diff --git a/src/domain/session/RoomGridViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/RoomGridViewModel.js
index dcea1a26..d8dc38ab 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/RoomGridViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/RoomGridViewModel.js
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ export class RoomGridViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     setFocusedIndex(idx) {
+        if (idx === this._selectedIndex) {
+            return;
+        }
         const oldItem = this._viewModels[this._selectedIndex];
         oldItem?.tileVM?.close();
         this._selectedIndex = idx;
@@ -69,8 +72,8 @@ export class RoomGridViewModel extends ViewModel {
     /**
      * @package
      */
-    hasRoomId(roomId) {
-        return this._viewModels.some(vms => vms?.vm._room.id === roomId);
+    roomIndex(roomId) {
+        return this._viewModels.findIndex(vms => vms?.vm._room.id === roomId);
     }
     
     /**
diff --git a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
index 467bc169..082d738f 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
@@ -111,8 +111,12 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     _openRoom(room, roomTileVM) {
         // for now, we don't support having the same room opened more than once,
         // so bail out if we already have the room open
-        if (this._gridViewModel?.hasRoomId(room.id)) {
-            return;
+        if (this._gridViewModel) {
+            const roomIndex = this._gridViewModel.roomIndex(room.id);
+            if (roomIndex >= 0) {
+                this._gridViewModel.setFocusedIndex(roomIndex);
+                return;
+            }
         } else if (this._currentRoomViewModel?._room.id === room.id) {
             return;
         }