diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/discussion.py b/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/discussion.py
index 049d83b9d6..a16f33819d 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/discussion.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/pages/lms/discussion.py
@@ -354,12 +354,11 @@ class DiscussionTabSingleThreadPage(CoursePage):
         with self.thread_page._secondary_action_menu_open(".forum-thread-main-wrapper"):
             self._find_within(".forum-thread-main-wrapper .action-close").first.click()
 
-    @wait_for_js
-    def is_window_on_top(self):
+    def is_focused_on_element(self, selector):
         """
-        Check if window's scroll is at top
+        Check if the focus is on element
         """
-        return self.browser.execute_script("return $('html, body').offset().top") == 0
+        return self.browser.execute_script("return $('{}').is(':focus')".format(selector))
 
     def _thread_is_rendered_successfully(self, thread_id):
         return self.q(css=".discussion-article[data-id='{}']".format(thread_id)).visible
@@ -381,13 +380,13 @@ class DiscussionTabSingleThreadPage(CoursePage):
         """
         return len(self.q(css=".forum-nav-thread").results) == thread_count
 
-    def check_window_is_on_top(self):
+    def check_focus_is_set(self, selector):
         """
-        Check window is on top of the page
+        Check focus is set
         """
         EmptyPromise(
-            self.is_window_on_top,
-            "Window is on top"
+            lambda: self.is_focused_on_element(selector),
+            "Focus is on other element"
         ).fulfill()
 
 
diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_discussion.py b/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_discussion.py
index 3c57e2f855..e1f8d436b6 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_discussion.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/tests/discussion/test_discussion.py
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ class DiscussionTabMultipleThreadTest(BaseDiscussionTestCase):
 
     def test_page_scroll_on_thread_change_view(self):
         """
-        Check switching between threads changes the page to scroll to bottom
+        Check switching between threads changes the page focus
         """
         # verify threads are rendered on the page
         self.assertTrue(
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ class DiscussionTabMultipleThreadTest(BaseDiscussionTestCase):
         self.thread_page_1.click_and_open_thread(thread_id=self.thread_ids[1])
         self.assertTrue(self.thread_page_2.is_browser_on_page())
 
-        # Verify that window is on top of page.
-        self.thread_page_2.check_window_is_on_top()
+        # Verify that the focus is changed
+        self.thread_page_2.check_focus_is_set(selector=".discussion-article")
 
 
 @attr('shard_2')