diff --git a/app/scripts/directives/nav.js b/app/scripts/directives/nav.js
index 53dfad1953..aab69b13a3 100644
--- a/app/scripts/directives/nav.js
+++ b/app/scripts/directives/nav.js
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ angular.module('openshiftConsole')
         var clearHover = function() {
           _.each($scope.navItems, function(navItem) {
             navItem.isHover = false;
+            navItem.fakeHover = false;
           });
         };
 
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ angular.module('openshiftConsole')
           // activated using the keyboard.
           clearHover();
 
+          primaryItem.fakeHover = true;
+
           // Open the item regardless of whether the mouse is really over it
           // for keyboard and screen reader accessibility.
           primaryItem.isHover = true;
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ angular.module('openshiftConsole')
             primaryItem.mouseEnterTimeout = null;
           }
 
+          primaryItem.fakeHover = false;
           primaryItem.mouseLeaveTimeout = $timeout(function() {
             primaryItem.isHover = false;
             primaryItem.mouseLeaveTimeout = null;
diff --git a/app/styles/_vertical-nav.less b/app/styles/_vertical-nav.less
index 2e2e341c24..fb98e6378b 100644
--- a/app/styles/_vertical-nav.less
+++ b/app/styles/_vertical-nav.less
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     &.active > a,
     &:focus > a,
     &:hover > a,
-    > a:focus,
+    &.fake-hover > a,
     > a:hover {
       background-color: @nav-pf-vertical-active-bg-color;
       color: @nav-pf-vertical-active-color;
diff --git a/app/views/_sidebar.html b/app/views/_sidebar.html
index be956dcbef..1a4184c86c 100644
--- a/app/views/_sidebar.html
+++ b/app/views/_sidebar.html
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         ng-class="{
           active: primaryItem === activePrimary,
           'is-hover': primaryItem.isHover,
+          'fake-hover': primaryItem.fakeHover,
           'secondary-nav-item-pf': primaryItem.secondaryNavSections.length
         }"
         ng-if="show(primaryItem)"