diff --git a/js/ui/dnd.js b/js/ui/dnd.js
index ea904ff42..ca52f3f10 100644
--- a/js/ui/dnd.js
+++ b/js/ui/dnd.js
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ class _Draggable extends Signals.EventEmitter {
 
     _grabDevice(actor, pointer, touchSequence) {
         this._grab = global.stage.grab(actor);
+        this._grab.activate();
         this._grabbedDevice = pointer;
         this._touchSequence = touchSequence;
     }
diff --git a/js/ui/lookingGlass.js b/js/ui/lookingGlass.js
index e3b0de7a2..ef136059c 100644
--- a/js/ui/lookingGlass.js
+++ b/js/ui/lookingGlass.js
@@ -600,6 +600,7 @@ export const Inspector = GObject.registerClass({
         eventHandler.connect('motion-event', this._onMotionEvent.bind(this));
 
         this._grab = global.stage.grab(eventHandler);
+        this._grab.activate();
 
         // this._target is the actor currently shown by the inspector.
         // this._pointerTarget is the actor directly under the pointer.
diff --git a/js/ui/main.js b/js/ui/main.js
index ad0ea962f..c6de657a8 100644
--- a/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/js/ui/main.js
@@ -679,6 +679,7 @@ export function pushModal(actor, params = {}) {
     };
 
     let grab = global.stage.grab(actor);
+    grab.activate();
 
     if (modalCount === 0)
         Meta.disable_unredirect_for_display(global.display);
diff --git a/js/ui/screenshot.js b/js/ui/screenshot.js
index c39603aca..807557ef9 100644
--- a/js/ui/screenshot.js
+++ b/js/ui/screenshot.js
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ const UIAreaSelector = GObject.registerClass({
 
         if (this._dragButton) {
             this._dragGrab = global.stage.grab(this);
+            this._dragGrab.activate();
             this._dragSequence = sequence;
 
             this.emit('drag-started');
diff --git a/js/ui/slider.js b/js/ui/slider.js
index c9458f1c4..44fb1a6d3 100644
--- a/js/ui/slider.js
+++ b/js/ui/slider.js
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ export const Slider = GObject.registerClass({
         let sequence = event.get_event_sequence();
 
         this._grab = global.stage.grab(this);
+        this._grab.activate();
 
         this._grabbedDevice = device;
         this._grabbedSequence = sequence;
diff --git a/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c b/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
index 7b2d4987e..2493d13e7 100644
--- a/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
+++ b/src/st/st-scroll-bar.c
@@ -711,6 +711,7 @@ handle_button_press_event_cb (ClutterActor *actor,
 
   stage = clutter_actor_get_stage (actor);
   priv->grab = clutter_stage_grab (CLUTTER_STAGE (stage), priv->handle);
+  clutter_grab_activate (priv->grab);
   priv->grab_device = device;
   g_signal_emit (bar, signals[SCROLL_START], 0);