diff --git a/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/client/templates/client.html b/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/client/templates/client.html
index fd6fbc406..4528040d2 100644
--- a/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/client/templates/client.html
+++ b/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/client/templates/client.html
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
         <!-- Text input -->
         <div class="text-input-container" ng-show="showTextInput">
-            <guac-text-input></guac-text-input>
+            <guac-text-input needs-focus="showTextInput"></guac-text-input>
         </div>
 
     </div>
diff --git a/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/textInput/directives/guacTextInput.js b/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/textInput/directives/guacTextInput.js
index 66a04aa51..dc9600f12 100644
--- a/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/textInput/directives/guacTextInput.js
+++ b/guacamole/src/main/webapp/app/textInput/directives/guacTextInput.js
@@ -28,7 +28,17 @@ angular.module('textInput').directive('guacTextInput', [function guacTextInput()
     return {
         restrict: 'E',
         replace: true,
-        scope: {},
+        scope: {
+
+            /**
+             * Whether the text input UI should have focus. Setting this value
+             * is not guaranteed to work, due to browser limitations.
+             * 
+             * @type Boolean
+             */
+            needsFocus : '=?'
+
+        },
 
         templateUrl: 'app/textInput/templates/guacTextInput.html',
         controller: ['$scope', '$rootScope', '$element', '$timeout',
@@ -324,6 +334,16 @@ angular.module('textInput').directive('guacTextInput', [function guacTextInput()
                 e.preventDefault();
             }, false);
 
+            // Attempt to change focus depending on need
+            $scope.$watch('needsFocus', function focusDesireChanged(focusNeeded) {
+
+                if (focusNeeded)
+                    target.focus();
+                else
+                    target.blur();
+
+            });
+
             // If the text input UI has focus, prevent keydown events
             $scope.$on('guacBeforeKeydown', function filterKeydown(event, keysym) {
                 if (hasFocus && !ALLOWED_KEYS[keysym])