--- dlls/user/focus.c
+++ dlls/user/focus.c
@@ -257,7 +257,13 @@ HWND WINAPI SetFocus( HWND hwnd )
         {
             HWND parent;
             LONG style = GetWindowLongW( hwndTop, GWL_STYLE );
-            if (style & (WS_MINIMIZE | WS_DISABLED)) return 0;
+            if ((style & (WS_MINIMIZE | WS_DISABLED)) ||
+                !(style & WS_VISIBLE))
+            {
+                /* Don't activate the window */
+                hwndTop = NULL;
+                break;
+            }
             parent = GetAncestor( hwndTop, GA_PARENT );
             if (!parent || parent == GetDesktopWindow()) break;
             hwndTop = parent;
@@ -267,11 +273,12 @@ HWND WINAPI SetFocus( HWND hwnd )
         if (HOOK_CallHooks( WH_CBT, HCBT_SETFOCUS, (WPARAM)hwnd, (LPARAM)previous, TRUE )) return 0;
 
         /* activate hwndTop if needed. */
-        if (hwndTop != GetActiveWindow())
+        if (hwndTop && (hwndTop != GetActiveWindow()))
         {
             if (!set_active_window( hwndTop, NULL, FALSE, FALSE )) return 0;
-            if (!IsWindow( hwnd )) return 0;  /* Abort if window destroyed */
         }
+
+        if (!IsWindow( hwnd )) return 0;  /* Abort if window destroyed */
     }
     else /* NULL hwnd passed in */
     {