         wxNSTextViewControl* t = new wxNSTextViewControl( wxpeer, v, style );
         c = t;
-        c->SetNeedsFocusRect( true );
 
         t->SetStringValue(str);
     }
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
index 80a0838032..813bb1face 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/window.mm
@@ -3849,10 +3849,6 @@ void wxWidgetCocoaImpl::DoNotifyFocusLost()
 void wxWidgetCocoaImpl::DoNotifyFocusEvent(bool receivedFocus, wxWidgetImpl* otherWindow)
 {
     wxWindow* thisWindow = GetWXPeer();
-    if ( thisWindow->MacGetTopLevelWindow() && NeedsFocusRect() )
-    {
-        thisWindow->MacInvalidateBorders();
-    }
 
     if ( receivedFocus )
     {
@@ -3925,6 +3921,11 @@ void wxWidgetCocoaImpl::SetFlipped(bool flipped)
 
 #endif
 
+void wxWidgetCocoaImpl::EnableFocusRing(bool enabled)
+{
+    [m_osxView setFocusRingType:enabled ? NSFocusRingTypeExterior : NSFocusRingTypeNone];
+}
+
 void wxWidgetCocoaImpl::SetDrawingEnabled(bool enabled)
 {
     if ( [m_osxView window] == nil )
diff --git a/src/osx/iphone/window.mm b/src/osx/iphone/window.mm
index 607c92f839..50bdd3ff7c 100644
--- a/src/osx/iphone/window.mm
+++ b/src/osx/iphone/window.mm
@@ -642,10 +642,6 @@ void wxWidgetIPhoneImpl::InstallEventHandler( WXWidget control )
 void wxWidgetIPhoneImpl::DoNotifyFocusEvent(bool receivedFocus, wxWidgetImpl* otherWindow)
 {
     wxWindow* thisWindow = GetWXPeer();
-    if ( thisWindow->MacGetTopLevelWindow() && NeedsFocusRect() )
-    {
-        thisWindow->MacInvalidateBorders();
-    }
 
     if ( receivedFocus )
     {
diff --git a/src/osx/window_osx.cpp b/src/osx/window_osx.cpp
index 46fa8188a1..6e349163ff 100644
--- a/src/osx/window_osx.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/window_osx.cpp
@@ -938,9 +938,6 @@ void wxWindowMac::MacInvalidateBorders()
 
     int outerBorder = MacGetLeftBorderSize() ;
 
-    if ( GetPeer()->NeedsFocusRect() )
-        outerBorder += 4 ;
-
     if ( outerBorder == 0 )
         return ;
 
@@ -1578,8 +1575,6 @@ void wxWindowMac::MacPaintBorders( int WXUNUSED(leftOrigin) , int WXUNUSED(right
 
 #if wxOSX_USE_COCOA_OR_CARBON
     {
-        const bool hasFocus = GetPeer()->NeedsFocusRect() && HasFocus();
-
         CGRect cgrect = CGRectMake( tx-1 , ty-1 , tw+2 ,
             th+2 ) ;
 
@@ -1594,7 +1589,6 @@ void wxWindowMac::MacPaintBorders( int WXUNUSED(leftOrigin) , int WXUNUSED(right
             info.version = 0 ;
             info.kind = 0 ;
             info.state = IsEnabled() ? kThemeStateActive : kThemeStateInactive ;
-            info.isFocused = hasFocus ;
 
             if ( HasFlag(wxRAISED_BORDER) || HasFlag(wxSUNKEN_BORDER) || HasFlag(wxDOUBLE_BORDER) )
             {
@@ -1607,11 +1601,6 @@ void wxWindowMac::MacPaintBorders( int WXUNUSED(leftOrigin) , int WXUNUSED(right
                 HIThemeDrawFrame( &cgrect , &info , cgContext , kHIThemeOrientationNormal ) ;
             }
         }
-
-        if ( hasFocus )
-        {
-            HIThemeDrawFocusRect( &cgrect , true , cgContext , kHIThemeOrientationNormal ) ;
-        }
     }
 #endif // wxOSX_USE_COCOA_OR_CARBON
 }
@@ -2182,6 +2171,11 @@ bool wxWindowMac::AcceptsFocus() const
         return GetPeer()->CanFocus();
 }
 
+void wxWindowMac::EnableVisibleFocus(bool enabled)
+{
+    GetPeer()->EnableFocusRing(enabled);
+}
+
 void wxWindowMac::MacSuperChangedPosition()
 {
     // only window-absolute structures have to be moved i.e. controls
@@ -2746,20 +2740,9 @@ void wxWidgetImpl::Init()
     m_wantsUserKey = false;
     m_wantsUserMouse = false;
     m_wxPeer = NULL;
-    m_needsFocusRect = false;
     m_needsFrame = true;
 }
 
-void wxWidgetImpl::SetNeedsFocusRect( bool needs )
-{
-    m_needsFocusRect = needs;
-}
-
-bool wxWidgetImpl::NeedsFocusRect() const
-{
-    return m_needsFocusRect;
-}
-
 void wxWidgetImpl::SetNeedsFrame( bool needs )
 {
     m_needsFrame = needs;