diff --git a/src/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java b/src/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java
index 2225633c0db5d6783b57663ae335b14fb7ed52ac..0e9fdbbb4f572f6f5589599bfbf86e744fdf994c 100644
--- a/src/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java
+++ b/src/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java
@@ -7910,7 +7910,7 @@ public abstract class Component implements ImageObserver, MenuContainer,
                 res = toFocus.requestFocusInWindow(CausedFocusEvent.Cause.TRAVERSAL_BACKWARD);
             }
         }
-        if (!res) {
+        if (clearOnFailure && !res) {
             if (focusLog.isLoggable(PlatformLogger.FINER)) {
                 focusLog.finer("clear global focus owner");
             }