diff --git a/iron-list.html b/iron-list.html
index fa0313c0..c50ca184 100644
--- a/iron-list.html
+++ b/iron-list.html
@@ -1836,6 +1836,7 @@
         // Hide the physical item that backfills.
         this.translate3d(0, HIDDEN_Y, 0, this._focusBackfillItem);
       } else {
+        this._removeFocusedItem();
         this._focusBackfillItem = null;
       }
       this._offscreenFocusedItem = null;
diff --git a/test/focus.html b/test/focus.html
index 93abff91..fdb2cb8d 100644
--- a/test/focus.html
+++ b/test/focus.html
@@ -108,15 +108,21 @@
       list.items = buildDataSet(100);
 
       Polymer.dom.flush();
-     
+
       list.scroll(0, getFirstItemFromList(list).offsetHeight * list._physicalCount);
      
       requestAnimationFrame(function() {
         setTimeout(function() {
+          var lastOffscreenFocusedItem = list._offscreenFocusedItem;
           var firstItem = getFirstItemFromList(list);
-          firstItem.parentNode.focus();
+          MockInteractions.focus(firstItem.parentNode);
+
+          Polymer.dom.flush();
+
           assert.equal(firstItem, getFirstItemFromList(list),
             'Should be the same item after focusing it');
+          assert.isNull(lastOffscreenFocusedItem.parentNode,
+            'Should remove the last offscreen focused item');
           done();
         });
       });