diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/FileDialog.qml b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/FileDialog.qml
index fcaf994b1b..4c02c94f03 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/FileDialog.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/FileDialog.qml
@@ -8,23 +8,20 @@ import "../windows"
 import "../styles"
 
 // Work in progress....
-Window {
+ModalWindow {
     id: root
     HifiConstants { id: hifi }
 
     signal selectedFile(var file);
     signal canceled();
-
-    anchors.centerIn: parent
     resizable: true
     width: 640
     height: 480
-    modality: Qt.ApplicationModal
+
     property string settingsName: ""
     property alias folder: folderModel.folder
     property alias filterModel: selectionType.model
 
-
     Rectangle {
         anchors.fill: parent
         color: "white"
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
index 6f96340be6..5b9a653f2e 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/dialogs/MessageDialog.qml
@@ -7,19 +7,14 @@ import "../styles"
 import "../windows"
 
 // FIXME respect default button functionality
-// FIXME force active focus at all times (modal dialog)
-Window {
+ModalWindow {
     id: root
     HifiConstants { id: hifi }
-
     implicitWidth: 640
     implicitHeight: 320
     destroyOnCloseButton: true
     destroyOnInvisible: true
     visible: true
-    modality: Qt.ApplicationModal
-    anchors.centerIn: parent
-    frame: ModalFrame {}
 
     signal selected(int button);
 
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalFrame.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalFrame.qml
index e0e9049828..2601c3899f 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalFrame.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalFrame.qml
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ Frame {
         color: "#7f7f7f7f";
         radius: 3;
         MouseArea {
+            enabled: window.visible
             anchors.fill: parent
             acceptedButtons: Qt.AllButtons
-            onClicked: { }
+            onClicked: {}
             onDoubleClicked: {}
             onPressAndHold: {}
             onReleased: {}
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb45273ff4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import QtQuick 2.5
+
+import "."
+
+Window {
+    id: root
+    anchors.centerIn: parent
+    modality: Qt.ApplicationModal
+    frame: ModalFrame{}
+}
+
+
diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/windows/Window.qml b/interface/resources/qml/windows/Window.qml
index 25bb87deab..21bd8f3dec 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/windows/Window.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/windows/Window.qml
@@ -69,28 +69,9 @@ Fadable {
 
     // Default to a standard frame.  Can be overriden to provide custom
     // frame styles, like a full desktop frame to simulate a modal window
-    property var frame;
+    property var frame: DefaultFrame { }
 
-    Component {
-        id: defaultFrameBuilder;
-        DefaultFrame { anchors.fill: parent }
-    }
-
-    Component {
-        id: modalFrameBuilder;
-        ModalFrame { anchors.fill: parent }
-    }
-
-    Component.onCompleted: {
-        if (!frame) {
-            if (modality === Qt.NonModal) {
-                frame = defaultFrameBuilder.createObject(window);
-            } else {
-                frame = modalFrameBuilder.createObject(window);
-            }
-        }
-        raise();
-    }
+    Component.onCompleted: raise();
 
     children: [ frame, content, activator ]
 
diff --git a/tests/ui/qml/main.qml b/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
index ae9d93e0a6..9bc919437f 100644
--- a/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
+++ b/tests/ui/qml/main.qml
@@ -132,11 +132,6 @@ ApplicationWindow {
                     console.log(appWindow.activeFocusItem);
                 }
             }
-            Button {
-                text: "Preferences"
-                property var preferencesComponent: Component { PreferencesDialog { } }
-                onClicked: preferencesComponent.createObject(desktop);
-            }
         }
 
         Window {
@@ -194,25 +189,6 @@ ApplicationWindow {
                 color: "yellow"
             }
         }
-
-        MouseArea {
-            anchors.fill: parent
-            acceptedButtons: Qt.RightButton
-
-            Component {
-                id: menuBuilder
-                VrMenuView { }
-            }
-
-            onClicked: {
-                console.log("zzz")
-                var menuItems = menuItemsToModel(stubMenu);
-                var newMenu = menuBuilder.createObject(desktop, {  source: stubMenu, items: menuItems });
-                newMenu.x = mouseX
-                newMenu.y = mouseY
-            }
-
-        }
     }
 
     /*
diff --git a/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro b/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
index 34eca04c32..97f2b9b6f7 100644
--- a/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
+++ b/tests/ui/qmlscratch.pro
@@ -85,5 +85,6 @@ DISTFILES += \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/hifi/Desktop.qml \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/menus/MenuMouseHandler.qml \
     ../../interface/resources/qml/menus/VrMenuItem.qml \
-    ../../interface/resources/qml/menus/VrMenuView.qml
+    ../../interface/resources/qml/menus/VrMenuView.qml \
+    ../../interface/resources/qml/windows/ModalWindow.qml