diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index f94d37ef0..1a5d56bd0 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class Application(QApplication):
             quickstart_done = False
         if not quickstart_done:
             tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
-                                        window='current')
+                                        window='last-focused')
             tabbed_browser.tabopen(
                 QUrl('http://www.qutebrowser.org/quickstart.html'))
             try:
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         config_obj = objreg.get('config')
         self.lastWindowClosed.connect(self.shutdown)
         config_obj.style_changed.connect(style.get_stylesheet.cache_clear)
+        self.focusChanged.connect(self.on_focus_changed)
 
     def _get_widgets(self):
         """Get a string list of all widgets."""
@@ -542,7 +543,7 @@ class Application(QApplication):
             out = traceback.format_exc()
         qutescheme.pyeval_output = out
         tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
-                                    window='current')
+                                    window='last-focused')
         tabbed_browser.openurl(QUrl('qute:pyeval'), newtab=True)
 
     @cmdutils.register(instance='app')
@@ -706,6 +707,20 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         # segfaults.
         QTimer.singleShot(0, functools.partial(self.exit, status))
 
+    def on_focus_changed(self, _old, new):
+        """Register currently focused main window in the object registry."""
+        if new is None:
+            window = None
+        else:
+            window = new.window()
+        if window is None or not isinstance(window, mainwindow.MainWindow):
+            try:
+                objreg.delete('last-focused-main-window')
+            except KeyError:
+                pass
+        else:
+            objreg.register('last-focused-main-window', window, update=True)
+
     def exit(self, status):
         """Extend QApplication::exit to log the event."""
         log.destroy.debug("Now calling QApplication::exit.")
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py b/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
index d47ea020a..e59c3cd83 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/downloads.py
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
             page: The QWebPage to get the download from.
         """
         if not url.isValid():
-            urlutils.invalid_url_error('current', url, "start download")
+            urlutils.invalid_url_error('last-focused', url, "start download")
             return
         req = QNetworkRequest(url)
         reply = page.networkAccessManager().get(req)
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
         self.questions.append(q)
         download.cancelled.connect(q.abort)
         message_bridge = objreg.get('message-bridge', scope='window',
-                                    window='current')
+                                    window='last-focused')
         message_bridge.ask(q, blocking=False)
 
     @pyqtSlot(DownloadItem)
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ class DownloadManager(QAbstractListModel):
     @pyqtSlot(str)
     def on_error(self, msg):
         """Display error message on download errors."""
-        message.error('current', "Download error: {}".format(msg))
+        message.error('last-focused', "Download error: {}".format(msg))
 
     def last_index(self):
         """Get the last index in the model.
diff --git a/qutebrowser/commands/argparser.py b/qutebrowser/commands/argparser.py
index 684361698..1d21c2ffa 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/commands/argparser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/commands/argparser.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class HelpAction(argparse.Action):
 
     def __call__(self, parser, _namespace, _values, _option_string=None):
         tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
-                                    window='current')
+                                    window='last-focused')
         tabbed_browser.tabopen(
             QUrl('qute://help/commands.html#{}'.format(parser.name)))
         parser.exit()
diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/objreg.py b/qutebrowser/utils/objreg.py
index 7b9fd5332..8018a1867 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/objreg.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/objreg.py
@@ -136,6 +136,15 @@ def _get_window_registry(window):
         win = app.activeWindow()
         if win is None or not hasattr(win, 'win_id'):
             raise RegistryUnavailableError('window')
+    elif window == 'last-focused':
+        try:
+            win = get('last-focused-main-window')
+        except KeyError:
+            try:
+                win = get('last-main-window')
+            except KeyError:
+                raise RegistryUnavailableError('window')
+        assert hasattr(win, 'registry')
     else:
         try:
             win = window_registry[window]