diff --git a/skimage/viewer/plugins/base.py b/skimage/viewer/plugins/base.py
index 1d655d61..c84245d2 100644
--- a/skimage/viewer/plugins/base.py
+++ b/skimage/viewer/plugins/base.py
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ class Plugin(QtGui.QDialog):
     def show(self, main_window=True):
         """Show plugin."""
         super(Plugin, self).show()
+        self.activateWindow()
+        self.raise_()
 
         # Emit signal with x-hint so new windows can be displayed w/o overlap.
         size = self.frameGeometry()
diff --git a/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py b/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
index 3a5f8ad3..c3ffeb1e 100644
--- a/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
+++ b/skimage/viewer/viewers/core.py
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ class ImageViewer(QtGui.QMainWindow):
         for p in self.plugins:
             p.show()
         super(ImageViewer, self).show()
+        self.activateWindow()
+        self.raise_()
 
     def show(self, main_window=True):
         """Show ImageViewer and attached plugins.