diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index 4a454ed10..47396cdc3 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -56,10 +56,11 @@ class Applet::Private
         QStringList loadedEngines;
 };
 
-Applet::Applet(QWidget* parent,
+Applet::Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
                KService::Ptr appletDescription,
                int id)
-    : QWidget(parent),
+    : QWidget(0),
+      QGraphicsItemGroup(parent),
       d(new Private(appletDescription, id))
 {
 }
@@ -124,12 +125,10 @@ QString Applet::instanceName() const
     return d->appletDescription->library() + QString::number(d->id);
 }
 
-void Applet::watchForFocus(QWidget* widget, bool watch)
+void Applet::watchForFocus(QObject *widget, bool watch)
 {
     if (!widget)
-    {
         return;
-    }
 
     int index = d->watchedForFocus.indexOf(widget);
     if (watch)
@@ -149,10 +148,8 @@ void Applet::watchForFocus(QWidget* widget, bool watch)
 
 void Applet::needsFocus(bool focus)
 {
-    if (focus == hasFocus())
-    {
+    if (focus == QWidget::hasFocus() || focus == QGraphicsItem::hasFocus())
         return;
-    }
 
     emit requestFocus(focus);
 }
diff --git a/applet.h b/applet.h
index 27d0c28f4..d6e67ce91 100644
--- a/applet.h
+++ b/applet.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #ifndef PLASMA_APPLET_H
 #define PLASMA_APPLET_H
 
+#include <QGraphicsItemGroup>
 #include <QWidget>
 
 #include <ksharedconfig.h>
@@ -29,14 +30,14 @@
 namespace Plasma
 {
 
-class KDE_EXPORT Applet : public QWidget
+class KDE_EXPORT Applet : public QWidget, public QGraphicsItemGroup
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 
     public:
         typedef QList<Applet*> List;
 
-        Applet(QWidget* parent,
+        Applet(QGraphicsItem* parent,
                KService::Ptr appletDescription,
                int id);
         ~Applet();
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class KDE_EXPORT Applet : public QWidget
         * @param widget the widget to watch for keyboard focus
         * @param watch whether to start watching the widget, or to stop doing so
         */
-        void watchForFocus(QWidget* widget, bool watch = true);
+        void watchForFocus(QObject *widget, bool watch = true);
 
         /**
         * Call this whenever focus is needed or not needed. You do not have to