diff --git a/packages/labs/src/components/popover/popover2.tsx b/packages/labs/src/components/popover/popover2.tsx
index d82ee8e3b06..8bbe32913c6 100644
--- a/packages/labs/src/components/popover/popover2.tsx
+++ b/packages/labs/src/components/popover/popover2.tsx
@@ -264,10 +264,9 @@ export class Popover2 extends AbstractComponent<IPopover2Props, IPopover2State>
     public render() {
         const { className } = this.props;
         const { isOpen, disabled, hasBackdrop } = this.state;
-        const isHoverInteractionKind = this.isHoverInteractionKind();
 
         let targetProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLElement>;
-        if (isHoverInteractionKind) {
+        if (this.isHoverInteractionKind()) {
             targetProps = {
                 onBlur: this.handleTargetBlur,
                 onFocus: this.handleTargetFocus,
@@ -289,11 +288,8 @@ export class Popover2 extends AbstractComponent<IPopover2Props, IPopover2State>
         );
 
         const children = this.understandChildren();
-        const targetTabIndex = this.props.openOnTargetFocus && isHoverInteractionKind ? 0 : undefined;
+        const targetTabIndex = this.props.openOnTargetFocus && this.isHoverInteractionKind() ? 0 : undefined;
         const target: JSX.Element = React.cloneElement(children.target, {
-            className: classNames(children.target.props.className, {
-                [Classes.ACTIVE]: isOpen && !isHoverInteractionKind,
-            }),
             // force disable single Tooltip child when popover is open (BLUEPRINT-552)
             disabled: isOpen && children.target.type === Tooltip2 ? true : children.target.props.disabled,
             tabIndex: targetTabIndex,