diff --git a/ts/components/session/conversation/SessionCompositionBox.tsx b/ts/components/session/conversation/SessionCompositionBox.tsx
index 68c6d1a98..7bd0d0081 100644
--- a/ts/components/session/conversation/SessionCompositionBox.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/session/conversation/SessionCompositionBox.tsx
@@ -179,6 +179,11 @@ class SessionCompositionBoxInner extends React.Component<Props, State> {
       // if number of staged attachment changed, focus the composition box for a more natural UI
       this.focusCompositionBox();
     }
+
+    // focus the composition box when user clicks start to reply to a message
+    if (!_.isEqual(prevProps.quotedMessageProps, this.props.quotedMessageProps)) {
+      this.focusCompositionBox();
+    }
   }
 
   public render() {
diff --git a/ts/interactions/conversationInteractions.ts b/ts/interactions/conversationInteractions.ts
index 0e9fb3964..d693dda3e 100644
--- a/ts/interactions/conversationInteractions.ts
+++ b/ts/interactions/conversationInteractions.ts
@@ -41,10 +41,9 @@ import {
 import { getDecryptedMediaUrl } from '../session/crypto/DecryptedAttachmentsManager';
 import { IMAGE_JPEG } from '../types/MIME';
 import { FSv2 } from '../fileserver';
-import { fromBase64ToArray, fromHexToArray, toHex } from '../session/utils/String';
+import { fromHexToArray, toHex } from '../session/utils/String';
 import { SessionButtonColor } from '../components/session/SessionButton';
 import { perfEnd, perfStart } from '../session/utils/Performance';
-import { ReplyingToMessageProps } from '../components/session/conversation/SessionCompositionBox';
 
 export const getCompleteUrlForV2ConvoId = async (convoId: string) => {
   if (convoId.match(openGroupV2ConversationIdRegex)) {