diff --git a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_core.js b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_core.js
index e85759dc9..062d44576 100644
--- a/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/dialog/dialog_core.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test("widget method", function() {
 });
 
 asyncTest( "focus tabbable", function() {
-	expect( 5 );
+	expect( 6 );
 	var element,
 		options = {
 			buttons: [{
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ asyncTest( "focus tabbable", function() {
 		};
 
 	function checkFocus( markup, options, testFn, next ) {
+
+		// Support: IE8
+		// For some reason the focus doesn't get set properly if we don't
+		// focus the body first.
+		$( "body" ).focus();
+
 		element = $( markup ).dialog( options );
 		setTimeout(function() {
 			testFn();
@@ -59,43 +65,57 @@ asyncTest( "focus tabbable", function() {
 	}
 
 	function step1() {
-		checkFocus( "<div><input><input autofocus></div>", options, function() {
-			equal( document.activeElement, element.find( "input" )[ 1 ],
-				"1. first element inside the dialog matching [autofocus]" );
-		}, step2 );
+		element = $( "<div><input><input></div>" ).dialog( options );
+		setTimeout(function() {
+			var input = element.find( "input:last" ).focus().blur();
+			element.dialog( "instance" )._focusTabbable();
+			setTimeout(function() {
+				equal( document.activeElement, input[ 0 ],
+					"1. an element that was focused previously." );
+				element.remove();
+				setTimeout( step2 );
+			});
+		});
 	}
 
 	function step2() {
-		checkFocus( "<div><input><input></div>", options, function() {
-			equal( document.activeElement, element.find( "input" )[ 0 ],
-				"2. tabbable element inside the content element" );
+		checkFocus( "<div><input><input autofocus></div>", options, function() {
+			equal( document.activeElement, element.find( "input" )[ 1 ],
+				"2. first element inside the dialog matching [autofocus]" );
 		}, step3 );
 	}
 
 	function step3() {
-		checkFocus( "<div>text</div>", options, function() {
-			equal( document.activeElement,
-				element.dialog( "widget" ).find( ".ui-dialog-buttonpane button" )[ 0 ],
-				"3. tabbable element inside the buttonpane" );
+		checkFocus( "<div><input><input></div>", options, function() {
+			equal( document.activeElement, element.find( "input" )[ 0 ],
+				"3. tabbable element inside the content element" );
 		}, step4 );
 	}
 
 	function step4() {
-		checkFocus( "<div>text</div>", {}, function() {
+		checkFocus( "<div>text</div>", options, function() {
 			equal( document.activeElement,
-				element.dialog( "widget" ).find( ".ui-dialog-titlebar .ui-dialog-titlebar-close" )[ 0 ],
-				"4. the close button" );
+				element.dialog( "widget" ).find( ".ui-dialog-buttonpane button" )[ 0 ],
+				"4. tabbable element inside the buttonpane" );
 		}, step5 );
 	}
 
 	function step5() {
+		checkFocus( "<div>text</div>", {}, function() {
+			equal( document.activeElement,
+				element.dialog( "widget" ).find( ".ui-dialog-titlebar .ui-dialog-titlebar-close" )[ 0 ],
+				"5. the close button" );
+		}, step6 );
+	}
+
+	function step6() {
 		element = $( "<div>text</div>" ).dialog({
 			autoOpen: false
 		});
 		element.dialog( "widget" ).find( ".ui-dialog-titlebar-close" ).hide();
 		element.dialog( "open" );
 		setTimeout(function() {
-			equal( document.activeElement, element.parent()[ 0 ], "5. the dialog itself" );
+			equal( document.activeElement, element.parent()[ 0 ], "6. the dialog itself" );
 			element.remove();
 			start();
 		});
diff --git a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
index c5bd42ab5..2684b7615 100644
--- a/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
+++ b/ui/jquery.ui.dialog.js
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ $.widget( "ui.dialog", {
 		}
 
 		this._isOpen = false;
+
+		this._trackFocus();
 	},
 
 	_init: function() {
@@ -178,6 +180,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.dialog", {
 		}
 
 		this._isOpen = false;
+		this._focusedElement = null;
 		this._destroyOverlay();
 
 		if ( !this.opener.filter(":focusable").focus().length ) {
@@ -256,20 +259,24 @@ $.widget( "ui.dialog", {
 
 	_focusTabbable: function() {
 		// Set focus to the first match:
-		// 1. First element inside the dialog matching [autofocus]
-		// 2. Tabbable element inside the content element
-		// 3. Tabbable element inside the buttonpane
-		// 4. The close button
-		// 5. The dialog itself
-		var hasFocus = this.element.find("[autofocus]");
-		if ( !hasFocus.length ) {
-			hasFocus = this.element.find(":tabbable");
+		// 1. An element that was focused previously
+		// 2. First element inside the dialog matching [autofocus]
+		// 3. Tabbable element inside the content element
+		// 4. Tabbable element inside the buttonpane
+		// 5. The close button
+		// 6. The dialog itself
+		var hasFocus = this._focusedElement;
+		if ( !hasFocus ) {
+			hasFocus = this.element.find( "[autofocus]" );
 		}
 		if ( !hasFocus.length ) {
-			hasFocus = this.uiDialogButtonPane.find(":tabbable");
+			hasFocus = this.element.find( ":tabbable" );
 		}
 		if ( !hasFocus.length ) {
-			hasFocus = this.uiDialogTitlebarClose.filter(":tabbable");
+			hasFocus = this.uiDialogButtonPane.find( ":tabbable" );
+		}
+		if ( !hasFocus.length ) {
+			hasFocus = this.uiDialogTitlebarClose.filter( ":tabbable" );
 		}
 		if ( !hasFocus.length ) {
 			hasFocus = this.uiDialog;
@@ -552,6 +559,14 @@ $.widget( "ui.dialog", {
 		.css( "position", position );
 	},
 
+	_trackFocus: function() {
+		this._on( this.widget(), {
+			"focusin": function( event ) {
+				this._focusedElement = $( event.target );
+			}
+		});
+	},
+
 	_minHeight: function() {
 		var options = this.options;