diff --git a/ts/components/ForwardMessagesModal.dom.tsx b/ts/components/ForwardMessagesModal.dom.tsx
index 257ded19bb..a26adb17f2 100644
--- a/ts/components/ForwardMessagesModal.dom.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/ForwardMessagesModal.dom.tsx
@@ -264,13 +264,7 @@ export function ForwardMessagesModal({
   };
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
-      inputRef.current?.focus();
-    }, 100);
-
-    return () => {
-      clearTimeout(timeout);
-    };
+    inputRef.current?.focus();
   }, []);
 
   const footer = (
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/MessageContextMenu.dom.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/MessageContextMenu.dom.tsx
index 26c9142257..245cfec936 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/MessageContextMenu.dom.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/MessageContextMenu.dom.tsx
@@ -96,7 +96,14 @@ export function MessageContextMenu({
           </AxoMenuBuilder.Item>
         )}
         {onForward && (
-          <AxoMenuBuilder.Item symbol="forward" onSelect={onForward}>
+          <AxoMenuBuilder.Item
+            symbol="forward"
+            onSelect={() => {
+              // forward modal takes focus
+              shouldReturnFocusToTrigger.current = false;
+              onForward();
+            }}
+          >
             {i18n('icu:MessageContextMenu__forward')}
           </AxoMenuBuilder.Item>
         )}