diff --git a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/MainWindowViewModel.cs b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/MainWindowViewModel.cs
index 7a01340d5e..c7d57bd83e 100644
--- a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/MainWindowViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/MainWindowViewModel.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
 using Peek.Common.Helpers;
 using Peek.Common.Models;
 using Peek.UI.Models;
+using Windows.Win32.Foundation;
 
 namespace Peek.UI
 {
@@ -40,11 +41,11 @@ namespace Peek.UI
             NavigationThrottleTimer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(NavigationThrottleDelayMs);
         }
 
-        public void Initialize()
+        public void Initialize(HWND foregroundWindowHandle)
         {
             try
             {
-                Items = NeighboringItemsQuery.GetNeighboringItems();
+                Items = NeighboringItemsQuery.GetNeighboringItems(foregroundWindowHandle);
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
diff --git a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/PeekXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/PeekXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index a3b72dcb18..b28fed13c0 100644
--- a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/PeekXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/PeekXAML/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -85,20 +85,24 @@ namespace Peek.UI
         /// </summary>
         private void OnPeekHotkey()
         {
+            // Need to read the foreground HWND before activating Peek to avoid focus stealing
+            // Foreground HWND must always be Explorer or Desktop
+            var foregroundWindowHandle = Windows.Win32.PInvoke.GetForegroundWindow();
+
             // First Peek activation
             if (!activated)
             {
                 Activate();
-                Initialize();
+                Initialize(foregroundWindowHandle);
                 activated = true;
                 return;
             }
 
             if (AppWindow.IsVisible)
             {
-                if (IsNewSingleSelectedItem())
+                if (IsNewSingleSelectedItem(foregroundWindowHandle))
                 {
-                    Initialize();
+                    Initialize(foregroundWindowHandle);
                 }
                 else
                 {
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ namespace Peek.UI
             }
             else
             {
-                Initialize();
+                Initialize(foregroundWindowHandle);
             }
         }
 
@@ -126,12 +130,12 @@ namespace Peek.UI
             Uninitialize();
         }
 
-        private void Initialize()
+        private void Initialize(Windows.Win32.Foundation.HWND foregroundWindowHandle)
         {
             var bootTime = new System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch();
             bootTime.Start();
 
-            ViewModel.Initialize();
+            ViewModel.Initialize(foregroundWindowHandle);
             ViewModel.ScalingFactor = this.GetMonitorScale();
 
             bootTime.Stop();
@@ -156,6 +160,7 @@ namespace Peek.UI
         private void FilePreviewer_PreviewSizeChanged(object sender, PreviewSizeChangedArgs e)
         {
             var foregroundWindowHandle = Windows.Win32.PInvoke.GetForegroundWindow();
+
             var monitorSize = foregroundWindowHandle.GetMonitorSize();
             var monitorScale = foregroundWindowHandle.GetMonitorScale();
 
@@ -210,12 +215,10 @@ namespace Peek.UI
             Uninitialize();
         }
 
-        private bool IsNewSingleSelectedItem()
+        private bool IsNewSingleSelectedItem(Windows.Win32.Foundation.HWND foregroundWindowHandle)
         {
             try
             {
-                var foregroundWindowHandle = Windows.Win32.PInvoke.GetForegroundWindow();
-
                 var selectedItems = FileExplorerHelper.GetSelectedItems(foregroundWindowHandle);
                 var selectedItemsCount = selectedItems?.GetCount() ?? 0;
                 if (selectedItems == null || selectedItemsCount == 0 || selectedItemsCount > 1)
diff --git a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/NeighboringItemsQuery.cs b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/NeighboringItemsQuery.cs
index 78d0f97a5d..efc23316d7 100644
--- a/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/NeighboringItemsQuery.cs
+++ b/src/modules/peek/Peek.UI/Services/NeighboringItemsQuery.cs
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 // The Microsoft Corporation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
 
-using System.Diagnostics;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
-using Peek.Common.Models;
-using Peek.UI.Extensions;
 using Peek.UI.Helpers;
 using Peek.UI.Models;
 
@@ -16,10 +13,8 @@ namespace Peek.UI
         [ObservableProperty]
         private bool isMultipleFilesActivation;
 
-        public NeighboringItems? GetNeighboringItems()
+        public NeighboringItems? GetNeighboringItems(Windows.Win32.Foundation.HWND foregroundWindowHandle)
         {
-            var foregroundWindowHandle = Windows.Win32.PInvoke.GetForegroundWindow();
-
             var selectedItemsShellArray = FileExplorerHelper.GetSelectedItems(foregroundWindowHandle);
             var selectedItemsCount = selectedItemsShellArray?.GetCount() ?? 0;