diff --git a/src/event_loop/mod.rs b/src/event_loop/mod.rs
index e086efd..2ccea1c 100644
--- a/src/event_loop/mod.rs
+++ b/src/event_loop/mod.rs
@@ -497,17 +497,41 @@ pub( crate ) fn try_run<A: App>( app: A ) -> Result<(), RunError>
 			draw_frame( &mut data );
 		}
 
-		// Focus the widget with the requested WidgetId if the app requests it
+		// Focus the widget with the requested WidgetId if the app requests it.
+		// Walks main + every overlay because the targeted widget can live
+		// on any of them (a search field on a launcher overlay, a text
+		// edit on a dialog modal, …).
 		if let Some( id ) = data.app.take_focus_request()
 		{
-			let found = data.main.widget_rects.iter()
+			let mut hit: Option<( SurfaceFocus, usize )> = data.main.widget_rects.iter()
 				.find( |w| w.id == Some( id ) )
-				.map( |w| w.flat_idx );
-			if let Some( flat_idx ) = found
+				.map( |w| ( SurfaceFocus::Main, w.flat_idx ) );
+			if hit.is_none()
+			{
+				for ( ov_id, surf ) in &data.overlays
+				{
+					if let Some( w ) = surf.widget_rects.iter().find( |w| w.id == Some( id ) )
+					{
+						hit = Some( ( SurfaceFocus::Overlay( *ov_id ), w.flat_idx ) );
+						break;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			if let Some( ( focus, flat_idx ) ) = hit
 			{
 				let qh = data.qh.clone();
-				data.set_focus( SurfaceFocus::Main, Some( flat_idx ), &qh );
-				data.main.request_redraw();
+				data.set_focus( focus, Some( flat_idx ), &qh );
+				match focus
+				{
+					SurfaceFocus::Main         => data.main.request_redraw(),
+					SurfaceFocus::Overlay( id ) =>
+					{
+						if let Some( s ) = data.overlays.get_mut( &id )
+						{
+							s.request_redraw();
+						}
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}