diff --git a/crates/ui/src/components/context_menu.rs b/crates/ui/src/components/context_menu.rs
index 3736a2e320..3eedf11bc1 100644
--- a/crates/ui/src/components/context_menu.rs
+++ b/crates/ui/src/components/context_menu.rs
@@ -233,6 +233,11 @@ pub struct ContextMenu {
     submenu_trigger_bounds: Rc<Cell<Option<Bounds<Pixels>>>>,
     submenu_trigger_mouse_down: bool,
     ignore_blur_until: Option<Instant>,
+    /// When set to true, the next on_focus_in callback will not automatically
+    /// select an item. This prevents a visual flash where a submenu close in
+    /// on_hover(false) returns focus to the main menu and on_focus_in
+    /// re-selects the first item before the next on_hover(true) clears it.
+    suppress_focus_selection: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -303,9 +308,10 @@ impl ContextMenu {
         // menus we prefer the currently-checked item. We only do this when
         // nothing is selected yet so we don't override an existing selection.
         cx.on_focus_in(&focus_handle, window, |this, window, cx| {
-            if this.selected_index.is_none() {
+            if this.selected_index.is_none() && !this.suppress_focus_selection {
                 this.select_toggled_or_first(window, cx);
             }
+            this.suppress_focus_selection = false;
         })
         .detach();
 
@@ -333,6 +339,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                 submenu_trigger_bounds: Rc::new(Cell::new(None)),
                 submenu_trigger_mouse_down: false,
                 ignore_blur_until: None,
+                suppress_focus_selection: false,
             },
             window,
             cx,
@@ -419,6 +426,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                     submenu_trigger_bounds: Rc::new(Cell::new(None)),
                     submenu_trigger_mouse_down: false,
                     ignore_blur_until: None,
+                    suppress_focus_selection: false,
                 },
                 window,
                 cx,
@@ -488,6 +496,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                 submenu_trigger_bounds: Rc::new(Cell::new(None)),
                 submenu_trigger_mouse_down: false,
                 ignore_blur_until: None,
+                suppress_focus_selection: false,
             },
             window,
             cx,
@@ -1324,6 +1333,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                 submenu_trigger_bounds: Rc::new(Cell::new(None)),
                 submenu_trigger_mouse_down: false,
                 ignore_blur_until: None,
+                suppress_focus_selection: false,
             };
 
             menu = (builder)(menu, window, cx);
@@ -1649,6 +1659,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
 
                         if *hovered {
                             this.clear_selected();
+                            this.suppress_focus_selection = true;
                             window.focus(&this.focus_handle.clone(), cx);
                             this.hover_target = HoverTarget::MainMenu;
                             this.submenu_safety_threshold_x = Some(mouse_pos.x - px(50.0));
@@ -1686,6 +1697,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                             {
                                 this.close_submenu(false, cx);
                                 this.clear_selected();
+                                this.suppress_focus_selection = true;
                                 window.focus(&this.focus_handle.clone(), cx);
                                 cx.notify();
                             }
@@ -1973,6 +1985,7 @@ impl ContextMenu {
                         item.on_hover(cx.listener(move |this, hovered, window, cx| {
                             if *hovered {
                                 this.clear_selected();
+                                this.suppress_focus_selection = true;
                                 window.focus(&this.focus_handle.clone(), cx);
 
                                 if let SubmenuState::Open(open_submenu) = &this.submenu_state {