diff --git a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-plugin-page-register.c b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-plugin-page-register.c
index ace2c379dd..1d19586983 100644
--- a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-plugin-page-register.c
+++ b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-plugin-page-register.c
@@ -566,6 +566,7 @@ typedef struct GncPluginPageRegisterPrivate
 
     gint lines_default;
     gboolean read_only;
+    gboolean page_focus;
     gboolean enable_refresh; // used to reduce ledger display refreshes
     Query *search_query;     // saved search query for comparison
     Query *filter_query;     // saved filter query for comparison
@@ -1150,6 +1151,7 @@ gnc_plugin_register_main_window_page_changed (GncMainWindow *window,
                                               GncPluginPage *register_plugin_page)
 {
     GncPluginPageRegisterPrivate *priv;
+    GNCSplitReg *gsr;
 
     // We continue only if the plugin_page is a valid
     if (!current_plugin_page || !GNC_IS_PLUGIN_PAGE_REGISTER(current_plugin_page) ||
@@ -1157,15 +1159,23 @@ gnc_plugin_register_main_window_page_changed (GncMainWindow *window,
         return;
 
     priv = GNC_PLUGIN_PAGE_REGISTER_GET_PRIVATE(register_plugin_page);
+    gsr = gnc_plugin_page_register_get_gsr (GNC_PLUGIN_PAGE(register_plugin_page));
 
     if (current_plugin_page == register_plugin_page)
     {
+        priv->page_focus = TRUE;
+
         // The page changed signal is emitted multiple times so we need
         // to use an idle_add to change the focus to the register
         g_idle_remove_by_data (GNC_PLUGIN_PAGE_REGISTER (register_plugin_page));
         g_idle_add ((GSourceFunc)gnc_plugin_page_register_focus,
                       GNC_PLUGIN_PAGE_REGISTER (register_plugin_page));
     }
+    else
+        priv->page_focus = FALSE;
+
+    // set the sheet focus setting
+    gnc_split_reg_set_sheet_focus (gsr, priv->page_focus);
 }
 
 static GtkWidget *
@@ -1194,6 +1204,8 @@ gnc_plugin_page_register_create_widget (GncPluginPage *plugin_page)
         LEAVE("existing widget %p", priv->widget);
         return priv->widget;
     }
+    // on create, the page will be the current page so set the focus flag
+    priv->page_focus = TRUE;
 
     priv->widget = gtk_box_new (GTK_ORIENTATION_VERTICAL, 0);
     gtk_box_set_homogeneous (GTK_BOX (priv->widget), FALSE);
diff --git a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.c b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.c
index f8c3db9edd..599a167057 100644
--- a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.c
+++ b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.c
@@ -1930,6 +1930,14 @@ gnc_split_reg_focus_on_sheet (GNCSplitReg *gsr)
         gtk_widget_grab_focus (GTK_WIDGET (sheet));
 }
 
+void
+gnc_split_reg_set_sheet_focus (GNCSplitReg *gsr, gboolean has_focus)
+{
+    GnucashRegister *reg = gsr->reg;
+    GnucashSheet *sheet = gnucash_register_get_sheet (reg);
+    gnucash_sheet_set_has_focus (sheet, has_focus);
+}
+
 void
 gnc_split_reg_balancing_entry(GNCSplitReg *gsr, Account *account,
                               time64 statement_date, gnc_numeric balancing_amount)
diff --git a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.h b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.h
index d54372c8e0..8c0f78c24e 100644
--- a/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.h
+++ b/gnucash/gnome/gnc-split-reg.h
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ void gnc_split_reg_jump_to_split_amount(GNCSplitReg *gsr, Split *split);
  * Set the focus of the register to the sheet
  **/
 void gnc_split_reg_focus_on_sheet (GNCSplitReg *gsr);
+void gnc_split_reg_set_sheet_focus (GNCSplitReg *gsr, gboolean has_focus);
 
 /*
  * Create a transaction entry with given amount and date. One account is
diff --git a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.c b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.c
index 0494117376..36bd9c6525 100644
--- a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.c
+++ b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.c
@@ -407,8 +407,10 @@ gnucash_sheet_activate_cursor_cell (GnucashSheet *sheet,
         sheet->direct_update_cell =
             gnucash_sheet_check_direct_update_cell (sheet, virt_loc);
     }
-
-    gtk_widget_grab_focus (GTK_WIDGET(sheet));
+    // when a gui refresh is called, we end up here so only grab the focus
+    // if the sheet is showing on the current plugin_page
+    if (sheet->sheet_has_focus)
+        gtk_widget_grab_focus (GTK_WIDGET(sheet));
 }
 
 
@@ -757,6 +759,12 @@ gnucash_sheet_is_read_only (GnucashSheet *sheet)
     return gnc_table_model_read_only (sheet->table->model);
 }
 
+void
+gnucash_sheet_set_has_focus (GnucashSheet *sheet, gboolean has_focus)
+{
+    sheet->sheet_has_focus = has_focus;
+}
+
 static void
 gnucash_sheet_finalize (GObject *object)
 {
@@ -2764,6 +2772,9 @@ gnucash_sheet_new (Table *table)
 
     sheet = gnucash_sheet_create (table);
 
+    /* on create, the sheet can grab the focus */
+    sheet->sheet_has_focus = TRUE;
+
     /* The cursor */
     sheet->cursor = gnucash_cursor_new (sheet);
 
diff --git a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.h b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.h
index 907cd34e9f..c24fe2c199 100644
--- a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.h
+++ b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheet.h
@@ -112,5 +112,7 @@ gint gnucash_sheet_get_text_offset (GnucashSheet *sheet, const VirtualLocation v
 
 gboolean gnucash_sheet_is_read_only (GnucashSheet *sheet);
 
+void gnucash_sheet_set_has_focus (GnucashSheet *sheet, gboolean has_focus);
+
 /** @} */
 #endif
diff --git a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheetP.h b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheetP.h
index 888106832d..1c2d96c1d5 100644
--- a/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheetP.h
+++ b/gnucash/register/register-gnome/gnucash-sheetP.h
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ struct _GnucashSheet
 
     gint editing;
 
+    gboolean sheet_has_focus;
+
     guint button; /* mouse button being held down */
     gboolean grabbed; /* has the grab */
     gdouble button_x, button_y;