diff --git a/include/Mw/LowLevel.h b/include/Mw/LowLevel.h
index c4a6b5a..018fe79 100644
--- a/include/Mw/LowLevel.h
+++ b/include/Mw/LowLevel.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ MWDECL void MwLLForceRender(MwLL handle);
 
 MWDECL void MwLLSetCursor(MwLL handle, MwCursor* image, MwCursor* mask);
 MWDECL void MwLLDetach(MwLL handle, MwPoint* point);
+MWDECL void MwLLShow(MwLL handle, int show);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/backend/gdi.c b/src/backend/gdi.c
index b58e2c6..396f6f5 100644
--- a/src/backend/gdi.c
+++ b/src/backend/gdi.c
@@ -389,3 +389,8 @@ void MwLLDetach(MwLL handle, MwPoint* point) {
 
 	SetWindowLongPtr(handle->hWnd, GWL_STYLE, style);
 }
+
+void MwLLShow(MwLL handle, int show) {
+	ShowWindow(handle->hWnd, show ? SW_NORMAL : SW_HIDE);
+	if(show) SetFocus(handle->hWnd);
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/x11.c b/src/backend/x11.c
index eb641dd..08b55a1 100644
--- a/src/backend/x11.c
+++ b/src/backend/x11.c
@@ -387,7 +387,13 @@ void MwLLDetach(MwLL handle, MwPoint* point) {
 	XTranslateCoordinates(handle->display, parent, RootWindow(handle->display, DefaultScreen(handle->display)), 0, 0, &x, &y, &child);
 
 	XReparentWindow(handle->display, handle->window, RootWindow(handle->display, DefaultScreen(handle->display)), x + point->x, y + point->y);
-
-	XMapWindow(handle->display, handle->window);
-	//	XSetInputFocus(handle->display, handle->window, RevertToNone, CurrentTime);
+}
+
+void MwLLShow(MwLL handle, int show) {
+	if(show) {
+		XMapWindow(handle->display, handle->window);
+		XSetInputFocus(handle->display, handle->window, RevertToNone, CurrentTime);
+	} else {
+		XUnmapWindow(handle->display, handle->window);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/widget/submenu.c b/src/widget/submenu.c
index 63be8b5..58c30bd 100644
--- a/src/widget/submenu.c
+++ b/src/widget/submenu.c
@@ -4,14 +4,7 @@
 #include "../external/stb_ds.h"
 
 static int create(MwWidget handle) {
-/* todo: we should have a public "show" function here that is implemented per
-	platform, as opposed to just shoving it here. perchance. */
-#ifdef _WIN32
-	ShowWindow(handle->lowlevel->hWnd, SW_HIDE);
-#endif
-#ifdef UNIX
-	XUnmapWindow(handle->lowlevel->display, handle->lowlevel->window);
-#endif
+	MwLLShow(handle->lowlevel, 0);
 
 	MwSetDefault(handle);
 
@@ -181,15 +174,14 @@ void MwSubMenuAppear(MwWidget handle, MwMenu menu, MwPoint* point) {
 	handle->internal = menu;
 
 	MwLLDetach(handle->lowlevel, point);
+
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	SetWindowLongPtr(handle->lowlevel->hWnd, GWL_STYLE, (LONG_PTR)0);
 	SetWindowLongPtr(handle->lowlevel->hWnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, (LONG_PTR)WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW);
-
-	ShowWindow(handle->lowlevel->hWnd, SW_NORMAL);
-
-	SetFocus(handle->lowlevel->hWnd);
 #endif
 
+	MwLLShow(handle->lowlevel, 1);
+
 	for(i = 0; i < arrlen(menu->sub); i++) {
 		int tw = MwTextWidth(handle, menu->sub[i]->name);
 		h += MwTextHeight(handle, menu->sub[i]->name) + 3;