diff --git a/webapp_frontscreen.py b/webapp_frontscreen.py
index 726253d99..f0996dc50 100644
--- a/webapp_frontscreen.py
+++ b/webapp_frontscreen.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def html_front_screen(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
         '  </colgroup>\n' + \
         '  <tbody>\n' + \
         '    <tr>\n' + \
-        '      <td valign="top" class="col-left" tabindex="2">\n'
+        '      <td valign="top" class="col-left" tabindex="-1">\n'
     profile_header_str += \
         get_left_column_content(base_dir, 'news', domain_full,
                                 http_prefix, translate,
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def html_front_screen(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
                                 shared_items_federated_domains)
     profile_header_str += \
         '      </td>\n' + \
-        '      <td valign="top" class="col-center" tabindex="1">\n'
+        '      <td valign="top" class="col-center" tabindex="-1">\n'
 
     profile_str = profile_header_str
 
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ def html_front_screen(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
     # Footer which is only used for system accounts
     profile_footer_str = '      </td>\n'
     profile_footer_str += \
-        '      <td valign="top" class="col-right" tabindex="3">\n'
+        '      <td valign="top" class="col-right" tabindex="-1">\n'
     profile_footer_str += \
         get_right_column_content(base_dir, 'news', domain_full,
                                  http_prefix, translate,
diff --git a/webapp_timeline.py b/webapp_timeline.py
index 73edb9fa8..a794a199d 100644
--- a/webapp_timeline.py
+++ b/webapp_timeline.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def _html_timeline_end(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain_full: str,
                                  authorized, True, theme,
                                  default_timeline, access_keys)
     tl_str += '  <td valign="top" class="col-right" ' + \
-        'id="newswire" tabindex="3">\n' + \
+        'id="newswire" tabindex="-1">\n' + \
         '  <aside>\n' + \
         right_column_str + \
         '  </aside>\n' + \
@@ -792,14 +792,14 @@ def html_timeline(css_cache: {}, default_timeline: str,
                                 True, False, theme, access_keys,
                                 shared_items_federated_domains)
     tl_str += '  <td valign="top" class="col-left" ' + \
-        'id="links" tabindex="2">\n' + \
+        'id="links" tabindex="-1">\n' + \
         '  <aside>\n' + \
         left_column_str + \
         '  </aside>\n' + \
         '  </td>\n'
 
     # center column containing posts
-    tl_str += '  <td valign="top" class="col-center" tabindex="1">\n'
+    tl_str += '  <td valign="top" class="col-center" tabindex="-1">\n'
 
     if not full_width_tl_button_header:
         tl_str += \