diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/secondary-window-handler.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/secondary-window-handler.ts
index c1929d8a7fa66..32363b116337e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/secondary-window-handler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/secondary-window-handler.ts
@@ -190,9 +190,8 @@ export class SecondaryWindowHandler {
         const trackedWidget = this._widgets.find(w => w.id === widgetId);
         if (trackedWidget && this.getFocusedWindow()) {
             this.secondaryWindowService.focus(trackedWidget.secondaryWindow!);
-            return trackedWidget;
         }
-        return undefined;
+        return trackedWidget;
     }
 
     getFocusedWindow(): Window | undefined {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/shell/application-shell.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/shell/application-shell.ts
index d026cda3b8200..9ca459b0f38d8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/shell/application-shell.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/shell/application-shell.ts
@@ -1358,16 +1358,20 @@ export class ApplicationShell extends Widget {
             widget = this.rightPanelHandler.activate(id);
         }
         if (widget) {
-            // If this application has focus, then on widget activation, activate the window.
-            // If this application does not have focus, do not routinely steal focus.
-            if (this.secondaryWindowHandler.getFocusedWindow()) {
-                this.windowService.focus();
-            }
+            this.focusWindowIfApplicationFocused();
             return widget;
         }
         return this.secondaryWindowHandler.activateWidget(id);
     }
 
+    protected focusWindowIfApplicationFocused(): void {
+        // If this application has focus, then on widget activation, activate the window.
+        // If this application does not have focus, do not routinely steal focus.
+        if (this.secondaryWindowHandler.getFocusedWindow()) {
+            this.windowService.focus();
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Focus is taken by a widget through the `onActivateRequest` method. It is up to the
      * widget implementation which DOM element will get the focus. The default implementation
@@ -1467,7 +1471,7 @@ export class ApplicationShell extends Widget {
             widget = this.rightPanelHandler.expand(id);
         }
         if (widget) {
-            this.windowService.focus();
+            this.focusWindowIfApplicationFocused();
             return widget;
         } else {
             return this.secondaryWindowHandler.revealWidget(id);