diff --git a/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole/widgets/main_widget.py b/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole/widgets/main_widget.py
index 483ca4c1d1c..2deb32e9dad 100644
--- a/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole/widgets/main_widget.py
+++ b/spyder/plugins/ipythonconsole/widgets/main_widget.py
@@ -315,7 +315,8 @@ def __init__(self, name=None, plugin=None, parent=None,
             # a crash when the console is detached from the main window
             # Fixes spyder-ide/spyder#561.
             self.tabwidget.setDocumentMode(True)
-        self.tabwidget.currentChanged.connect(self.refresh_container)
+        self.tabwidget.currentChanged.connect(
+            lambda idx: self.refresh_container(give_focus=True))
         self.tabwidget.tabBar().tabMoved.connect(self.move_tab)
         self.tabwidget.tabBar().sig_name_changed.connect(
             self.rename_tabs_after_change)
@@ -772,11 +773,16 @@ def change_clients_pdb_use_exclamation_mark(self, value):
                 value)
 
     @on_conf_change(option=[
+        'symbolic_math', 'hide_cmd_windows',
         'startup/run_lines', 'startup/use_run_file', 'startup/run_file',
-        'pylab', 'pylab/backend', 'symbolic_math', 'hide_cmd_windows'])
+        'pylab', 'pylab/backend'])
     def change_possible_restart_conf(self, option, value):
         """Apply options that possibly require a kernel restart."""
-        if not self.get_current_client():
+        # Check that we are not triggering validations in the initial
+        # notification sent when Spyder is starting or when another option
+        # already required a restart and the restart dialog was shown
+        if option in self.initial_conf_options:
+            self.initial_conf_options.remove(option)
             return
 
         restart_needed = False
@@ -797,31 +803,25 @@ def change_possible_restart_conf(self, option, value):
 
         restart_options += [run_lines_n, use_run_file_n, run_file_n,
                             symbolic_math_n, hide_cmd_windows_n]
+        restart_needed = option in restart_options
 
         inline_backend = 0
         pylab_restart = False
         client_backend_not_inline = [False] * len(self.clients)
-        if pylab_o and pylab_backend_n == option:
+        current_client = self.get_current_client()
+        current_client_backend_not_inline = False
+        if pylab_o and pylab_backend_n == option and current_client:
             pylab_backend_o = self.get_conf(pylab_backend_n)
             client_backend_not_inline = [
                 client.shellwidget.get_matplotlib_backend() != inline_backend
                 for client in self.clients]
             current_client_backend_not_inline = (
-                self.get_current_client().shellwidget.get_matplotlib_backend()
+                current_client.shellwidget.get_matplotlib_backend()
                 != inline_backend)
             pylab_restart = (
                 any(client_backend_not_inline) and
                 pylab_backend_o != inline_backend)
 
-        # Check that we are not triggering validations in the initial
-        # notification sent when Spyder is starting or when another option
-        # already required a restart and the restart dialog was shown
-        if option in self.initial_conf_options:
-            self.initial_conf_options.remove(option)
-            restart_needed = False
-        else:
-            restart_needed = option in restart_options
-
         if (restart_needed or pylab_restart) and not running_under_pytest():
             self.initial_conf_options = self.get_conf_options()
             self.initial_conf_options.remove(option)
@@ -858,8 +858,7 @@ def change_client_mpl_conf(o=options, c=client):
                 client.ask_before_restart = current_ask_before_restart
 
         if (((pylab_restart and current_client_backend_not_inline)
-             or restart_needed) and restart_current):
-            current_client = self.get_current_client()
+             or restart_needed) and restart_current and current_client):
             current_client_ask_before_restart = (
                 current_client.ask_before_restart)
             current_client.ask_before_restart = False
@@ -1164,7 +1163,7 @@ def update_font(self, font, rich_font):
         for client in self.clients:
             client.set_font(font)
 
-    def refresh_container(self):
+    def refresh_container(self, give_focus=False):
         """
         Refresh interface depending on the current widget client available.
 
@@ -1192,9 +1191,11 @@ def refresh_container(self):
                 self.infowidget.hide()
                 client.shellwidget.show()
 
-            # Give focus to the control widget of the selected tab
+            # Get reference for the control widget of the selected tab
+            # and give focus if needed
             control = client.get_control()
-            control.setFocus()
+            if give_focus:
+                control.setFocus()
 
             if isinstance(control, PageControlWidget):
                 self.pager_label.show()