diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6bd00b7..af92470 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ param_set("static",               1);
 param_set("examples",             1);
 param_set("dbus", 1);
 
+# (option that only makes sense on x11)
+param_set("allow-sloppy-focus", 0);
 
 my %features = (
     "classic-theme"        => "use classic theme",
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ my %features = (
     "static"               => "build static library",
     "wayland"              => "enable wayland backend",
     "gnustep"              => "use gnustep",
-    "dbus" => "use DBus on supported platform"
+    "dbus" => "use DBus on supported platform",
+    "allow-sloppy-focus" => "prevent the x11 backend from using XSetInputFocus to enforce click-to-focus"
 );
 my @features_keys = (
     "1classic-theme", "1stb-image",
@@ -81,6 +84,12 @@ sub def_platform {
 	    param_set("freetype2",        0);
 	    param_set("stb-truetype",     1);
 	}
+	if($target eq "Linux") {
+        param_set("x11", 1);
+        if(!param_get("tiny")){
+            param_set("wayland", 1);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 foreach my $l (@ARGV) {
@@ -91,12 +100,6 @@ foreach my $l (@ARGV) {
 
 def_platform();
 
-if($target eq "Linux") {
-    param_set("x11", 1);
-    if(!param_get("tiny")){
-        param_set("wayland", 1);
-    }
-}
 
 foreach my $l (@ARGV) {
     if ($l =~ /^--with-([^=]+)=(.+)$/) {
diff --git a/pl/rules.pl b/pl/rules.pl
index 348a576..c435bff 100644
--- a/pl/rules.pl
+++ b/pl/rules.pl
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ else {
 if (param_get("stb-truetype")) {
     add_cflags("-DUSE_STB_TRUETYPE");
 }
+if (param_get("allow-sloppy-focus")) {
+    add_cflags("-DALLOW_SLOPPY_FOCUS");
+}
+
 
 add_incdir("-Iexternal/libz/include");
 
diff --git a/src/backend/x11.c b/src/backend/x11.c
index 1d73ed1..b8f68f5 100644
--- a/src/backend/x11.c
+++ b/src/backend/x11.c
@@ -708,7 +708,8 @@ static void MwLLNextEventImpl(MwLL handle) {
 				p.button = MwMOUSE_WHEELDOWN;
 			}
 
-			XSetInputFocus(handle->x11.display, handle->x11.window, RevertToNone, CurrentTime);
+			/* this really shouldn't be in this function but it might be needed for enforcing click-to-focus. check later. */
+			/* XSetInputFocus(handle->x11.display, handle->x11.window, RevertToNone, CurrentTime);*/
 
 			MwLLDispatch(handle, down, &p);
 		} else if(ev.type == ButtonRelease) {
@@ -1200,7 +1201,9 @@ static void MwLLShowImpl(MwLL handle, int show) {
 	if(show) {
 		wait_map(handle, 1);
 
+#ifndef ALLOW_SLOPPY_FOCUS
 		XSetInputFocus(handle->x11.display, handle->x11.window, RevertToNone, CurrentTime);
+#endif
 	} else {
 		wait_unmap(handle, 1);
 	}