diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/core.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/core.c3
index 0771a70..05d3483 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/core.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/core.c3
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ enum ElemType {
 
 bitstruct ElemFlags : uint {
 	bool updated : 0;
-	bool is_new : 1;
+	bool is_new  : 1; // element is new in the cache
+	bool shown   : 2; // element has been shown (drawn) this frame
 }
 
 bitstruct ElemEvents : uint {
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ fn PElemTuple? Ctx.get_elem(&ctx, Id id, ElemType type)
 	elem = ctx.cache.get_or_insert(&&(Elem){}, id, &is_new)!;
 	elem.flags = (ElemFlags)0;
 	elem.flags.is_new = is_new;
+	elem.flags.shown = true;
 	elem.id = id;
 	elem.layout = {};
 	if (is_new == false && elem.type != type) {
@@ -323,24 +325,13 @@ $endif
 //	}
 }
 
-<*
- * @ensure elem != null
-*>
-macro bool Ctx.is_hovered(&ctx, Elem *elem)
-{
-	return ctx.input.mouse.pos.in_rect(elem.bounds);
-}
-
-macro bool Ctx.elem_focus(&ctx, Elem *elem)
-{
-	return ctx.focus_id == elem.id;
-}
-
 // TODO: add other events
 // FIXME: this does not work with touch
 // FIXME: hacked together, please do better
+/*
 fn ElemEvents Ctx.get_elem_events(&ctx, Elem *elem)
 {
+	// FIXME: gross hack to not leak events under a pop-up
 	if (ctx.input.z_index != elem.z_index) return {};
 
 	bool hover = ctx.is_hovered(elem);
@@ -367,3 +358,4 @@ fn ElemEvents Ctx.get_elem_events(&ctx, Elem *elem)
 	};
 	return ev;
 }
+*/
diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/layout.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/layout.c3
index 5a850c6..e7d4606 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/layout.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/layout.c3
@@ -297,6 +297,72 @@ fn void resolve_placement(Elem* c, Elem* p)
 	}
 }
 
+macro bool Ctx.is_hovered(&ctx, Elem *elem) => ctx.input.mouse.pos.in_rect(elem.bounds);
+
+fn void Ctx.update_elem_events(&ctx, Elem* elem)
+{
+	bool hover = ctx.is_hovered(elem);
+	bool focus = ctx.focus_id == elem.id || (hover && ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_ANY));
+
+	if (ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_ANY) && !hover){
+		focus = false;
+		if (ctx.focus_id == elem.id) ctx.focus_id = 0;
+	}
+
+	if (hover) {
+		// TODO: this constant cache lookup could be slow
+		Elem* prev_hover = ctx.find_elem(ctx.hover_id);
+		if (prev_hover.id != elem.id && prev_hover.flags.shown) {
+			if (prev_hover.z_index <= elem.z_index) {
+				// remove hover events from prev_hover
+				prev_hover.events.mouse_hover   = false;
+				prev_hover.events.mouse_press   = false;
+				prev_hover.events.mouse_release = false;
+				prev_hover.events.mouse_hold    = false;
+			} else {
+				hover = false;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	
+	if (focus) {
+		// TODO: this constant cache lookup could be slow
+		Elem* prev_focus = ctx.find_elem(ctx.hover_id);
+		// update the focus id and element only if the current element is at the same level 
+		// or above the previous element that held focus
+		if (prev_focus.z_index <= elem.z_index) {
+			// remove focus events from prev_focus
+			prev_focus.events.has_focus     = false;
+			prev_focus.events.mouse_press   = false;
+			prev_focus.events.mouse_release = false;
+			prev_focus.events.mouse_hold    = false;
+			prev_focus.events.key_press     = false;
+			prev_focus.events.key_release   = false;
+			prev_focus.events.key_repeat    = false;
+			prev_focus.events.text_input    = false;
+			// update the hover id
+			ctx.focus_id = elem.id;
+		} else if (prev_focus.flags.shown) {
+			focus = false;
+		}
+	}
+	
+	if (hover) ctx.hover_id = elem.id;
+
+	ElemEvents ev = {
+		.has_focus     = focus,
+		.mouse_hover   = hover,
+		.mouse_press   = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_pressed(BTN_ANY),
+		.mouse_release = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_released(BTN_ANY),
+		.mouse_hold    = hover && focus && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_ANY),
+		.key_press     = focus && ctx.input.events.key_press,
+		.key_release   = focus && ctx.input.events.key_release,
+		.key_repeat    = focus && ctx.input.events.key_repeat,
+		.text_input    = focus && (ctx.input.keyboard.text_len || ctx.input.keyboard.modkeys & KMOD_TXT),
+	};
+	elem.events = ev;
+}
+
 fn void? Ctx.layout_element_tree(&ctx)
 {
 	int current;
@@ -334,7 +400,11 @@ fn void? Ctx.layout_element_tree(&ctx)
 			} else {
 				resolve_placement(c, p);
 				update_children_bounds(c, p);
+
+				// reset shown flag
 			}
+			ctx.update_elem_events(c);
+			c.flags.shown = false;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/button.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/button.c3
index bfece9e..eeb1484 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/button.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/button.c3
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ fn ElemEvents? Ctx.button_id(&ctx, Id id, String label, String icon)
 
 	update_parent_size(elem, parent);
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 //	if (ctx.input.z_index == elem.z_index) println("true ", elem.z_index);
 	Rect content_bounds = elem.content_bounds();
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn ElemEvents? Ctx.button_id(&ctx, Id id, String label, String icon)
 	};
 	//text_bounds = text_size.center_to(text_bounds);
 
