diff --git a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
index ae5197fe..5917535f 100644
--- a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
+++ b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
@@ -17,12 +17,6 @@ import org.kde.plasma.private.mobileshell 1.0 as MobileShell
 Item {
     id: root
     layer.enabled: true
-    
-    onFocusChanged: {
-        if (focus) {
-            favoritesGrid.forceActiveFocus();
-        }
-    }
 
     required property bool interactive
     required property var searchWidget
@@ -41,6 +35,14 @@ Item {
     
     signal openConfigureRequested()
     
+    Connections {
+        target: parent
+
+        function onFocusRequested() {
+            favoritesGrid.forceActiveFocus();
+        }
+    }
+
     function goToBeginning() {
         goToBeginningAnim.restart();
     }
diff --git a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/GridAppList.qml b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/GridAppList.qml
index 6954768f..723485d7 100644
--- a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/GridAppList.qml
+++ b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/GridAppList.qml
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ MobileShell.GridView {
     cacheBuffer: cellHeight * 20 // 10 rows above and below
     reuseItems: true
     
-    Controls.ScrollBar.vertical: Controls.ScrollBar {
-        policy: Controls.ScrollBar.AlwaysOn
-    }
+    Controls.ScrollBar.vertical: Controls.ScrollBar {}
 
-    onFocusChanged: {
-        if (focus) {
+    Connections {
+        target: parent
+
+        function onFocusRequested() {
             forceActiveFocus();
         }
     }
diff --git a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/HomeScreen.qml b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/HomeScreen.qml
index 65db4c9f..d4b1eb5c 100644
--- a/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/HomeScreen.qml
+++ b/containments/homescreens/halcyon/package/contents/ui/HomeScreen.qml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Item {
         anchors.rightMargin: root.rightMargin
 
         function focusChild() {
-            currentItem.childFocus = true;
+            currentItem.focusRequested();
         }
 
         onCurrentIndexChanged: focusChild()
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ Item {
             height: swipeView.height
             width: swipeView.width
 
-
-            property alias childFocus: favoritesView.focus
+            signal focusRequested()
 
             // open wallpaper menu when held on click
             TapHandler {
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ Item {
             width: swipeView.width
             height: swipeView.height
 
-            property alias childFocus: gridAppList.focus
+            signal focusRequested()
 
             GridAppList {
                 id: gridAppList