diff --git a/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBar.qml b/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBar.qml
index 3d624dc6f..9dc0f30b1 100644
--- a/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBar.qml
+++ b/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBar.qml
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ QQC2.Control {
                 x: textField.cursorRectangle.x
                 y: textField.cursorRectangle.y - height
 
-                onFormattingSelected: chatBar.formatText(format, selectionStart, selectionEnd)
+                onFormattingSelected: root.formatText(format, selectionStart, selectionEnd)
             }
 
             Keys.onDeletePressed: {
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ QQC2.Control {
                 } else if (event.modifiers & Qt.ShiftModifier || Kirigami.Settings.isMobile) {
                     textField.insert(cursorPosition, "\n")
                 } else {
-                    chatBar.postMessage();
+                    root.postMessage();
                 }
             }
             Keys.onReturnPressed: {
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ QQC2.Control {
                 } else if (event.modifiers & Qt.ShiftModifier || Kirigami.Settings.isMobile) {
                     textField.insert(cursorPosition, "\n")
                 } else {
-                    chatBar.postMessage();
+                    root.postMessage();
                 }
             }
             Keys.onTabPressed: {
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ QQC2.Control {
             }
             Keys.onPressed: {
                 if (event.key === Qt.Key_V && event.modifiers & Qt.ControlModifier) {
-                    chatBar.pasteImage();
+                    root.pasteImage();
                 } else if (event.key === Qt.Key_Up && event.modifiers & Qt.ControlModifier) {
                     currentRoom.replyLastMessage();
                 } else if (event.key === Qt.Key_Up && textField.text.length === 0) {
diff --git a/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBox.qml b/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBox.qml
index a19a8d5bb..607e8fede 100644
--- a/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBox.qml
+++ b/src/qml/Component/ChatBox/ChatBox.qml
@@ -37,16 +37,20 @@ ColumnLayout {
      */
     property NeoChatRoom currentRoom
 
-    /**
-     * @brief The chatBar object
-     */
-    property alias chatBar: chatBar
-
     /**
      * @brief A message has been sent from the chat bar.
      */
     signal messageSent()
 
+    /**
+     * @brief Insert the given text into the ChatBar.
+     *
+     * The text is inserted at the current cursor location.
+     */
+    function insertText(text) {
+        chatBar.insertText(text)
+    }
+
     spacing: 0
 
     Kirigami.Theme.colorSet: Kirigami.Theme.View
@@ -86,4 +90,6 @@ ColumnLayout {
             chatBox.messageSent();
         }
     }
+
+    onActiveFocusChanged: chatBar.forceActiveFocus()
 }
diff --git a/src/qml/Page/RoomPage.qml b/src/qml/Page/RoomPage.qml
index 595fd9c82..8ba28dfde 100644
--- a/src/qml/Page/RoomPage.qml
+++ b/src/qml/Page/RoomPage.qml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Kirigami.Page {
         timelineViewLoader.item.positionViewAtBeginning();
         hasScrolledUpBefore = false;
         if (!Kirigami.Settings.isMobile && chatBoxLoader.item) {
-            chatBoxLoader.item.chatBar.forceActiveFocus();
+            chatBoxLoader.item.forceActiveFocus();
         }
     }
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ Kirigami.Page {
             currentRoom: root.currentRoom
             onFocusChatBox: {
                 if (chatBoxLoader.item) {
-                    chatBoxLoader.item.chatBar.forceActiveFocus()
+                    chatBoxLoader.item.forceActiveFocus()
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ Kirigami.Page {
     Keys.onPressed: {
         if (!(event.modifiers & Qt.ControlModifier) && event.key < Qt.Key_Escape) {
             event.accepted = true;
-            chatBoxLoader.item.chatBar.insertText(event.text);
-            chatBoxLoader.item.chatBar.forceActiveFocus();
+            chatBoxLoader.item.insertText(event.text);
+            chatBoxLoader.item.forceActiveFocus();
             return;
         } else if (event.key === Qt.Key_PageUp) {
             event.accepted = true;