-	bool is_active = ctx.elem_focus(elem) || elem.events.mouse_hover;
+	bool is_active = elem.events.has_focus || elem.events.mouse_hover;
 	Style s = *style;
 	if (is_active) {
 		s.secondary = s.primary;
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ fn void? Ctx.checkbox_id(&ctx, Id id, String description, bool* active, String t
 
 	update_parent_size(elem, parent);
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 	if (elem.events.mouse_hover && elem.events.mouse_release) *active = !(*active);
 
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ fn void? Ctx.toggle_id(&ctx, Id id, String description, bool* active)
 
 	update_parent_size(elem, parent);
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 	if (elem.events.mouse_hover && elem.events.mouse_release) *active = !(*active);
 
 	Rect content_bounds = elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset);
diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/div.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/div.c3
index a4d78c2..37dd5b3 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/div.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/div.c3
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ struct ElemDiv {
 }
 
 
+macro Ctx.@center(&ctx, LayoutDirection dir = ROW, ...; @body())
+{
+	ctx.@div(@grow(), @grow(), dir, CENTER) {
+		@body();
+	}!;
+}
+
 macro Ctx.@row(&ctx, Anchor anchor = TOP_LEFT, ...; @body())
 {
 	ctx.@div(@fit(), @fit(), ROW, anchor: anchor) {
@@ -102,7 +109,7 @@ fn void? Ctx.div_begin_id(&ctx,
 	ctx.div_scissor = elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset);
 	ctx.push_scissor(elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset), elem.z_index)!;
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 
 	// TODO: check active
 	// TODO: check resizeable
@@ -212,7 +219,7 @@ fn bool? Ctx.popup_begin_id(&ctx,
 	ctx.div_scissor = elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset);
 	ctx.push_scissor(elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset), elem.z_index)!;
 
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 	
 	// check close condition, mouse release anywhere outside the div bounds
 	if ((ctx.mouse_released() & BTN_ANY) && !elem.events.mouse_hover) {
diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/slider.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/slider.c3
index 2073dac..70927e7 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/slider.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/slider.c3
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ fn ElemEvents? Ctx.slider_hor_id(&ctx, Id id, Size w, Size h, float* value, floa
 	elem.slider.handle = handle;
 
 	Point m = ctx.input.mouse.pos;
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 
-	if (ctx.elem_focus(elem) && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_LEFT)) {
+	if (elem.events.has_focus && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_LEFT)) {
 		*value = calc_value(content_bounds.x, m.x, content_bounds.w, hw);
 		elem.slider.handle.x = calc_slider(content_bounds.x, content_bounds.w-hw, *value);
 		elem.events.update = true;
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ fn ElemEvents? Ctx.slider_ver_id(&ctx, Id id, Size w, Size h, float* value, floa
 	elem.slider.handle = handle;
 
 	Point m = ctx.input.mouse.pos;
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 
-	if (ctx.elem_focus(elem) && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_LEFT)) {
+	if (elem.events.has_focus && ctx.is_mouse_down(BTN_LEFT)) {
 		*value = calc_value(content_bounds.y, m.y, content_bounds.h, hh);
 		elem.slider.handle.y = calc_slider(content_bounds.y, content_bounds.h-hh, *value);
 		elem.events.update = true;
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ fn void? Ctx.scrollbar(&ctx, Id id, float *value, float handle_percent, bool ver
 	update_parent_size(elem, parent);
 
 	Rect content_bounds = elem.bounds.pad(elem.layout.content_offset);
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 
 	short o = vertical ? content_bounds.y : content_bounds.x;
 	short m = vertical ? ctx.input.mouse.pos.y : ctx.input.mouse.pos.x;
diff --git a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/text.c3 b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/text.c3
index 8849fc1..e7c4caf 100644
--- a/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/text.c3
+++ b/lib/ugui.c3l/src/widgets/text.c3
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ fn ElemEvents? Ctx.text_box_id(&ctx, Id id, Size w, Size h, TextEdit* te, Anchor
 	update_parent_size(elem, parent);
 
 	// check input and update the text
-	elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
+	//elem.events = ctx.get_elem_events(elem);
 
 	if (elem.events.text_input || elem.events.key_press) {
 		ctx.text_edit(elem.text.te);
diff --git a/src/main.c3 b/src/main.c3
index a17ed3c..f1d31f2 100644
--- a/src/main.c3
+++ b/src/main.c3
@@ -208,12 +208,14 @@ fn int main(String[] args)
 
 		if (ui.check_key_combo(ugui::KMOD_CTRL, "q")) quit = true;
 
-const String APPLICATION = "calculator";
+const String APPLICATION = "popup";
 $switch APPLICATION:
 $case "debug":
 		debug_app(&ui);
 $case "calculator":
 		calculator(&ui, &te);
+$case "popup":
+		popup(&ui);
 $endswitch
 
 		// Timings counter
@@ -459,5 +461,26 @@ fn void calculator(ugui::Ctx* ui, TextEdit* te)
 			ui.text_box(ugui::@grow(), ugui::@exact(100), te, RIGHT)!!;
 		}!!;
 	}!!; }!!;
-
+}
+
+fn void popup(ugui::Ctx* ui)
+{
+	static bool toggle;
+	static ugui::Point pos;
+	
+	ui.@center(COLUMN) {
+		if (toggle) {
+			toggle = ui.popup_begin(pos, ugui::@fit(), ugui::@fit(), COLUMN)!!;
+			ui.button("POP")!!;
+			ui.button("UP")!!;
+			ui.div_end()!!;
+		}
+		if (ui.button("ciao")!!.mouse_release) {
+			pos = ui.input.mouse.pos;
+			toggle = ~toggle;
+		}
+		if (ui.button("mamma")!!.mouse_press) ugui::println("pressed!");
+	}!!;
+	
+	ugui::println("focus id: ", ui.focus_id, " hover id: ", ui.hover_id);
 }