diff --git a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
index ce2b82adc..e2fd40ece 100644
--- a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ AppletQuickItemPrivate::AppletQuickItemPrivate(Plasma::Applet *a, AppletQuickIte
       switchWidth(-1),
       switchHeight(-1),
       applet(a),
-      expanded(false)
+      expanded(false),
+      activationTogglesExpanded(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -727,6 +728,20 @@ void AppletQuickItem::setExpanded(bool expanded)
     emit expandedChanged(expanded);
 }
 
+bool AppletQuickItem::isActivationTogglesExpanded() const
+{
+    return d->activationTogglesExpanded;
+}
+
+void AppletQuickItem::setActivationTogglesExpanded(bool activationTogglesExpanded)
+{
+    if (d->activationTogglesExpanded == activationTogglesExpanded) {
+        return;
+    }
+    d->activationTogglesExpanded = activationTogglesExpanded;
+    emit activationTogglesExpandedChanged(activationTogglesExpanded);
+}
+
 ////////////Internals
 
 KDeclarative::QmlObject *AppletQuickItem::qmlObject()
diff --git a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.h b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.h
index 943e227c0..7df364daf 100644
--- a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.h
+++ b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.h
@@ -80,6 +80,12 @@ class PLASMAQUICK_EXPORT AppletQuickItem : public QQuickItem
      */
     Q_PROPERTY(bool expanded WRITE setExpanded READ isExpanded NOTIFY expandedChanged)
 
+    /**
+     * True when the applet wants the activation signal act in toggle mode, i.e. while being expanded
+     * the signal shrinks the applet to its not exanded state instead of reexpanding it.
+     */
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool activationTogglesExpanded WRITE setActivationTogglesExpanded READ isActivationTogglesExpanded NOTIFY activationTogglesExpandedChanged)
+
     /**
      * the applet root QML item: sometimes is the same as fullRepresentationItem
      * if a fullrepresentation was not declared explicitly
@@ -126,6 +132,9 @@ public:
     bool isExpanded() const;
     void setExpanded(bool expanded);
 
+    bool isActivationTogglesExpanded() const;
+    void setActivationTogglesExpanded(bool activationTogglesExpanded);
+
 ////NEEDED BY QML TO CREATE ATTACHED PROPERTIES
     static AppletQuickItem *qmlAttachedProperties(QObject *object);
 
@@ -135,6 +144,7 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void switchHeightChanged(int height);
 
     void expandedChanged(bool expanded);
+    void activationTogglesExpandedChanged(bool activationTogglesExpanded);
 
     void compactRepresentationChanged(QQmlComponent *compactRepresentation);
     void fullRepresentationChanged(QQmlComponent *fullRepresentation);
diff --git a/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h b/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
index 143693576..ffd2bf269 100644
--- a/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
+++ b/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ public:
     Plasma::Package containmentPackage;
 
     bool expanded : 1;
+    bool activationTogglesExpanded : 1;
 
     static QHash<QObject *, AppletQuickItem *> s_rootObjects;
 };
diff --git a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
index 1cd693441..f24bc5152 100644
--- a/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/scriptengines/qml/plasmoid/appletinterface.cpp
@@ -142,11 +142,16 @@ void AppletInterface::init()
     emit busyChanged();
 
     applet()->updateConstraints(Plasma::Types::UiReadyConstraint);
+
     connect(applet(), &Plasma::Applet::activated,
     [ = ]() {
-        setExpanded(true);
+        // in case the applet doesn't want to get shrinked on reactivation,
+        // we always expand it again (only in order to conform with legacy behaviour)
+        bool activate = !( isExpanded() && isActivationTogglesExpanded() );
+
+        setExpanded(activate);
         if (QQuickItem *i = qobject_cast<QQuickItem *>(fullRepresentationItem())) {
-            i->setFocus(true, Qt::ShortcutFocusReason);
+            i->setFocus(activate, Qt::ShortcutFocusReason);
         }
     });