diff --git a/web/src/common.ts b/web/src/common.ts
index b595513594..c34b6cc210 100644
--- a/web/src/common.ts
+++ b/web/src/common.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ import {$t} from "./i18n";
 export const status_classes = "alert-error alert-success alert-info alert-warning alert-loading";
 
 // TODO: Move this to the portico codebase.
-export function autofocus(selector: string): void {
+export function autofocus($elem: JQuery): void {
     $(() => {
-        $(selector).trigger("focus");
+        $elem.trigger("focus");
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/web/tests/common.test.js b/web/tests/common.test.js
index e65999a30e..6ee70b1b74 100644
--- a/web/tests/common.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/common.test.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const navigator = set_global("navigator", {});
 const common = zrequire("common");
 
 run_test("basics", () => {
-    common.autofocus("#home");
+    common.autofocus($("#home"));
     $.get_initialize_function()();
     assert.ok($("#home").is_focused());
     $.clear_initialize_function();