diff --git a/common/content/commandline.js b/common/content/commandline.js
index 58c28b0d..4c0ec41a 100644
--- a/common/content/commandline.js
+++ b/common/content/commandline.js
@@ -1383,6 +1383,7 @@ var CommandLine = Module("commandline", {
             char: "c",
             description: "Active when the command line is focused",
             input: true,
+            ownsFocus: true,
             get mappingSelf() commandline.commandSession
         });
         // this._extended modes, can include multiple modes, and even main modes
diff --git a/common/content/events.js b/common/content/events.js
index 32630d88..323cfa38 100644
--- a/common/content/events.js
+++ b/common/content/events.js
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ var Events = Module("events", {
             if (elem == null && urlbar && urlbar.inputField == this._lastFocus)
                 util.threadYield(true); // Why? --Kris
 
-            while (modes.main.ownsFocus)
+            while (modes.main.ownsFocus && !modes.topOfStack.params.holdFocus)
                  modes.pop(null, { fromFocus: true });
         }
         finally {
diff --git a/common/content/modes.js b/common/content/modes.js
index 598ee011..3e395e63 100644
--- a/common/content/modes.js
+++ b/common/content/modes.js
@@ -440,6 +440,8 @@ var Modes = Module("modes", {
 
         input: Class.memoize(function () this.bases.length && this.bases.some(function (b) b.input)),
 
+        ownsFocus: Class.memoize(function () this.bases.length && this.bases.some(function (b) b.ownsFocus)),
+
         get passUnknown() this.input,
 
         get mask() this,