diff --git i/src/gui/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp w/src/gui/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
index e9a2f9f..70c3cd7 100644
--- i/src/gui/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
+++ w/src/gui/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
@@ -3295,7 +3295,7 @@ void QGraphicsItemPrivate::setFocusHelper(Qt::FocusReason focusReason, bool clim
     }

     // Update the child focus chain.
-    if (scene && scene->focusItem())
+    if (scene && scene->focusItem() && scene->focusItem() != f)
         scene->focusItem()->d_ptr->clearSubFocus();
     f->d_ptr->setSubFocus();