diff --git a/src/pane-model.coffee b/src/pane-model.coffee
index c39174083..def6d3a6c 100644
--- a/src/pane-model.coffee
+++ b/src/pane-model.coffee
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class PaneModel extends Model
   @properties
     items: -> []
     activeItem: null
+    focused: false
 
   constructor: ->
     super
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ class PaneModel extends Model
   serializeParams: ->
     items: compact(@items.map((item) -> item.serialize?()))
     activeItemUri: @activeItem?.getUri?()
+    focused: @focused
 
   deserializeParams: (params) ->
     {items, activeItemUri} = params
@@ -25,6 +27,12 @@ class PaneModel extends Model
     params.activeItem = find params.items, (item) -> item.getUri?() is activeItemUri
     params
 
+  focus: ->
+    @focused = true
+
+  blur: ->
+    @focused = false
+
   # Public: Returns all contained views.
   getItems: ->
     clone(@items)
diff --git a/src/pane.coffee b/src/pane.coffee
index f9bb2b25c..8896d95bd 100644
--- a/src/pane.coffee
+++ b/src/pane.coffee
@@ -32,11 +32,13 @@ class Pane extends View
     toProperty: 'model'
 
   previousActiveItem: null
+  focusOnAttach: false
 
   # Private:
   initialize: (args...) ->
     if args[0]?.model?
-      {@model, @focusOnAttach} = args[0]
+      {@model} = args[0]
+      @focusOnAttach = @model.focused
     else
       @model = new PaneModel(items: args)
 
@@ -53,7 +55,8 @@ class Pane extends View
     @subscribe @model, 'item-destroyed', @onItemDestroyed
 
     @subscribe this, 'focus', => @activeView?.focus(); false
-    @subscribe this, 'focusin', => @makeActive()
+    @subscribe this, 'focusin', => @makeActive(); @model.focus()
+    @subscribe this, 'focusout', => @model.blur()
 
     @command 'pane:save-items', => @saveItems()
     @command 'pane:show-next-item', => @showNextItem()
@@ -82,7 +85,6 @@ class Pane extends View
 
   serializeParams: ->
     model: @model.serialize()
-    focusOnAttach: @is(':has(:focus)')
 
   # Private:
   afterAttach: (onDom) ->