diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/bin/test_hoversel.c b/legacy/elementary/src/bin/test_hoversel.c
index b7a9c110b3..c638838714 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/bin/test_hoversel.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/bin/test_hoversel.c
@@ -277,6 +277,22 @@ test_hoversel(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *event_
    evas_object_show(win);
 }
 
+static void
+_item_focused_cb(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *event_info)
+{
+   Elm_Object_Item *it = event_info;
+
+   printf("item,focused: %p\n", it);
+}
+
+static void
+_item_unfocused_cb(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *event_info)
+{
+   Elm_Object_Item *it = event_info;
+
+   printf("item,unfocused: %p\n", it);
+}
+
 void
 test_hoversel_focus(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *event_info EINA_UNUSED)
 {
@@ -308,6 +324,8 @@ test_hoversel_focus(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *
    elm_box_pack_end(bx, hoversel);
    evas_object_show(hoversel);
    elm_object_focus_set(hoversel, EINA_TRUE);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,focused", _item_focused_cb, NULL);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,unfocused", _item_unfocused_cb, NULL);
 
    hoversel = elm_hoversel_add(win);
    elm_hoversel_horizontal_set(hoversel, EINA_TRUE);
@@ -321,6 +339,8 @@ test_hoversel_focus(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *
                          NULL);
    elm_box_pack_end(bx, hoversel);
    evas_object_show(hoversel);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,focused", _item_focused_cb, NULL);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,unfocused", _item_unfocused_cb, NULL);
 
    hoversel = elm_hoversel_add(win);
    elm_hoversel_hover_parent_set(hoversel, win);
@@ -335,6 +355,8 @@ test_hoversel_focus(void *data EINA_UNUSED, Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED, void *
                          NULL);
    elm_box_pack_end(bx, hoversel);
    evas_object_show(hoversel);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,focused", _item_focused_cb, NULL);
+   evas_object_smart_callback_add(hoversel, "item,unfocused", _item_unfocused_cb, NULL);
 
    evas_object_resize(win, 320, 500);
    evas_object_show(win);
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.c b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.c
index 68a746e4f8..a863602fc6 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.c
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.c
@@ -16,10 +16,15 @@ EAPI Eo_Op ELM_OBJ_HOVERSEL_BASE_ID = EO_NOOP;
 static const char SIG_SELECTED[] = "selected";
 static const char SIG_DISMISSED[] = "dismissed";
 static const char SIG_EXPANDED[] = "expanded";
+static const char SIG_ITEM_FOCUSED[] = "item,focused";
+static const char SIG_ITEM_UNFOCUSED[] = "item,unfocused";
+
 static const Evas_Smart_Cb_Description _smart_callbacks[] = {
    {SIG_SELECTED, ""},
    {SIG_DISMISSED, ""},
    {SIG_EXPANDED, ""},
+   {SIG_ITEM_FOCUSED, ""},
+   {SIG_ITEM_UNFOCUSED, ""},
    {"clicked", ""}, /**< handled by parent button class */
    {SIG_WIDGET_LANG_CHANGED, ""}, /**< handled by elm_widget */
    {SIG_WIDGET_ACCESS_CHANGED, ""}, /**< handled by elm_widget */
@@ -101,6 +106,26 @@ _on_item_clicked(void *data,
    elm_hoversel_hover_end(obj2);
 }
 
+static void
+_item_focused_cb(void *data,
+                 Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED,
+                 void *event_info EINA_UNUSED)
+{
+   Elm_Object_Item *it = data;
+
+   evas_object_smart_callback_call(WIDGET(it), SIG_ITEM_FOCUSED, it);
+}
+
+static void
+_item_unfocused_cb(void *data,
+                   Evas_Object *obj EINA_UNUSED,
+                   void *event_info EINA_UNUSED)
+{
+   Elm_Object_Item *it = data;
+
+   evas_object_smart_callback_call(WIDGET(it), SIG_ITEM_UNFOCUSED, it);
+}
+
 static void
 _activate(Evas_Object *obj)
 {
@@ -174,6 +199,8 @@ _activate(Evas_Object *obj)
         elm_box_pack_end(bx, bt);
         evas_object_smart_callback_add(bt, "clicked", _on_item_clicked, item);
         evas_object_show(bt);
+        evas_object_smart_callback_add(bt, SIG_LAYOUT_FOCUSED, _item_focused_cb, item);
+        evas_object_smart_callback_add(bt, SIG_LAYOUT_UNFOCUSED, _item_unfocused_cb, item);
      }
 
    if (sd->horizontal)
diff --git a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.h b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.h
index c037c2ff30..47469dd99f 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.h
+++ b/legacy/elementary/src/lib/elc_hoversel.h
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
  * - @c "dismissed" - the hover is dismissed
  * - @c "expanded" - This is called on clicking hoversel and elm_hoversel_hover_begin().
  * - @c "language,changed" - the program's language changed (since 1.9)
+ * - @c "item,focused" - When the hoversel item has received focus. (since 1.10)
+ * - @c "item,unfocused" - When the hoversel item has lost focus. (since 1.10)
  *
  * Default content parts of the hoversel widget that you can use for are:
  * @li "icon" - An icon of the hoversel