diff --git a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wayland_input_dispatcher.cpp b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wayland_input_dispatcher.cpp
index 13c35fc3b50..e0f0eb54e84 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wayland_input_dispatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wayland_input_dispatcher.cpp
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ void mf::WaylandInputDispatcher::handle_keyboard_event(std::chrono::milliseconds
     {
         int const scancode = mir_keyboard_event_scan_code(event);
         bool const down = action == mir_keyboard_action_down;
-        seat->for_each_listener(client, [&ms, scancode, down](WlKeyboard* keyboard)
+        seat->for_each_listener(client, [&ms, wl_surface = wl_surface, scancode, down](WlKeyboard* keyboard)
             {
-                keyboard->key(ms, scancode, down);
+                keyboard->key(ms, wl_surface, scancode, down);
             });
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.cpp b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.cpp
index 674381d8d8d..53eff095da9 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.cpp
+++ b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "mir/executor.h"
 #include "mir/anonymous_shm_file.h"
 #include "mir/input/keymap.h"
+#include "mir/log.h"
 
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon.h>
 #include <boost/throw_exception.hpp>
@@ -68,8 +69,16 @@ mf::WlKeyboard::~WlKeyboard()
     on_destroy(this);
 }
 
-void mf::WlKeyboard::key(std::chrono::milliseconds const& ms, int scancode, bool down)
+void mf::WlKeyboard::key(std::chrono::milliseconds const& ms, WlSurface* surface, int scancode, bool down)
 {
+    if (*focused_surface_destroyed || focused_surface != surface)
+    {
+        log_warning(
+            "Sending key to wl_surface@%u even though it was not explicitly given keyboard focus",
+            wl_resource_get_id(surface->resource));
+        focussed(surface, true);
+    }
+
     auto const serial = wl_display_next_serial(wl_client_get_display(client));
     /*
      * HACK! Maintain our own XKB state, so we can serialise it for
@@ -83,10 +92,20 @@ void mf::WlKeyboard::key(std::chrono::milliseconds const& ms, int scancode, bool
     update_modifier_state();
 }
 
-void mf::WlKeyboard::focussed(WlSurface* surface, bool focussed)
+void mf::WlKeyboard::focussed(WlSurface* surface, bool should_be_focused)
 {
-    auto const serial = wl_display_next_serial(wl_client_get_display(client));
-    if (focussed)
+    bool const is_currently_focused = (*focused_surface_destroyed == false && focused_surface == surface);
+
+    if (should_be_focused == is_currently_focused)
+        return;
+
+    if (*focused_surface_destroyed == false)
+    {
+        auto const serial = wl_display_next_serial(wl_client_get_display(client));
+        send_leave_event(serial, focused_surface->raw_resource());
+    }
+
+    if (should_be_focused)
     {
         // TODO: Send the surface's keymap here
 
@@ -114,12 +133,17 @@ void mf::WlKeyboard::focussed(WlSurface* surface, bool focussed)
                 keyboard_state.size() * sizeof(decltype(keyboard_state)::value_type));
         }
 
+        auto const serial = wl_display_next_serial(wl_client_get_display(client));
         send_enter_event(serial, surface->raw_resource(), &key_state);
         wl_array_release(&key_state);
+
+        focused_surface = surface;
+        focused_surface_destroyed = surface->destroyed_flag();
     }
     else
     {
-        send_leave_event(serial, surface->raw_resource());
+        focused_surface = nullptr;
+        focused_surface_destroyed = std::make_shared<bool>(true);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.h b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.h
index 6624ba8caf5..48be8722814 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.h
+++ b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_keyboard.h
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ class WlKeyboard : public wayland::Keyboard
 
     ~WlKeyboard();
 
-    void key(std::chrono::milliseconds const& ms, int scancode, bool down);
-    void focussed(WlSurface* surface, bool focussed);
+    void key(std::chrono::milliseconds const& ms, WlSurface* surface, int scancode, bool down);
+    void focussed(WlSurface* surface, bool should_be_focused);
     void set_keymap(char const* const buffer, size_t length);
     void set_keymap(mir::input::Keymap const& new_keymap);
     void resync_keyboard();
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ class WlKeyboard : public wayland::Keyboard
     std::function<void(WlKeyboard*)> on_destroy;
     std::function<std::vector<uint32_t>()> const acquire_current_keyboard_state;
 
+    std::shared_ptr<bool> focused_surface_destroyed{std::make_shared<bool>(true)};
+    WlSurface* focused_surface{nullptr}; ///< Should only be used if *focused_surface_destroyed == false
+
     uint32_t mods_depressed{0};
     uint32_t mods_latched{0};
     uint32_t mods_locked{0};
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.cpp b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.cpp
index ec4db6bf4df..63df207a37e 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.cpp
+++ b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.cpp
@@ -204,10 +204,14 @@ void mf::WlSeat::for_each_listener(wl_client* client, std::function<void(WlTouch
     touch_listeners->for_each(client, func);
 }
 
