diff --git a/spec/app/pane-container-spec.coffee b/spec/app/pane-container-spec.coffee
index 3289ab5f5..097b256b9 100644
--- a/spec/app/pane-container-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/pane-container-spec.coffee
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ describe "PaneContainer", ->
         expect(pane1.activeItem).toEqual item3
 
     describe "when there is no active pane", ->
-      it "attaches a new pane with the reconstructed last pane item", ->
+      it "attaches a new pane with the reconstructed last pane item and focuses it", ->
+        container.attachToDom()
         pane1.remove()
         pane2.remove()
         item3 = pane3.activeItem
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ describe "PaneContainer", ->
         container.reopenItem()
 
         expect(container.getActivePane().activeItem).toEqual item3
+        expect(container.getActivePane().activeView).toMatchSelector ':focus'
 
     it "does not reopen an item that is already open", ->
       item3 = pane3.activeItem
diff --git a/src/app/pane-container.coffee b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
index 6f59af0f4..8bcaa45fb 100644
--- a/src/app/pane-container.coffee
+++ b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ class PaneContainer extends View
         activePane.showItem(deserialize(lastItemState))
         true
       else
-        @append(new Pane(deserialize(lastItemState)))
+        newPane = new Pane(deserialize(lastItemState))
+        @append(newPane)
+        newPane.focus()
 
   itemDestroyed: (item) ->
     state = item.serialize?()