diff --git a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/ItemLoader.qml b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/ItemLoader.qml
index 40141fe9a..0135ff705 100644
--- a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/ItemLoader.qml
+++ b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/items/ItemLoader.qml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import QtQuick 2.0
 Loader {
     id: itemLoader
 
+    z: x
     property var itemModel: model
     onActiveFocusChanged: {
         if (activeFocus && item) {
diff --git a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/main.qml
index e437a871e..7ef26defb 100644
--- a/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/applets/systemtray/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -159,7 +159,23 @@ MouseArea {
                 }
             }
 
-            delegate: ItemLoader {}
+            delegate: ItemLoader {
+                id: delegate
+                // We need to recalculate the stacking order of the z values due to how keyboard navigation works
+                // the tab order depends exclusively from this, so we redo it as the position in the list
+                // ensuring tab navigation focuses the expected items
+                Component.onCompleted: {
+                    let item = tasksGrid.itemAtIndex(index - 1);
+                    if (item) {
+                        plasmoid.nativeInterface.stackItemBefore(delegate, item)
+                    } else {
+                        item = tasksGrid.itemAtIndex(index + 1);
+                    }
+                    if (item) {
+                        plasmoid.nativeInterface.stackItemAfter(delegate, item)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
 
             add: Transition {
                 enabled: itemSize > 0
diff --git a/applets/systemtray/systemtray.cpp b/applets/systemtray/systemtray.cpp
index dbc23e652..f1af1e60c 100644
--- a/applets/systemtray/systemtray.cpp
+++ b/applets/systemtray/systemtray.cpp
@@ -366,6 +366,22 @@ void SystemTray::stopApplet(const QString &pluginId)
     }
 }
 
+void SystemTray::stackItemBefore(QQuickItem *newItem, QQuickItem *beforeItem)
+{
+    if (!newItem || !beforeItem) {
+        return;
+    }
+    newItem->stackBefore(beforeItem);
+}
+
+void SystemTray::stackItemAfter(QQuickItem *newItem, QQuickItem *afterItem)
+{
+    if (!newItem || !afterItem) {
+        return;
+    }
+    newItem->stackAfter(afterItem);
+}
+
 K_PLUGIN_CLASS_WITH_JSON(SystemTray, "package/metadata.json")
 
 #include "systemtray.moc"
diff --git a/applets/systemtray/systemtray.h b/applets/systemtray/systemtray.h
index 28708ea8b..9fe70e288 100644
--- a/applets/systemtray/systemtray.h
+++ b/applets/systemtray/systemtray.h
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ public:
      */
     Q_INVOKABLE bool isSystemTrayApplet(const QString &appletId);
 
+    /**
+     * Needed to preserve keyboard navigation
+     */
+    Q_INVOKABLE void stackItemBefore(QQuickItem *newItem, QQuickItem *beforeItem);
+
+    Q_INVOKABLE void stackItemAfter(QQuickItem *newItem, QQuickItem *afterItem);
+
 private Q_SLOTS:
     // synchronizes with configuration and deletes not allowed applets
     void onEnabledAppletsChanged();