diff --git a/src/components/conversation/conversation.js b/src/components/conversation/conversation.js
index 1bc9f3858..00605657e 100644
--- a/src/components/conversation/conversation.js
+++ b/src/components/conversation/conversation.js
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ const conversation = {
   },
   data() {
     return {
-      highlight: null,
+      focused: null,
       expanded: false,
       threadDisplayStatusObject: {}, // id => 'showing' | 'hidden'
       inlineDivePosition: null,
@@ -389,6 +389,9 @@ const conversation = {
     canDive() {
       return this.isTreeView && this.isExpanded
     },
+    maybeFocused() {
+      return this.isExpanded ? this.focused : null
+    },
     ...mapPiniaState(useMergedConfigStore, ['mergedConfig']),
     ...mapState({
       mastoUserSocketStatus: (state) => state.api.mastoUserSocketStatus,
@@ -411,7 +414,7 @@ const conversation = {
         oldConversationId &&
         newConversationId === oldConversationId
       ) {
-        this.setHighlight(this.originalStatusId)
+        this.setFocused(this.originalStatusId)
       } else {
         this.fetchConversation()
       }
@@ -439,7 +442,7 @@ const conversation = {
         }).then(({ data: { ancestors, descendants } }) => {
           this.$store.dispatch('addNewStatuses', { statuses: ancestors })
           this.$store.dispatch('addNewStatuses', { statuses: descendants })
-          this.setHighlight(this.originalStatusId)
+          this.setFocused(this.originalStatusId)
         })
       } else {
         this.loadStatusError = null
@@ -457,18 +460,12 @@ const conversation = {
           })
       }
     },
-    isFocused(id) {
-      return this.isExpanded && id === this.highlight
-    },
     getReplies(id) {
       return this.replies[id] || []
     },
-    maybeHighlight() {
-      return this.isExpanded ? this.highlight : null
-    },
-    setHighlight(id) {
+    setFocused(id) {
       if (!id) return
-      this.highlight = id
+      this.focused = id
 
       if (!this.streamingEnabled) {
         this.$store.dispatch('fetchStatus', id)
@@ -533,7 +530,7 @@ const conversation = {
     // only used when we are not on a page
     undive() {
       this.inlineDivePosition = null
-      this.setHighlight(this.statusId)
+      this.setFocused(this.statusId)
     },
     tryScrollTo(id) {
       if (!id) {
@@ -551,7 +548,7 @@ const conversation = {
       // contain scrolling calls, as we do not want the page to jump
       // when we scroll with an expanded conversation.
       //
-      // Now the method is to rely solely on the `highlight` watcher
+      // Now the method is to rely solely on the `focused` watcher
       // in `status` components.
       // In linear views, all statuses are rendered at all times, but
       // in tree views, it is possible that a change in active status
@@ -559,9 +556,9 @@ const conversation = {
       // status becomes an ancestor status, and thus they will be
       // different).
       // Here, let the components be rendered first, in order to trigger
-      // the `highlight` watcher.
+      // the `focused` watcher.
       this.$nextTick(() => {
-        this.setHighlight(id)
+        this.setFocused(id)
       })
     },
     goToCurrent() {
diff --git a/src/components/conversation/conversation.vue b/src/components/conversation/conversation.vue
index 9bd8a96f9..684a5de92 100644
--- a/src/components/conversation/conversation.vue
+++ b/src/components/conversation/conversation.vue
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@
               :replies="getReplies(status.id)"
 
               :expandable="!isExpanded"
-              :focused="isFocused(status.id)"
-              :highlight="maybeHighlight"
+              :focused="maybeFocused === status.id"
               :inline-expanded="collapsable && isExpanded"
               :show-pinned="pinnedStatusIdsObject && pinnedStatusIdsObject[status.id]"
               :in-profile="inProfile"
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@
               :show-other-replies-as-button="showOtherRepliesButtonInsideStatus"
               can-dive
 
-              @goto="setHighlight"
+              @goto="setFocused"
               @dive="() => diveIntoStatus(status.id)"
               @suspendable-state-change="onStatusSuspendStateChange"
             />
@@ -154,9 +153,8 @@
           :pinned-status-ids-object="pinnedStatusIdsObject"
           :profile-user-id="profileUserId"
 
-          :is-focused-function="isFocused"
           :get-replies="getReplies"
-          :highlight="maybeHighlight"
+          :focused="maybeFocused"
           :toggle-expanded="toggleExpanded"
 
           :simple="treeViewIsSimple"
@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@
           :total-reply-depth="totalReplyDepth"
           :can-dive="canDive"
 
-          @goto="setHighlight"
+          @goto="setFocused"
           @dive="diveIntoStatus"
           @suspendable-state-change="onStatusSuspendStateChange"
         />
@@ -185,15 +183,14 @@
             :replies="getReplies(status.id)"
 
             :expandable="!isExpanded"
-            :focused="isFocused(status.id)"
-            :highlight="maybeHighlight === status.id"
+            :focused="maybeFocused === status.id || maybeFocused === status.retweeted_status?.id"
             :inline-expanded="collapsable && isExpanded"
             :show-pinned="pinnedStatusIdsObject && pinnedStatusIdsObject[status.id]"
             :in-profile="inProfile"
             :in-conversation="isExpanded"
             :profile-user-id="profileUserId"
 
