diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
index 3e7aad2a1b..c0656ba90a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ Editor::initialize_canvas ()
 		track_canvas = new ArdourCanvas::CanvasAA ();
 	}
 
+	track_canvas->set_can_default (true);
+	set_default (*track_canvas);
+
 	ArdourCanvas::init ();
 	ardour_canvas_type_init ();
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
index 54519546d0..dbe873634c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
@@ -427,7 +427,20 @@ GainMeterBase::gain_activated ()
 	}
 
 	if (gain_display.has_focus()) {
-		PublicEditor::instance().reset_focus();
+		Gtk::Widget* w = gain_display.get_toplevel();
+		if (w) {
+			Gtk::Window* win = dynamic_cast<Gtk::Window*> (w);
+
+			/* sigh. gtkmm doesn't wrap get_default_widget() */
+
+			if (win) {
+				GtkWidget* f = gtk_window_get_default_widget (win->gobj());
+				if (f) {
+					gtk_widget_grab_focus (f);
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
index fc39115c33..10345428b1 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ Mixer_UI::Mixer_UI ()
 
 	Route::SyncOrderKeys.connect (*this, invalidator (*this), boost::bind (&Mixer_UI::sync_treeview_from_order_keys, this, _1), gui_context());
 
+	scroller.set_can_default (true);
+	set_default (scroller);
+
 	scroller_base.set_flags (Gtk::CAN_FOCUS);
 	scroller_base.add_events (Gdk::BUTTON_PRESS_MASK|Gdk::BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK);
 	scroller_base.set_name ("MixerWindow");
@@ -1935,3 +1938,4 @@ Mixer_UI::toggle_midi_input_active (bool flip_others)
 	
 	_session->set_exclusive_input_active (rl, onoff, flip_others);
 }
+