diff --git a/gtk/inspector/inspect-button.c b/gtk/inspector/inspect-button.c
index b30b3637fe..96255ccdcb 100644
--- a/gtk/inspector/inspect-button.c
+++ b/gtk/inspector/inspect-button.c
@@ -208,12 +208,16 @@ static void
 select_widget (GtkInspectorWindow *iw,
                GtkWidget          *widget)
 {
+  GtkInspectorWidgetTree *wt = GTK_INSPECTOR_WIDGET_TREE (iw->widget_tree);
+  GtkTreeIter iter;
+
   iw->selected_widget = widget;
 
   gtk_notebook_set_current_page (GTK_NOTEBOOK (iw->top_notebook), 0);
 
-  gtk_inspector_widget_tree_select_object (GTK_INSPECTOR_WIDGET_TREE (iw->widget_tree),
-                                           G_OBJECT (widget));
+  if (!gtk_inspector_widget_tree_find_object (wt, G_OBJECT (widget), &iter))
+    gtk_inspector_widget_tree_scan (wt, gtk_widget_get_toplevel (widget));
+ gtk_inspector_widget_tree_select_object (wt, G_OBJECT (widget));
 }
 
 static void