diff --git a/src/modal/modal.js b/src/modal/modal.js
index b3036a3d43..a1955a3c0b 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.js
+++ b/src/modal/modal.js
@@ -93,8 +93,11 @@ angular.module('ui.bootstrap.modal', [])
       link: function (scope, element, attrs) {
         scope.windowClass = attrs.windowClass || '';
 
-        //trigger CSS transitions
+        // focus a freshly-opened modal
+        element[0].focus();
+
         $timeout(function () {
+          // trigger CSS transitions
           scope.animate = true;
         });
       }
diff --git a/template/modal/window.html b/template/modal/window.html
index 3714dd61e6..3e83b0bddc 100644
--- a/template/modal/window.html
+++ b/template/modal/window.html
@@ -1 +1 @@
-<div class="modal fade {{ windowClass }}" ng-class="{in: animate}" ng-style="{'z-index': 1050 + index*10}" ng-transclude></div>
\ No newline at end of file
+<div tabindex="-1" class="modal fade {{ windowClass }}" ng-class="{in: animate}" ng-style="{'z-index': 1050 + index*10}" ng-transclude></div>
\ No newline at end of file