diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-accessibility.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-accessibility.c
index 8b803b2d75150ef86d70d66bb30e1f351be76ed1..8727d7e1db98dcdb9b22ab113c3d69be9dc91b4c 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-accessibility.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-accessibility.c
@@ -230,6 +230,8 @@ check_key_visibility (ClutterStage *stage)
   ClutterActor *focus;
 
   focus = clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage);
+  if (focus == NULL)
+    focus = CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage);
   accessible = clutter_actor_get_accessible (focus);
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (accessible != NULL, 0);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
index fa6d8a5157ca2e0406bf90d17cb169c60f000def..074f5fe4d6b7b1e65482fa5a25f28a67f2888605 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-stage.c
@@ -2110,7 +2110,11 @@ clutter_stage_set_key_focus (ClutterStage *stage,
 
   /* normalize the key focus. NULL == stage */
   if (actor == CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage))
-    actor = NULL;
+    {
+      g_warning ("Stage key focus was set to stage itself, "
+                 "unsetting focus instead");
+      actor = NULL;
+    }
 
   /* avoid emitting signals and notifications if we're setting the same
    * actor as the key focus
@@ -2171,7 +2175,7 @@ clutter_stage_set_key_focus (ClutterStage *stage,
  *
  * Retrieves the actor that is currently under key focus.
  *
- * Return value: (transfer none): the actor with key focus, or the stage
+ * Return value: (transfer none) (nullable): the actor with key focus
  */
 ClutterActor *
 clutter_stage_get_key_focus (ClutterStage *stage)
@@ -2181,10 +2185,7 @@ clutter_stage_get_key_focus (ClutterStage *stage)
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_STAGE (stage), NULL);
 
   priv = clutter_stage_get_instance_private (stage);
-  if (priv->key_focused_actor)
-    return priv->key_focused_actor;
-
-  return CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage);
+  return priv->key_focused_actor;
 }
 
 /*** Perspective boxed type ******/
@@ -4178,10 +4179,13 @@ clutter_stage_get_event_actor (ClutterStage       *stage,
 {
   ClutterInputDevice *device;
   ClutterEventSequence *sequence;
+  ClutterStagePrivate *priv;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_STAGE (stage), NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail (event != NULL, NULL);
 
+  priv = clutter_stage_get_instance_private (stage);
+
   switch (clutter_event_type (event))
     {
     case CLUTTER_KEY_PRESS:
@@ -4193,7 +4197,8 @@ clutter_stage_get_event_actor (ClutterStage       *stage,
     case CLUTTER_IM_COMMIT:
     case CLUTTER_IM_DELETE:
     case CLUTTER_IM_PREEDIT:
-      return clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage);
+      return priv->key_focused_actor ?
+             priv->key_focused_actor : CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage);
     case CLUTTER_MOTION:
     case CLUTTER_ENTER:
     case CLUTTER_LEAVE:
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-stage.c b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
index f3823e3c7cbe14046ca514fe82561e3e684ec2d9..ac436e8f6dd50e9fd30999c792b61f325c5d78d6 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-stage.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-stage.c
@@ -307,12 +307,6 @@ key_focus_actor_changed (ClutterStage *stage,
 {
   ClutterActor *key_focus = clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage);
 
-  /* If there's no explicit key focus, clutter_stage_get_key_focus()
-   * returns the stage.
-   */
-  if (key_focus == CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage))
-    key_focus = NULL;
-
   clutter_stage_set_active (stage, key_focus != NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/events.c b/src/core/events.c
index ba2dca734e0599eb3cfa4321527f3abab17c25bc..9bf4a0001f395b629ce8c2396e638fae16a5d1fd 100644
--- a/src/core/events.c
+++ b/src/core/events.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ stage_has_key_focus (MetaDisplay *display)
 {
   ClutterStage *stage = stage_from_display (display);
 
-  return clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage) == CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage);
+  return clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage) == NULL;
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/src/tests/clutter/interactive/test-events.c b/src/tests/clutter/interactive/test-events.c
index 752d423c04583f8ba5ce354ce1bff7b264e1149b..c17dd84115e025c32bcbc158208054a976095e50 100644
--- a/src/tests/clutter/interactive/test-events.c
+++ b/src/tests/clutter/interactive/test-events.c
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ input_cb (ClutterActor *actor,
       event_type == CLUTTER_KEY_RELEASE)
     {
       source_actor = clutter_stage_get_key_focus (CLUTTER_STAGE (stage));
+      if (source_actor == NULL)
+        source_actor = stage;
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
index b06cf1f269e775577d8f596871a0d0617d4260b5..83a169652f5f8ad7ed9035ddaeb2b8e7a35d5917 100644
--- a/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
+++ b/src/tests/meta-test-shell.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ on_overlay_key (MetaDisplay   *display,
     {
       test_shell->overview.grab = clutter_stage_grab (stage, CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage));
       test_shell->overview.prev_focus = clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage);
-      clutter_stage_set_key_focus (stage, CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage));
+      clutter_stage_set_key_focus (stage, NULL);
     }
   else
     {
diff --git a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
index 7f3499ea6e0ad04138d04db78df402790942e8ec..0b372e3dfa043d74c3a6e1b46a8228687a27d957 100644
--- a/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
+++ b/src/x11/meta-x11-display.c
@@ -1301,7 +1301,7 @@ stage_has_focus_actor (MetaX11Display *x11_display)
 
   key_focus = clutter_stage_get_key_focus (stage);
 
-  return key_focus != CLUTTER_ACTOR (stage);
+  return key_focus != NULL;
 }
 
 static void