diff --git a/src/guiengine/widget.cpp b/src/guiengine/widget.cpp
index 9ccb5e59c..6a85ab64c 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/widget.cpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/widget.cpp
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ void Widget::setFocusForPlayer(const int playerID)
     m_player_focus[playerID] = true;
     GUIEngine::g_focus_for_player[playerID] = this;
 }
+    
+void Widget::unsetFocusForPlayer(const int playerID)
+{
+    m_player_focus[playerID] = false;
+}
 
 /**
  * \param playerID ID of the player you want to set/unset focus for, starting from 0
diff --git a/src/guiengine/widget.hpp b/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
index 2beeb79e4..66e7aacdf 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
@@ -251,6 +251,8 @@ namespace GUIEngine
          */
         bool isFocusedForPlayer(const int playerID);
         
+        void unsetFocusForPlayer(const int playerID);
+        
         /**
           * Call to resize/move the widget. Not all widgets can resize gracefully.
           */
diff --git a/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp b/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
index cba62f544..f7dd42359 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
@@ -525,6 +525,13 @@ bool playerQuit(ActivePlayer* player)
     // between g_player_karts and the active player array
     assert( g_player_karts.size() == StateManager::get()->activePlayerCount() );
 
+    // unset selection of this player
+    if (GUIEngine::g_focus_for_player[playerID] != NULL)
+    {
+        GUIEngine::g_focus_for_player[playerID]->unsetFocusForPlayer(playerID);
+    }
+    GUIEngine::g_focus_for_player[playerID] = NULL;
+    
     removedWidget = g_player_karts.remove(playerID);
     StateManager::get()->removeActivePlayer(playerID);
     renumberKarts();