diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/autofocus.js b/app/assets/javascripts/autofocus.js
index 97267b32e..b688a9f20 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/autofocus.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/autofocus.js
@@ -10,7 +10,16 @@
       // is still where users intend to start
       if (($(window).scrollTop() > 0) && !forceFocus) { return; }
 
-      $component.filter('input, textarea, select').eq(0).trigger('focus');
+      // See if the component itself is something we want to send focus to
+      var target = $component.filter('input, textarea, select');
+
+      // Otherwise look inside the component to see if there are any elements
+      // we want to send focus to
+      if (target.length === 0) {
+        target = $('input, textarea, select', $component);
+      }
+
+      target.eq(0).trigger('focus');
 
     };
   };
diff --git a/tests/javascripts/autofocus.test.js b/tests/javascripts/autofocus.test.js
index 04b207ca5..3617ca1d9 100644
--- a/tests/javascripts/autofocus.test.js
+++ b/tests/javascripts/autofocus.test.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ describe('Autofocus', () => {
 
     // set up DOM
     document.body.innerHTML =
-      `<div>
+      `<div id="wrapper">
         <label class="form-label" for="search">
           ${labelText}
         </label>
@@ -50,6 +50,18 @@ describe('Autofocus', () => {
 
   });
 
+  test('is focused when attribute is set on outer element', () => {
+
+    document.getElementById('search').removeAttribute('data-module');
+    document.getElementById('wrapper').setAttribute('data-module', 'autofocus');
+
+    // start module
+    window.GOVUK.modules.start();
+
+    expect(focusHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+  });
+
   test('is not focused if the window has scrolled', () => {
 
     // mock the window being scrolled 25px