diff --git a/PBGitCommitController.m b/PBGitCommitController.m
index f3e6664..cec4ffc 100644
--- a/PBGitCommitController.m
+++ b/PBGitCommitController.m
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 	[webController closeView];
 	[super finalize];
 }
+- (NSResponder *)firstResponder;
+{
+	return commitMessageView;
+}
 
 - (IBAction)signOff:(id)sender
 {
diff --git a/PBGitHistoryController.m b/PBGitHistoryController.m
index 9c18b72..3b5e9e1 100644
--- a/PBGitHistoryController.m
+++ b/PBGitHistoryController.m
@@ -179,6 +179,11 @@
 	[self refresh:nil];
 }
 
+- (NSResponder *)firstResponder;
+{
+	return commitList;
+}
+
 - (void) selectCommit: (NSString*) commit
 {
 	NSPredicate* selection = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"realSha == %@", commit];
diff --git a/PBGitWindowController.m b/PBGitWindowController.m
index b826734..aba1987 100644
--- a/PBGitWindowController.m
+++ b/PBGitWindowController.m
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 	[self setNextResponder: viewController];
 	[self didChangeValueForKey:@"viewController"];	// this will trigger the NSTextField's value binding to change
 
+	[[self window] makeFirstResponder:[viewController firstResponder]];
 }
 
 - (void)awakeFromNib
diff --git a/PBViewController.h b/PBViewController.h
index c3c5901..4715c61 100644
--- a/PBViewController.h
+++ b/PBViewController.h
@@ -23,4 +23,6 @@
 - (id)initWithRepository:(PBGitRepository *)theRepository superController:(PBGitWindowController *)controller;
 - (void) removeView;
 - (void) updateView;
+- (NSResponder *)firstResponder;
+
 @end
diff --git a/PBViewController.m b/PBViewController.m
index 6cc20a6..510b7a7 100644
--- a/PBViewController.m
+++ b/PBViewController.m
@@ -40,4 +40,9 @@
 - (void) updateView
 {
 }
+
+- (NSResponder *)firstResponder;
+{
+	return nil;
+}
 @end