-void mf::WlSeat::notify_focus(wl_client *focus) const
+void mf::WlSeat::notify_focus(wl_client *focus)
 {
-    for (auto const listener : focus_listeners)
-        listener->focus_on(focus);
+    if (focus != focused_client)
+    {
+        focused_client = focus;
+        for (auto const listener : focus_listeners)
+            listener->focus_on(focus);
+    }
 }
 
 void mf::WlSeat::spawn(std::function<void()>&& work)
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.h b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.h
index 2260bde43e0..bfe72341c01 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.h
+++ b/src/server/frontend_wayland/wl_seat.h
@@ -79,11 +79,12 @@ class WlSeat : public wayland::Seat::Global
 
     void add_focus_listener(ListenerTracker* listener);
     void remove_focus_listener(ListenerTracker* listener);
-    void notify_focus(wl_client* focus) const;
+    void notify_focus(wl_client* focus);
 
     void server_restart();
 
 private:
+    wl_client* focused_client{nullptr}; ///< Can be null
     std::vector<ListenerTracker*> focus_listeners;
 
     struct FocusClient : ListenerTracker
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_surface.cpp b/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_surface.cpp
index bbf1dc24f7d..346bfbacff9 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_surface.cpp
+++ b/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_surface.cpp
@@ -492,7 +492,20 @@ void mf::XWaylandSurface::property_notify(xcb_atom_t property)
 
         if (spec && scene_surface)
         {
-            shell->modify_surface(scene_surface->session().lock(), scene_surface, *spec.value());
+            if (spec.value()->application_id.is_set() &&
+                spec.value()->application_id.value() == scene_surface->application_id())
+                spec.value()->application_id.consume();
+
+            if (spec.value()->name.is_set() &&
+                spec.value()->name.value() == scene_surface->name())
+                spec.value()->name.consume();
+
+            if (spec.value()->parent.is_set() &&
+                spec.value()->parent.value().lock() == scene_surface->parent())
+                spec.value()->parent.consume();
+
+            if (!spec.value()->is_empty())
+                shell->modify_surface(scene_surface->session().lock(), scene_surface, *spec.value());
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_wm.cpp b/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_wm.cpp
index 85ac71f369d..868eb2e08ae 100644
--- a/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_wm.cpp
+++ b/src/server/frontend_xwayland/xwayland_wm.cpp
@@ -328,14 +328,11 @@ void mf::XWaylandWM::set_focus(xcb_window_t xcb_window, bool should_be_focused)
             connection->net_active_window,
             static_cast<xcb_window_t>(XCB_WINDOW_NONE));
 
-        // TODO: enable clearing of input focus once github.com/MirServer/mir/issues/1295 is fixed
-        // at time of writing, focus is momentarily cleared when unmapping a popup
-        // clearing input focus results in the client closing any parent popups, so don't do that
-        // xcb_set_input_focus_checked(
-        //     *connection,
-        //     XCB_INPUT_FOCUS_POINTER_ROOT,
-        //     XCB_NONE,
-        //     XCB_CURRENT_TIME);
+        xcb_set_input_focus_checked(
+            *connection,
+            XCB_INPUT_FOCUS_POINTER_ROOT,
+            XCB_NONE,
+            XCB_CURRENT_TIME);
     }
 
     connection->flush();
diff --git a/src/server/shell/abstract_shell.cpp b/src/server/shell/abstract_shell.cpp
index dc722e402b9..c36f208c74d 100644
--- a/src/server/shell/abstract_shell.cpp
+++ b/src/server/shell/abstract_shell.cpp
@@ -416,11 +416,7 @@ void msh::AbstractShell::notify_focus_locked(
 
         for (auto const& item : current_focus_tree)
         {
-            // It looks odd to unfocus `surface` here and focus it later, but this is a workaround
-            // for bug 823: There seems to be no easy alternative to prod the surface event source.
-            // TODO: find a better way.
-            if (find(begin(new_focus_tree), end(new_focus_tree), item) == end(new_focus_tree) ||
-                item == surface)
+            if (find(begin(new_focus_tree), end(new_focus_tree), item) == end(new_focus_tree))
             {
                 item->set_focus_state(mir_window_focus_state_unfocused);
             }
@@ -445,8 +441,7 @@ void msh::AbstractShell::notify_focus_locked(
 
             for (auto const& item : new_focus_tree)
             {
-                if (find(begin(current_focus_tree), end(current_focus_tree), item) == end(current_focus_tree) ||
-                    item == surface)
+                if (find(begin(current_focus_tree), end(current_focus_tree), item) == end(current_focus_tree))
                 {
                     item->set_focus_state(mir_window_focus_state_focused);
                 }