diff --git a/dpadrecyclerview/src/androidTest/kotlin/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/test/tests/focus/NestedFocusDirectionTest.kt b/dpadrecyclerview/src/androidTest/kotlin/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/test/tests/focus/NestedFocusDirectionTest.kt
index 845bebb5..3448ebaa 100644
--- a/dpadrecyclerview/src/androidTest/kotlin/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/test/tests/focus/NestedFocusDirectionTest.kt
+++ b/dpadrecyclerview/src/androidTest/kotlin/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/test/tests/focus/NestedFocusDirectionTest.kt
@@ -107,6 +107,40 @@ class NestedFocusDirectionTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun testFocusStillLeavesRecyclerViewWhenFocusSearchIsDisabled() = report {
+        step("Disable focus searches for the first recyclerview") {
+            Espresso.onView(
+                allOf(
+                    withId(
+                        com.rubensousa.dpadrecyclerview.test.R.id.nestedRecyclerView
+                    ),
+                    withTagValue(Matchers.`is`(0))
+                )
+            ).perform(DpadRecyclerViewActions.execute("Disable focus searches") { recyclerView ->
+                recyclerView.setFocusSearchDisabled(true)
+            })
+        }
+
+        step("Press down") {
+            KeyEvents.pressDown()
+            waitForIdleScrollState()
+        }
+
+        step("Focus should be in second list") {
+            Espresso.onView(
+                allOf(
+                    withId(
+                        com.rubensousa.dpadrecyclerview.test.R.id.nestedRecyclerView
+                    ),
+                    withTagValue(Matchers.`is`(1))
+                )
+            ).check(
+                DpadRecyclerViewAssertions.isFocused(position = 0)
+            )
+        }
+    }
+
     private fun launchFragment(): FragmentScenario<NestedFocusDirectionFragment> {
         return launchFragmentInContainer<NestedFocusDirectionFragment>(
             themeResId = R.style.DpadRecyclerViewTestTheme
diff --git a/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/LayoutConfiguration.kt b/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/LayoutConfiguration.kt
index 8d5f203a..4db14e4a 100644
--- a/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/LayoutConfiguration.kt
+++ b/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/LayoutConfiguration.kt
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ internal class LayoutConfiguration(properties: Properties) {
     var isFocusSearchDisabled = false
         private set
 
-    private var isFocusSearchEnabledDuringAnimations = false
+    var isFocusSearchEnabledDuringAnimations = false
+        private set
 
     // Number of items to prefetch when first coming on screen with new data
     var initialPrefetchItemCount = 4
diff --git a/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/focus/FocusDispatcher.kt b/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/focus/FocusDispatcher.kt
index 045473e4..f91cf316 100644
--- a/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/focus/FocusDispatcher.kt
+++ b/dpadrecyclerview/src/main/java/com/rubensousa/dpadrecyclerview/layoutmanager/focus/FocusDispatcher.kt
@@ -130,7 +130,15 @@ internal class FocusDispatcher(
     ): View? {
         val currentRecyclerView = recyclerView ?: return focused
 
-        if (!isFocusSearchEnabled(currentRecyclerView)) {
+        // If the parent RecyclerView does not allow focusing children,
+        // just delegate focus to its parent
+        if (currentRecyclerView.descendantFocusability == ViewGroup.FOCUS_BLOCK_DESCENDANTS) {
+            return currentRecyclerView.parent?.focusSearch(focused, direction)
+        }
+
+        if (!configuration.isFocusSearchEnabledDuringAnimations
+            && currentRecyclerView.isAnimating
+        ) {
             return focused
         }
 
@@ -175,13 +183,6 @@ internal class FocusDispatcher(
             }
         }
 
-
-        // If the parent RecyclerView does not allow focusing children,
-        // just delegate focus to its parent
-        if (currentRecyclerView.descendantFocusability == ViewGroup.FOCUS_BLOCK_DESCENDANTS) {
-            return currentRecyclerView.parent?.focusSearch(focused, direction)
-        }
-
         val isScrolling = currentRecyclerView.scrollState != RecyclerView.SCROLL_STATE_IDLE
         when (focusDirection) {
             FocusDirection.NEXT_ROW -> {