diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1cf376002..6d7aa3251 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 - When looking for bindings that have priority, they are now looked from `App` downwards. https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/1343
 - `BINDINGS` on an `App`-derived class have priority by default. https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/1343
 - `BINDINGS` on a `Screen`-derived class have priority by default. https://github.com/Textualize/textual/issues/1343
+- Added a message parameter to Widget.exit
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/textual/app.py b/src/textual/app.py
index c034a2328..1b95b8400 100644
--- a/src/textual/app.py
+++ b/src/textual/app.py
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ class App(Generic[ReturnType], DOMNode):
                 self.devtools = DevtoolsClient()
 
         self._return_value: ReturnType | None = None
+        self._exit = False
 
         self.css_monitor = (
             FileMonitor(self.css_path, self._on_css_change)
@@ -425,6 +426,7 @@ class App(Generic[ReturnType], DOMNode):
             result (ReturnType | None, optional): Return value. Defaults to None.
             message (RenderableType | None): Optional message to display on exit.
         """
+        self._exit = True
         self._return_value = result
         self.post_message_no_wait(messages.ExitApp(sender=self))
         if message:
@@ -1413,28 +1415,29 @@ class App(Generic[ReturnType], DOMNode):
             )
             driver = self._driver = driver_class(self.console, self, size=terminal_size)
 
-            driver.start_application_mode()
-            try:
-                if headless:
-                    await run_process_messages()
-                else:
-                    if self.devtools is not None:
-                        devtools = self.devtools
-                        assert devtools is not None
-                        from .devtools.redirect_output import StdoutRedirector
-
-                        redirector = StdoutRedirector(devtools)
-                        with redirect_stderr(redirector):
-                            with redirect_stdout(redirector):  # type: ignore
-                                await run_process_messages()
+            if not self._exit:
+                driver.start_application_mode()
+                try:
+                    if headless:
+                        await run_process_messages()
                     else:
-                        null_file = _NullFile()
-                        with redirect_stderr(null_file):
-                            with redirect_stdout(null_file):
-                                await run_process_messages()
+                        if self.devtools is not None:
+                            devtools = self.devtools
+                            assert devtools is not None
+                            from .devtools.redirect_output import StdoutRedirector
 
-            finally:
-                driver.stop_application_mode()
+                            redirector = StdoutRedirector(devtools)
+                            with redirect_stderr(redirector):
+                                with redirect_stdout(redirector):  # type: ignore
+                                    await run_process_messages()
+                        else:
+                            null_file = _NullFile()
+                            with redirect_stderr(null_file):
+                                with redirect_stdout(null_file):
+                                    await run_process_messages()
+
+                finally:
+                    driver.stop_application_mode()
         except Exception as error:
             self._handle_exception(error)
 
diff --git a/src/textual/screen.py b/src/textual/screen.py
index c08bd20b4..0de76479e 100644
--- a/src/textual/screen.py
+++ b/src/textual/screen.py
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ class Screen(Widget):
                 self.focused.post_message_no_wait(events.Blur(self))
                 self.focused.emit_no_wait(events.DescendantBlur(self))
                 self.focused = None
+            self.log.debug("focus was removed")
         elif widget.can_focus:
             if self.focused != widget:
                 if self.focused is not None:
@@ -310,6 +311,7 @@ class Screen(Widget):
                     self.screen.scroll_to_widget(widget)
                 widget.post_message_no_wait(events.Focus(self))
                 widget.emit_no_wait(events.DescendantFocus(self))
+                self.log.debug(widget, "was focused")
 
     async def _on_idle(self, event: events.Idle) -> None:
         # Check for any widgets marked as 'dirty' (needs a repaint)