diff --git a/windows/focus.c b/windows/focus.c
index c7842b1..3d4db25 100644
--- a/windows/focus.c
+++ b/windows/focus.c
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
 {
     PERQDATA_SetFocusWnd( pMsgQ->pQData, hFocusTo );
 
-    if (hFocusFrom) SendMessageA( hFocusFrom, WM_KILLFOCUS, (WPARAM)hFocusTo, 0 );
+    if (hFocusFrom)
+        SendNotifyMessageA( hFocusFrom, WM_KILLFOCUS, (WPARAM)hFocusTo, 0 );
 
     if( !hFocusTo || hFocusTo != PERQDATA_GetFocusWnd( pMsgQ->pQData ) )
     {
diff --git a/windows/winpos.c b/windows/winpos.c
index 6a6c95d..e40840d 100644
--- a/windows/winpos.c
+++ b/windows/winpos.c
@@ -1247,14 +1247,9 @@
     if ((hwndPrevActive = hwndActive) && IsWindow(hwndPrevActive))
     {
         MESSAGEQUEUE *pTempActiveQueue = 0;
-        
-        if (!SendMessageA( hwndPrevActive, WM_NCACTIVATE, FALSE, 0 ))
-        {
-            if (GetSysModalWindow16() != WIN_Handle16(hWnd)) goto CLEANUP_END;
-	    /* disregard refusal if hWnd is sysmodal */
-        }
 
-	SendMessageA( hwndPrevActive, WM_ACTIVATE,
+        SendNotifyMessageA( hwndPrevActive, WM_NCACTIVATE, FALSE, 0 );
+        SendNotifyMessageA( hwndPrevActive, WM_ACTIVATE,
                         MAKEWPARAM( WA_INACTIVE, wIconized ),
                         (LPARAM)hWnd );
 
@@ -1321,7 +1316,7 @@
             {
                 if (!IsWindow( *phwnd )) continue;
                 if (GetWindowThreadProcessId( *phwnd, NULL ) == old_thread)
-                    SendMessageW( *phwnd, WM_ACTIVATEAPP, 0, new_thread );
+                    SendNotifyMessageW( *phwnd, WM_ACTIVATEAPP, 0, new_thread );
             }
             HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, list );
         }