diff --git a/include/labwc.h b/include/labwc.h
index 5e887ad8..91101f2e 100644
--- a/include/labwc.h
+++ b/include/labwc.h
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ void desktop_focus_topmost_view(struct server *server);
 void seat_init(struct server *server);
 void seat_finish(struct server *server);
 void seat_reconfigure(struct server *server);
+void seat_force_focus_surface(struct seat *seat, struct wlr_surface *surface);
 void seat_focus_surface(struct seat *seat, struct wlr_surface *surface);
 
 void seat_pointer_end_grab(struct seat *seat, struct wlr_surface *surface);
diff --git a/src/layers.c b/src/layers.c
index f26208ef..8ee11d64 100644
--- a/src/layers.c
+++ b/src/layers.c
@@ -546,6 +546,15 @@ handle_new_popup(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data)
 	struct wlr_scene_layer_surface_v1 *surface = toplevel->scene_layer_surface;
 	struct output *output = surface->layer_surface->output->data;
 
+	/*
+	 * When a popup is opened by a client without keyboard focus we need to
+	 * force focus it so that it can be operated by the keyboard. An example
+	 * of a use-case is the xfce4-panel start menu which can be opened by a
+	 * keyboard shortcut (linked to xfce4-popup-applicationmenu).
+	 */
+	seat_force_focus_surface(&server->seat,
+		toplevel->layer_surface->surface);
+
 	int lx, ly;
 	wlr_scene_node_coords(&surface->tree->node, &lx, &ly);
 
diff --git a/src/seat.c b/src/seat.c
index b19ff88a..ef0bcb55 100644
--- a/src/seat.c
+++ b/src/seat.c
@@ -759,6 +759,17 @@ seat_reconfigure(struct server *server)
 	}
 }
 
+void
+seat_force_focus_surface(struct seat *seat, struct wlr_surface *surface)
+{
+	uint32_t *pressed_sent_keycodes = key_state_pressed_sent_keycodes();
+	int nr_pressed_sent_keycodes = key_state_nr_pressed_sent_keycodes();
+	struct wlr_keyboard *kb = &seat->keyboard_group->keyboard;
+
+	wlr_seat_keyboard_enter(seat->seat, surface,
+		pressed_sent_keycodes, nr_pressed_sent_keycodes, &kb->modifiers);
+}
+
 static void
 seat_focus(struct seat *seat, struct wlr_surface *surface,
 		bool replace_exclusive_layer, bool is_lock_surface)