diff --git a/src/main/resources/org/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/focus.js b/src/main/resources/org/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/focus.js
index 4cce423..4b94291 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/org/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/focus.js
+++ b/src/main/resources/org/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/focus.js
@@ -1,40 +1,50 @@
 if (!window.Richfaces) window.Richfaces = {};
 
-Richfaces.FocusManager = (function(){
+Richfaces.FocusManager = (function() {
 
-                var m_focus;
-                var m_priority = 999999;
-                var eventAttached = false;
+    var m_focus;
+    var m_priority = 999999;
+    var m_domLoaded = false;
 
-                var attachEvent = function() {
-                    if(!eventAttached) {
-                        document.observe('dom:loaded',function(){
-                            var element = $(m_focus);
-                            element.focus();
-                            element.select(element);
-                            Richfaces.FocusManager.clearFocus();
-                        });
-                    }
-                    eventAttached = true;
-                };
+    var focus = function() {
+        if (m_focus == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+        try {
+            var element = $(m_focus);
+            if (element != null) {
+                element.focus();
+                element.select(element);
+            }
+        } finally {
+            Richfaces.FocusManager.clearFocus();
+        }
+    };
 
-                return {
-                    getFocus : function() {
-                        return m_focus;
-                    },
-                    setFocus : function(id,priority) {
-                        if(priority == null) {
-                            priority = 99999;
-                        }
-                        if(m_focus == null || priority < m_priority) {
-                            m_focus = id;
-                            m_priority = priority == null ? 0 : priority;
-                            attachEvent();
-                        }
-                    },
-                    clearFocus : function() {
-                        m_focus = null;
-                        m_priority = 999999;
-                    }
-                };
-            })();
+    document.observe('dom:loaded', function() {
+        focus();
+        m_domLoaded = true;
+    });
+
+    return {
+        getFocus : function() {
+            return m_focus;
+        },
+        setFocus : function(id, priority) {
+            if (priority == null) {
+                priority = 99999;
+            }
+            if (m_focus == null || priority < m_priority) {
+                m_focus = id;
+                m_priority = priority == null ? 0 : priority;
+                if (m_domLoaded) {
+                    focus();
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        clearFocus : function() {
+            m_focus = null;
+            m_priority = 999999;
+        }
+    };
+})();