diff --git a/crates/gpui/src/app.rs b/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
index bf3fc0e5b7..862374f312 100644
--- a/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
@@ -5360,10 +5360,6 @@ mod tests {
             cx.focus(&view_2);
         });
 
-        cx.read_window(window_id, |cx| {
-            assert!(cx.is_child_focused(&view_1));
-            assert!(!cx.is_child_focused(&view_2));
-        });
         assert_eq!(
             mem::take(&mut *view_events.lock()),
             ["view 1 blurred", "view 2 focused"],
@@ -5377,10 +5373,6 @@ mod tests {
         );
 
         view_1.update(cx, |_, cx| cx.focus(&view_1));
-        cx.read_window(window_id, |cx| {
-            assert!(!cx.is_child_focused(&view_1));
-            assert!(!cx.is_child_focused(&view_2));
-        });
         assert_eq!(
             mem::take(&mut *view_events.lock()),
             ["view 2 blurred", "view 1 focused"],
diff --git a/crates/gpui/src/app/window.rs b/crates/gpui/src/app/window.rs
index 1eaa03756a..04c6b423bc 100644
--- a/crates/gpui/src/app/window.rs
+++ b/crates/gpui/src/app/window.rs
@@ -1085,16 +1085,6 @@ impl<'a> WindowContext<'a> {
         self.window.focused_view_id
     }
 
-    pub fn is_child_focused(&self, view: &AnyViewHandle) -> bool {
-        if let Some(focused_view_id) = self.focused_view_id() {
-            self.ancestors(focused_view_id)
-                .skip(1) // Skip self id
-                .any(|parent| parent == view.view_id)
-        } else {
-            false
-        }
-    }
-
     pub fn window_bounds(&self) -> WindowBounds {
         self.window.platform_window.bounds()
     }
diff --git a/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs b/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
index 4024d1fe51..3215b948aa 100644
--- a/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
+++ b/crates/workspace/src/pane.rs
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ pub struct Pane {
     docked: Option<DockAnchor>,
     _background_actions: BackgroundActions,
     workspace: WeakViewHandle<Workspace>,
+    has_focus: bool,
 }
 
 pub struct ItemNavHistory {
@@ -258,6 +259,7 @@ impl Pane {
             docked,
             _background_actions: background_actions,
             workspace,
+            has_focus: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -274,6 +276,10 @@ impl Pane {
         cx.notify();
     }
 
+    pub fn has_focus(&self) -> bool {
+        self.has_focus
+    }
+
     pub fn set_docked(&mut self, docked: Option<DockAnchor>, cx: &mut ViewContext<Self>) {
         self.docked = docked;
         cx.notify();
@@ -1798,7 +1804,7 @@ impl View for Pane {
     }
 
     fn focus_in(&mut self, focused: AnyViewHandle, cx: &mut ViewContext<Self>) {
-        cx.emit(Event::Focus);
+        self.has_focus = true;
         self.toolbar.update(cx, |toolbar, cx| {
             toolbar.pane_focus_update(true, cx);
         });
@@ -1824,9 +1830,12 @@ impl View for Pane {
                     .insert(active_item.id(), focused.downgrade());
             }
         }
+
+        cx.emit(Event::Focus);
     }
 
     fn focus_out(&mut self, _: AnyViewHandle, cx: &mut ViewContext<Self>) {
+        self.has_focus = false;
         self.toolbar.update(cx, |toolbar, cx| {
             toolbar.pane_focus_update(false, cx);
         });
diff --git a/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs b/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
index 972baae0ca..f86d054a5c 100644
--- a/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/crates/workspace/src/workspace.rs
@@ -2339,19 +2339,14 @@ impl Workspace {
         }
 
         for (pane, item) in items_to_activate {
-            let active_item_was_focused = pane
-                .read(cx)
-                .active_item()
-                .map(|active_item| cx.is_child_focused(active_item.as_any()))
-                .unwrap_or_default();
-
+            let pane_was_focused = pane.read(cx).has_focus();
             if let Some(index) = pane.update(cx, |pane, _| pane.index_for_item(item.as_ref())) {
                 pane.update(cx, |pane, cx| pane.activate_item(index, false, false, cx));
             } else {
                 Pane::add_item(self, &pane, item.boxed_clone(), false, false, None, cx);
             }
 
-            if active_item_was_focused {
+            if pane_was_focused {
                 pane.update(cx, |pane, cx| pane.focus_active_item(cx));
             }
         }