diff --git a/xed/xed-window-private.h b/xed/xed-window-private.h
index 03c05b1..5d9cb6c 100644
--- a/xed/xed-window-private.h
+++ b/xed/xed-window-private.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ struct _XedWindowPrivate
 
     GtkWidget *tab_width_button;
     GtkWidget *tab_width_menu;
+    GtkWidget *tab_width_item;
     GtkWidget *language_button;
     GtkWidget *language_popover;
     GtkWidget *show_side_pane_button;
diff --git a/xed/xed-window.c b/xed/xed-window.c
index c9c6e39..ef39c16 100644
--- a/xed/xed-window.c
+++ b/xed/xed-window.c
@@ -1362,6 +1362,19 @@ typedef struct
     guint width;
 } TabWidthDefinition;
 
+static void
+tab_width_menu_popped_up (GtkMenu *menu,
+                          gpointer flipped_rect,
+                          gpointer final_rect,
+                          gboolean flipped_x,
+                          gboolean flipped_y,
+                          gpointer user_data)
+{
+    XedWindow *window = XED_WINDOW (user_data);
+
+    gtk_menu_shell_select_item (GTK_MENU_SHELL (window->priv->tab_width_menu), GTK_WIDGET (window->priv->tab_width_item));
+}
+
 static void
 setup_tab_width_menu (XedWindow *window)
 {
@@ -1399,7 +1412,9 @@ setup_tab_width_menu (XedWindow *window)
     gtk_menu_shell_append (GTK_MENU_SHELL (window->priv->tab_width_menu), item);
     gtk_widget_show (item);
 
-    g_signal_connect(item, "toggled", G_CALLBACK (use_spaces_toggled), window);
+    g_signal_connect (item, "toggled", G_CALLBACK (use_spaces_toggled), window);
+
+    g_signal_connect (window->priv->tab_width_menu, "popped-up", G_CALLBACK (tab_width_menu_popped_up), window);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1762,15 +1777,6 @@ set_title (XedWindow *window)
 
 #undef MAX_TITLE_LENGTH
 
-static void
-set_tab_width_item_blocked (XedWindow *window,
-                            GtkMenuItem *item)
-{
-    g_signal_handlers_block_by_func(item, tab_width_button_clicked, window);
-    gtk_menu_shell_select_item (GTK_MENU_SHELL (window->priv->tab_width_menu), GTK_WIDGET (item));
-    g_signal_handlers_unblock_by_func(item, tab_width_button_clicked, window);
-}
-
 static void
 spaces_instead_of_tabs_changed (GObject *object,
                                 GParamSpec *pspec,
@@ -1807,7 +1813,11 @@ tab_width_changed (GObject *object,
 
         if (tab_width == new_tab_width)
         {
-            set_tab_width_item_blocked (window, GTK_MENU_ITEM(item->data));
+            window->priv->tab_width_item = item->data;
+            if (gtk_widget_get_realized (window->priv->tab_width_menu))
+            {
+                gtk_menu_shell_select_item (GTK_MENU_SHELL (window->priv->tab_width_menu), GTK_WIDGET (item->data));
+            }
             found = TRUE;
         }
 
@@ -1821,7 +1831,11 @@ tab_width_changed (GObject *object,
                 text = g_strdup_printf ("%u", new_tab_width);
                 gtk_menu_item_set_label (GTK_MENU_ITEM(item->data), text);
 
-                set_tab_width_item_blocked (window, GTK_MENU_ITEM(item->data));
+                window->priv->tab_width_item = item->data;
+                if (gtk_widget_get_realized (window->priv->tab_width_menu))
+                {
+                    gtk_menu_shell_select_item (GTK_MENU_SHELL (window->priv->tab_width_menu), GTK_WIDGET (item->data));
+                }
                 gtk_widget_show (GTK_WIDGET(item->data));
             }
             else