diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
index 9d9bbfe..e674acd 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@ public:
   }
   void setColorCalibrationLutPath(QString monitorName, QString path);
   QString getColorCalibrationLutPath(QString &monitorName) const;
+  bool isKeepTextboxFocus() const {
+    return getBoolValue(keepTextboxFocus);
+  }
 
   // Visualization  tab
   bool getShow0ThickLines() const { return getBoolValue(show0ThickLines); }
diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
index 86bf502..1906f2e 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ enum PreferencesItemId {
   interfaceFontStyle,
   colorCalibrationEnabled,
   colorCalibrationLutPaths,
+  keepTextboxFocus,
 
   //----------
   // Visualization
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/pane.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/pane.cpp
index 463ae26..15a5e9f 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/pane.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/pane.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <QDesktopWidget>
 #include <QDialog>
+#include <QLineEdit>
 
 extern TEnv::StringVar EnvSafeAreaName;
 
@@ -127,7 +128,24 @@ void TPanel::enterEvent(QEvent *event) {
   // Only when Toonz application is active
   QWidget *w = qApp->activeWindow();
   if (w) {
-    widgetFocusOnEnter();
+    // grab the focus, unless a line-edit is focused currently and the
+    // preference is set
+    bool shouldSetFocus = true;
+
+    if (Preferences::instance()->isKeepTextboxFocus()) {
+      QWidget *focusWidget = qApp->focusWidget();
+      if (focusWidget) {
+        QLineEdit *lineEdit = dynamic_cast<QLineEdit *>(focusWidget);
+        if (lineEdit) {
+          shouldSetFocus = false;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (shouldSetFocus) {
+      widgetFocusOnEnter();
+    }
+
     // Some panels (e.g. Viewer, StudioPalette, Palette, ColorModel) are
     // activated when mouse enters. Viewer is activatable only when being
     // docked.
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
index 82d5de0..9eb0dff 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
@@ -971,6 +971,7 @@ QString PreferencesPopup::getUIString(PreferencesItemId id) {
       {colorCalibrationLutPaths,
        tr("3DLUT File for [%1] *:")
            .arg(LutManager::instance()->getMonitorName())},
+      {keepTextboxFocus, tr("Keep Textbox Focus When Moving Mouse to Another Panel")},
 
       // Visualization
       {show0ThickLines, tr("Show Lines with Thickness 0")},
@@ -1417,6 +1418,7 @@ QWidget* PreferencesPopup::createInterfacePage() {
   insertUI(interfaceFontStyle, lay, buildFontStyleList());
   QGridLayout* colorCalibLay = insertGroupBoxUI(colorCalibrationEnabled, lay);
   { insertUI(colorCalibrationLutPaths, colorCalibLay); }
+  insertUI(keepTextboxFocus, lay);
 
   lay->setRowStretch(lay->rowCount(), 1);
   insertFootNote(lay);
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/sceneviewerevents.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/sceneviewerevents.cpp
index 6539fc6..18b19ce 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/sceneviewerevents.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/sceneviewerevents.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,24 @@ void SceneViewer::onEnter() {
     tool->onEnter();
   }
 
-  setFocus();
+  // grab the focus, unless a line-edit is focused currently and the
+  // preference is set
+  bool shouldSetFocus = true;
+
+  if (Preferences::instance()->isKeepTextboxFocus()) {
+    QWidget *focusWidget = qApp->focusWidget();
+    if (focusWidget) {
+      QLineEdit *lineEdit = dynamic_cast<QLineEdit *>(focusWidget);
+      if (lineEdit) {
+        shouldSetFocus = false;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (shouldSetFocus) {
+    setFocus();
+  }
+
   update();
 }
 
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
index 8212ccf..684e939 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
@@ -407,6 +407,8 @@ void Preferences::definePreferenceItems() {
          false);
   define(colorCalibrationLutPaths, "colorCalibrationLutPaths",
          QMetaType::QVariantMap, QVariantMap());
+  define(keepTextboxFocus, "keepTextboxFocus",
+         QMetaType::Bool, false);
 
   setCallBack(pixelsOnly, &Preferences::setPixelsOnly);
   setCallBack(linearUnits, &Preferences::setUnits);