diff --git a/render/render.js b/render/render.js
index 0b8cad97..844d766a 100644
--- a/render/render.js
+++ b/render/render.js
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ module.exports = function($window) {
 			if (key === "value") {
 				var normalized = "" + value // eslint-disable-line no-implicit-coercion
 				//setting input[value] to same value by typing on focused element moves cursor to end in Chrome
-				if (vnode.tag === "input" && vnode.dom.value === normalized && vnode.dom === $doc.activeElement) return
+				if ((vnode.tag === "input" || vnode.tag === "textarea") && vnode.dom.value === normalized && vnode.dom === $doc.activeElement) return
 				//setting select[value] to same value while having select open blinks select dropdown in Chrome
 				if (vnode.tag === "select") {
 					if (value === null) {
diff --git a/render/tests/test-attributes.js b/render/tests/test-attributes.js
index 64a3fdfd..fcc7f150 100644
--- a/render/tests/test-attributes.js
+++ b/render/tests/test-attributes.js
@@ -288,6 +288,43 @@ o.spec("attributes", function() {
 
 			// o(b.dom.value).equals("")
 		})
+		o("isn't set when equivalent to the previous value and focused", function() {
+			var $window = domMock({spy: o.spy})
+			var root = $window.document.body
+			var render = vdom($window).render
+
+			var a = {tag: "textarea"}
+			var b = {tag: "textarea", attrs: {value: "1"}}
+			var c = {tag: "textarea", attrs: {value: "1"}}
+			var d = {tag: "textarea", attrs: {value: 1}}
+			var e = {tag: "textarea", attrs: {value: 2}}
+
+			render(root, [a])
+			var spies = $window.__getSpies(a.dom)
+			a.dom.focus()
+
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(0)
+
+			render(root, [b])
+
+			o(b.dom.value).equals("1")
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(1)
+
+			render(root, [c])
+
+			o(c.dom.value).equals("1")
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(1)
+
+			render(root, [d])
+
+			o(d.dom.value).equals("1")
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(1)
+
+			render(root, [e])
+
+			o(d.dom.value).equals("2")
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(2)
+		})
 	})
 	o.spec("link href", function() {
 		o("when link href is true, attribute is present", function() {
diff --git a/test-utils/domMock.js b/test-utils/domMock.js
index ad0c669d..060ba4f7 100644
--- a/test-utils/domMock.js
+++ b/test-utils/domMock.js
@@ -345,18 +345,22 @@ module.exports = function(options) {
 				if (element.nodeName === "TEXTAREA") {
 					var wasNeverSet = true
 					var value = ""
+					var valueSetter = spy(function(v) {
+						wasNeverSet = false
+						/*eslint-disable no-implicit-coercion*/
+						value = v === null ? "" : "" + v
+						/*eslint-enable no-implicit-coercion*/
+					})
 					Object.defineProperty(element, "value", {
 						get: function() {
 							return wasNeverSet && this.firstChild ? this.firstChild.nodeValue : value
 						},
-						set: function(v) {
-							wasNeverSet = false
-							/*eslint-disable no-implicit-coercion*/
-							value = v === null ? "" : "" + v
-							/*eslint-enable no-implicit-coercion*/
-						},
+						set: valueSetter,
 						enumerable: true,
 					})
+					registerSpies(element, {
+						valueSetter: valueSetter
+					})
 				}
 
 				/* eslint-disable radix */
diff --git a/test-utils/tests/test-domMock.js b/test-utils/tests/test-domMock.js
index e56b3c04..a5829458 100644
--- a/test-utils/tests/test-domMock.js
+++ b/test-utils/tests/test-domMock.js
@@ -1237,5 +1237,21 @@ o.spec("domMock", function() {
 			o(spies.valueSetter.this).equals(option)
 			o(spies.valueSetter.args[0]).equals("aaa")
 		})
+		o("textarea elements have spies on value setters", function() {
+			var textarea = $window.document.createElement("textarea")
+
+			var spies = $window.__getSpies(textarea)
+
+			o(typeof spies).equals("object")
+			o(spies).notEquals(null)
+			o(typeof spies.valueSetter).equals("function")
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(0)
+
+			textarea.value = "aaa"
+
+			o(spies.valueSetter.callCount).equals(1)
+			o(spies.valueSetter.this).equals(textarea)
+			o(spies.valueSetter.args[0]).equals("aaa")
+		})
 	})
 })