diff --git a/src/event_loop/app_data.rs b/src/event_loop/app_data.rs
index 7190450..68d8296 100644
--- a/src/event_loop/app_data.rs
+++ b/src/event_loop/app_data.rs
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ pub struct AppData<A: App>
 	/// Set after the first commit of a rendered buffer on the main surface.
 	/// Used to drive `App::on_first_frame_committed` exactly once.
 	pub first_frame_committed: bool,
+	/// Focus request deferred because the target widget was absent from
+	/// `widget_rects` (e.g. read_only, not yet rebuilt). Retried next draw.
+	pub focus_retry: Option<crate::types::WidgetId>,
 }
 
 impl<A: App> AppData<A>
diff --git a/src/event_loop/run.rs b/src/event_loop/run.rs
index c46e3a2..0a6f77f 100644
--- a/src/event_loop/run.rs
+++ b/src/event_loop/run.rs
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ pub( crate ) fn try_run<A: App>( app: A ) -> Result<(), RunError>
 		view_dirty:      true,
 		overlays_dirty:  true,
 		first_frame_committed: false,
+		focus_retry: None,
 	};
 
 	// Register a calloop channel so the app can send messages from any thread.
@@ -809,7 +810,8 @@ pub( crate ) fn try_run<A: App>( app: A ) -> Result<(), RunError>
 		// 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 focus_id = data.app.take_focus_request().or_else( || data.focus_retry.take() );
+		if let Some( id ) = focus_id
 		{
 			let mut hit: Option<( SurfaceFocus, usize )> = data.main.widget_rects.iter()
 				.find( |w| w.id == Some( id ) )
@@ -840,6 +842,10 @@ pub( crate ) fn try_run<A: App>( app: A ) -> Result<(), RunError>
 						}
 					}
 				}
+			} else {
+				data.focus_retry  = Some( id );
+				data.view_dirty   = true;
+				data.main.request_redraw();
 			}
 		}
 	}