diff --git a/term/src/terminalstate/mod.rs b/term/src/terminalstate/mod.rs
index 1d9098132..11b7ce911 100644
--- a/term/src/terminalstate/mod.rs
+++ b/term/src/terminalstate/mod.rs
@@ -719,6 +719,9 @@ impl TerminalState {
 
     /// Advise the terminal about a change in its focus state
     pub fn focus_changed(&mut self, focused: bool) {
+        if focused == self.focused {
+            return;
+        }
         if !focused {
             // notify app of release of buttons
             let buttons = self.current_mouse_buttons.clone();
diff --git a/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/render.rs b/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/render.rs
index 1eacb8668..6698e07ed 100644
--- a/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/render.rs
+++ b/wezterm-gui/src/termwindow/render.rs
@@ -1614,14 +1614,17 @@ impl super::TermWindow {
 
         let panes = self.get_panes_to_render();
         let num_panes = panes.len();
+        let focused = self.focused.is_some();
 
         for pos in panes {
             if pos.is_active {
                 self.update_text_cursor(&pos.pane);
-                pos.pane.advise_focus();
-                mux::Mux::get()
-                    .expect("called on mux thread")
-                    .record_focus_for_current_identity(pos.pane.pane_id());
+                if focused {
+                    pos.pane.advise_focus();
+                    mux::Mux::get()
+                        .expect("called on mux thread")
+                        .record_focus_for_current_identity(pos.pane.pane_id());
+                }
             }
             self.paint_pane_opengl(&pos, num_panes)?;
         }