diff --git a/src/ce_gdb.lfm b/src/ce_gdb.lfm
index 0c8870c4..19a7e7eb 100644
--- a/src/ce_gdb.lfm
+++ b/src/ce_gdb.lfm
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ inherited CEGdbWidget: TCEGdbWidget
           Align = alTop
           TabIndex = 0
           TabOrder = 2
+          OnChange = PageControl2Change
           object TabSheet3: TTabSheet
             Caption = 'Variables'
             ClientHeight = 164
@@ -109,12 +110,10 @@ inherited CEGdbWidget: TCEGdbWidget
               Hint = 'locate variables'
               Top = 2
               Width = 505
-              UseFormActivate = True
               ButtonWidth = 24
               NumGlyphs = 1
               Align = alTop
               BorderSpacing.Around = 2
-              AutoSelect = False
               MaxLength = 0
               TabOrder = 1
               OnChange = varListFltChange
diff --git a/src/ce_gdb.pas b/src/ce_gdb.pas
index dd7a9935..735ba53a 100644
--- a/src/ce_gdb.pas
+++ b/src/ce_gdb.pas
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ type
     procedure mnuSelProjClick(Sender: TObject);
     procedure mnuSelRunnableClick(Sender: TObject);
     procedure mnuWriteWClick(Sender: TObject);
+    procedure PageControl2Change(Sender: TObject);
     procedure varListFltChange(Sender: TObject);
   protected
     procedure setToolBarFlat(value: boolean); override;
@@ -1347,6 +1348,12 @@ begin
   mnuReadWriteW.Checked:=false;
 end;
 
+procedure TCEGdbWidget.PageControl2Change(Sender: TObject);
+begin
+  // workaround LCL bug, "cannot focus..." due to caret in filter
+  varListFlt.Enabled := PageControl2.PageIndex = 0
+end;
+
 procedure TCEGdbWidget.varListFltChange(Sender: TObject);
 var
   i: integer;