diff --git a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/lineCharts/LineChart.tsx b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/lineCharts/LineChart.tsx
index eccf14bd72..5f64be14fa 100644
--- a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/lineCharts/LineChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/lineCharts/LineChart.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ import {
 import {
     autoDetectSeriesStrategy,
     autoDetectYColumnSlugs,
-    byInteractionState,
+    byHoverThenFocusState,
     getDefaultFailMessage,
     getInteractionStateForSeries,
     getSeriesKey,
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ import {
     getColorKey,
     getSeriesName,
 } from "./LineChartHelpers"
+import { InteractionArray } from "../selection/InteractionArray"
 
 const LINE_CHART_CLASS_NAME = "LineChart"
 
@@ -491,7 +492,9 @@ export class LineChart
                         )
 
                         const blurred =
-                            this.seriesIsBlurred(series) || point === undefined
+                            this.hoverStateForSeries(series).background ||
+                            this.focusArray.isInBackground(series.seriesName) ||
+                            point === undefined
 
                         const color = blurred
                             ? BLUR_LINE_COLOR
@@ -1124,8 +1127,8 @@ export class LineChart
 
         // sort by interaction state so that hovered series
         // are drawn on top of background series
-        if (this.isHoverModeActive) {
-            return sortBy(series, byInteractionState)
+        if (this.isHoverModeActive || this.focusArray.hasActiveSeries) {
+            return sortBy(series, byHoverThenFocusState)
         }
 
         return series
diff --git a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
index eb9be171d5..01fc2ed751 100644
--- a/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/@ourworldindata/grapher/src/slopeCharts/SlopeChart.tsx
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ import { CoreColumn, OwidTable } from "@ourworldindata/core-table"
 import {
     autoDetectSeriesStrategy,
     autoDetectYColumnSlugs,
-    byInteractionState,
     byHoverThenFocusState,
     getDefaultFailMessage,
     getInteractionStateForSeries,