diff --git a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/include/de/widgets/popupmenuwidget.h b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/include/de/widgets/popupmenuwidget.h
index 8e333d6041..d4aa10b627 100644
--- a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/include/de/widgets/popupmenuwidget.h
+++ b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/include/de/widgets/popupmenuwidget.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class LIBAPPFW_PUBLIC PopupMenuWidget : public PopupWidget
 public:
     PopupMenuWidget(String const &name = "");
 
+    void setParentPopup(PopupWidget *parentPopup);
+
     MenuWidget &menu() const;
 
     ui::Data &items() { return menu().items(); }
diff --git a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/menuwidget.cpp b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/menuwidget.cpp
index 781121c6b3..d69acdc48c 100644
--- a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/menuwidget.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/menuwidget.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,15 @@ DENG2_PIMPL(MenuWidget)
 
             Action::trigger();
 
+            if(auto *subMenu = _widget->maybeAs<PopupMenuWidget>())
+            {
+                // Parent is the anchor button, owned by a MenuWidget, possibly owned a
+                // the popup menu.
+                if(auto *parentMenu = parent().parentWidget())
+                {
+                    subMenu->setParentPopup(parentMenu->parent()->maybeAs<PopupWidget>());
+                }
+            }
             _widget->setAnchorAndOpeningDirection(parent().hitRule(), _dir);
 
             d->keepTrackOfSubWidget(_widget);
diff --git a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupmenuwidget.cpp b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupmenuwidget.cpp
index 0f0814828a..7aa5d3c403 100644
--- a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupmenuwidget.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupmenuwidget.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ DENG_GUI_PIMPL(PopupMenuWidget)
     int oldScrollY;
     Rule const *widestItem;
     IndirectRule *maxItemWidth;
+    SafeWidgetPtr<PopupWidget> parentPopup;
 
     Instance(Public *i)
         : Base(i)
@@ -351,6 +352,8 @@ DENG_GUI_PIMPL(PopupMenuWidget)
     {
         // The popup menu is closed when an action is triggered.
         self.close();
+
+        if(parentPopup) parentPopup->close();
     }
 
     void updateIfScrolled()
@@ -413,6 +416,12 @@ PopupMenuWidget::PopupMenuWidget(String const &name)
     menu().organizer().audienceForWidgetUpdate() += d;
 }
 
+void PopupMenuWidget::setParentPopup(PopupWidget *parentPopup)
+{
+    // The parent will be closed, too, if the submenu is closed due to activation.
+    d->parentPopup.reset(parentPopup);
+}
+
 MenuWidget &PopupMenuWidget::menu() const
 {
     return static_cast<MenuWidget &>(content());
diff --git a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupwidget.cpp b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupwidget.cpp
index 2d987def7a..382a973188 100644
--- a/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupwidget.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/sdk/libappfw/src/widgets/popupwidget.cpp
@@ -32,19 +32,13 @@
 namespace de {
 
 DENG_GUI_PIMPL(PopupWidget)
-, DENG2_OBSERVES(Widget, Deletion)
 {
     bool flexibleDir = true;
     ColorTheme colorTheme = Normal;
     bool deleteAfterDismiss = false;
     bool clickToClose = true;
     bool outsideClickOngoing = false;
-    Widget *realParent = nullptr;
-    /*Rule const *anchorTop = nullptr;
-    Rule const *anchorY = nullptr;
-    //Rule const *anchorWidth = nullptr;
-    Rule const *anchorBottom = nullptr;
-    Rule const *anchorOffset = new ConstantRule(0);*/
+    SafeWidgetPtr<Widget> realParent;
     RuleRectangle anchor;
     Rule const *marker;
 
@@ -54,11 +48,6 @@ DENG_GUI_PIMPL(PopupWidget)
         marker = &rule("gap");
     }
 
-    ~Instance()
-    {
-        if(realParent) realParent->audienceForDeletion() -= this;
-    }
-
     void flipOpeningDirectionIfNeeded()
     {
         ui::Direction openDir = self.openingDirection();
@@ -225,15 +214,6 @@ DENG_GUI_PIMPL(PopupWidget)
             self.set(self.background().withSolidFillOpacity(1));
         }
     }
-
-    void widgetBeingDeleted(Widget &widget)
-    {
-        if(&widget == realParent)
-        {
-            // We don't know who the real parent is any more.
-            realParent = nullptr;
-        }
-    }
 };
 
 PopupWidget::PopupWidget(String const &name) : PanelWidget(name), d(new Instance(this))
@@ -245,7 +225,7 @@ PopupWidget::PopupWidget(String const &name) : PanelWidget(name), d(new Instance
 int PopupWidget::levelOfNesting() const
 {
     int nesting = 0;
-    for(Widget const *p = d->realParent? d->realParent : parentWidget(); p; p = p->parent())
+    for(Widget const *p = d->realParent? d->realParent.get() : parentWidget(); p; p = p->parent())
     {
         if(p->is<PopupWidget>())
         {
@@ -258,27 +238,6 @@ int PopupWidget::levelOfNesting() const
 void PopupWidget::setAnchorAndOpeningDirection(RuleRectangle const &rule, ui::Direction dir)
 {
     d->anchor.setRect(rule);
-
-/*    if(dir == ui::NoDirection)
-    {
-        // Anchored to the middle by default.
-        setAnchor(rule.left() + rule.width() / 2,
-                  rule.top() + rule.height() / 2);
-    }
-    else if(dir == ui::Left || dir == ui::Right)
-    {
-        setAnchorY(rule.top() + rule.height() / 2);
-        setAnchorX(dir == ui::Left? rule.left() : rule.right());
-    }
-    else if(dir == ui::Up || dir == ui::Down)
-    {
-        setAnchorX(rule.left() + rule.width() / 2);
-        setAnchorY(dir == ui::Up? rule.top() : rule.bottom());
-    }
-
-    changeRef(d->anchorWidth,  rule.width());
-    changeRef(d->anchorHeight, rule.height());*/
-
     setOpeningDirection(dir);
 }
 
@@ -477,9 +436,8 @@ void PopupWidget::preparePanelForOpening()
     }
 
     // Reparent the popup into the root widget, on top of everything else.
-    d->realParent = Widget::parent();
-    DENG2_ASSERT(d->realParent != 0);
-    d->realParent->audienceForDeletion() += d;
+    d->realParent.reset(Widget::parent());
+    DENG2_ASSERT(d->realParent);
     d->realParent->remove(*this);
     d->realParent->root().as<GuiRootWidget>().addOnTop(this);
 
@@ -491,14 +449,11 @@ void PopupWidget::panelDismissed()
     PanelWidget::panelDismissed();
 
     // Move back to the original parent widget.
-    if(d->realParent)
-    {
-        d->realParent->audienceForDeletion() -= d;
-    }
-    else
+    if(!d->realParent)
     {
         // The real parent has been deleted.
-        d->realParent = &root();
+        d->realParent.reset(&root());
+        DENG2_ASSERT(d->realParent);
     }
     parentWidget()->remove(*this);
 
@@ -512,7 +467,7 @@ void PopupWidget::panelDismissed()
         d->realParent->add(this);
     }
 
-    d->realParent = 0;
+    d->realParent.reset();
 }
 
 } // namespace de