diff --git a/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.tsx b/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.tsx
index 88756a334bf..69fe5c63160 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import * as React from 'react';
+import React, { ClipboardEvent } from 'react';
 import { MatrixClient } from 'matrix-js-sdk/src/client';
 import { MatrixEvent } from 'matrix-js-sdk/src/models/event';
 
@@ -415,9 +415,9 @@ class LoggedInView extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         });
     };
 
-    private onPaste = (ev) => {
+    private onPaste = (ev: ClipboardEvent) => {
         let canReceiveInput = false;
-        let element = ev.target;
+        let element = ev.currentTarget;
         // test for all parents because the target can be a child of a contenteditable element
         while (!canReceiveInput && element) {
             canReceiveInput = canElementReceiveInput(element);
diff --git a/src/components/views/emojipicker/ReactionPicker.tsx b/src/components/views/emojipicker/ReactionPicker.tsx
index e129b45c9a9..1f748796818 100644
--- a/src/components/views/emojipicker/ReactionPicker.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/emojipicker/ReactionPicker.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class ReactionPicker extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                 this.props.mxEvent.getRoomId(),
                 myReactions[reaction],
             );
-            dis.dispatch({ action: Action.FocusAComposer });
+            dis.fire(Action.FocusAComposer);
             // Tell the emoji picker not to bump this in the more frequently used list.
             return false;
         } else {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class ReactionPicker extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                 },
             });
             dis.dispatch({ action: "message_sent" });
-            dis.dispatch({ action: Action.FocusAComposer });
+            dis.fire(Action.FocusAComposer);
             return true;
         }
     };
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.tsx
index 3b1db6bb902..e6ec92cffbe 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.tsx
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ import ErrorDialog from "../dialogs/ErrorDialog";
 import QuestionDialog from "../dialogs/QuestionDialog";
 import { ActionPayload } from "../../../dispatcher/payloads";
 import { decorateStartSendingTime, sendRoundTripMetric } from "../../../sendTimePerformanceMetrics";
-import RoomContext from '../../../contexts/RoomContext';
+import RoomContext, { TimelineRenderingType } from '../../../contexts/RoomContext';
 import DocumentPosition from "../../../editor/position";
 import { ComposerType } from "../../../dispatcher/payloads/ComposerInsertPayload";
 
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ export class SendMessageComposer extends React.Component<ISendMessageComposerPro
         switch (payload.action) {
             case 'reply_to_event':
             case Action.FocusSendMessageComposer:
-                if (payload.context === this.context.timelineRenderingType) {
+                if ((payload.context ?? TimelineRenderingType.Room) === this.context.timelineRenderingType) {
                     this.editorRef.current?.focus();
                 }
                 break;
diff --git a/src/dispatcher/actions.ts b/src/dispatcher/actions.ts
index 796dbbeeb65..a3214795a86 100644
--- a/src/dispatcher/actions.ts
+++ b/src/dispatcher/actions.ts
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ export enum Action {
     CheckUpdates = "check_updates",
 
     /**
-     * Focuses the user's cursor to the send message composer. No additional payload information required.
+     * Focuses the user's cursor to the send message composer. Should be used with a FocusComposerPayload.
      */
     FocusSendMessageComposer = "focus_send_message_composer",
 
     /**
-     * Focuses the user's cursor to the edit message composer. No additional payload information required.
+     * Focuses the user's cursor to the edit message composer. Should be used with a FocusComposerPayload.
      */
     FocusEditMessageComposer = "focus_edit_message_composer",
 
diff --git a/src/dispatcher/payloads/FocusComposerPayload.ts b/src/dispatcher/payloads/FocusComposerPayload.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..29655a4b7a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dispatcher/payloads/FocusComposerPayload.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2021 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import { ActionPayload } from "../payloads";
+import { Action } from "../actions";
+import { TimelineRenderingType } from "../../contexts/RoomContext";
+
+export interface FocusComposerPayload extends ActionPayload {
+    action: Action.FocusEditMessageComposer | Action.FocusSendMessageComposer | "reply_to_event";
+
+    context?: TimelineRenderingType; // defaults to Room type for backwards compatibility
+}