-            @goto="setHighlight"
+            @goto="setFocused"
             @toggle-expanded="toggleExpanded"
             @suspendable-state-change="onStatusSuspendStateChange"
           />
diff --git a/src/components/status/status.js b/src/components/status/status.js
index 0cfc7cdba..996dc6437 100644
--- a/src/components/status/status.js
+++ b/src/components/status/status.js
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ const Status = {
 
     expandable: Boolean,
     focused: Boolean,
-    highlight: Boolean,
     compact: Boolean,
     isPreview: Boolean,
     noHeading: Boolean,
@@ -320,7 +319,7 @@ const Status = {
     },
     shouldNotMute() {
       if (this.ignoreMute) return true
-      if (this.isFocused) return true
+      if (this.focused) return true
       const { status } = this
       const { reblog } = status
       return (
@@ -357,16 +356,6 @@ const Status = {
           this.muteFilterHits.some((x) => x.hide))
       )
     },
-    isFocused() {
-      // retweet or root of an expanded conversation
-      if (this.focused) {
-        return true
-      } else if (!this.inConversation) {
-        return false
-      }
-      // use conversation highlight only when in conversation
-      return this.status.id === this.highlight
-    },
     isReply() {
       return !!(
         this.status.in_reply_to_status_id && this.status.in_reply_to_user_id
@@ -415,7 +404,7 @@ const Status = {
     shouldDisplayFavsAndRepeats() {
       return (
         !this.hidePostStats &&
-        this.isFocused &&
+        this.focused &&
         (this.combinedFavsAndRepeatsUsers.length > 0 ||
           this.statusFromGlobalRepository.quotes_count)
       )
@@ -558,9 +547,9 @@ const Status = {
     toggleThreadDisplay() {
       this.controlledToggleThreadDisplay()
     },
-    scrollIfHighlighted(highlightId) {
+    scrollIfFocused(focusedId) {
       if (this.$el.getBoundingClientRect == null) return
-      const id = highlightId
+      const id = focusedId
       if (this.status.id === id) {
         const rect = this.$el.getBoundingClientRect()
         if (rect.top < 100) {
@@ -577,13 +566,13 @@ const Status = {
     },
   },
   watch: {
-    highlight: function (id) {
-      this.scrollIfHighlighted(id)
+    focused: function (id) {
+      this.scrollIfFocused(id)
     },
     'status.repeat_num': function (num) {
       // refetch repeats when repeat_num is changed in any way
       if (
-        this.isFocused &&
+        this.focused &&
         this.statusFromGlobalRepository.rebloggedBy &&
         this.statusFromGlobalRepository.rebloggedBy.length !== num
       ) {
@@ -593,7 +582,7 @@ const Status = {
     'status.fave_num': function (num) {
       // refetch favs when fave_num is changed in any way
       if (
-        this.isFocused &&
+        this.focused &&
         this.statusFromGlobalRepository.favoritedBy &&
         this.statusFromGlobalRepository.favoritedBy.length !== num
       ) {
diff --git a/src/components/status/status.vue b/src/components/status/status.vue
index f301ad890..4dcc1e07d 100644
--- a/src/components/status/status.vue
+++ b/src/components/status/status.vue
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     v-if="!hideStatus"
     ref="root"
     class="Status"
-    :class="[{ '-focused': isFocused }, { '-conversation': inlineExpanded }]"
+    :class="[{ '-focused': focused }, { '-conversation': inlineExpanded }]"
   >
     <div
       v-if="error"
@@ -409,8 +409,7 @@
           <StatusContent
             ref="content"
             :status="status"
-            :highlight="highlight"
-            :focused="isFocused"
+            :focused="focused"
             :in-conversation="inConversation"
             @mediaplay="addMediaPlaying($event)"
             @mediapause="removeMediaPlaying($event)"
@@ -507,7 +506,7 @@
           </transition>
 
           <EmojiReactions
-            v-if="(mergedConfig.emojiReactionsOnTimeline || isFocused) && (!noHeading && !isPreview)"
+            v-if="(mergedConfig.emojiReactionsOnTimeline || focused) && (!noHeading && !isPreview)"
             :status="status"
           />
 
diff --git a/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.js b/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.js
index 7631d127f..75232a259 100644
--- a/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.js
+++ b/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.js
@@ -19,10 +19,8 @@ const ThreadTree = {
     pinnedStatusIdsObject: Object,
     profileUserId: String,
 
-    isFocusedFunction: Function,
-    highlight: String,
+    focused: String,
     getReplies: Function,
-    setHighlight: Function,
     toggleExpanded: Function,
 
     simple: Boolean,
diff --git a/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.vue b/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.vue
index 72f8512e5..556858ad7 100644
--- a/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.vue
+++ b/src/components/thread_tree/thread_tree.vue
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@
       :inline-expanded="collapsable && isExpanded"
       :expandable="!isExpanded"
       :show-pinned="pinnedStatusIdsObject && pinnedStatusIdsObject[status.id]"
-      :focused="isFocusedFunction(status.id)"
       :in-conversation="isExpanded"
-      :highlight="highlight === status.id"
+      :focused="focused === status.id || focused === status.retweeted_status?.id"
       :in-profile="inProfile"
       :profile-user-id="profileUserId"
       class="conversation-status conversation-status-treeview status-fadein panel-body"
@@ -42,10 +41,8 @@
         :pinned-status-ids-object="pinnedStatusIdsObject"
         :profile-user-id="profileUserId"
 
-        :is-focused-function="isFocusedFunction"
         :get-replies="getReplies"
-        :highlight="highlight"
-        :set-highlight="setHighlight"
+        :focused="focused"
         :toggle-expanded="toggleExpanded"
 
         :simple="simple"