diff --git a/base/shell/explorer-new/traywnd.c b/base/shell/explorer-new/traywnd.c
index 7a107ac816b..0b77f4e32aa 100644
--- a/base/shell/explorer-new/traywnd.c
+++ b/base/shell/explorer-new/traywnd.c
@@ -2610,7 +2610,7 @@ HandleTrayContextMenu:
                 }
 
                 if (This->TrayBandSite == NULL ||
-                    !SUCCEEDED(ITrayBandSite_ProcessMessage(This->TrayBandSite,
+                    FAILED(ITrayBandSite_ProcessMessage(This->TrayBandSite,
                                                             hwnd,
                                                             uMsg,
                                                             wParam,
diff --git a/base/shell/rshell/CMenuDeskBar.cpp b/base/shell/rshell/CMenuDeskBar.cpp
index 6e310bc83a3..86a25c1b3aa 100644
--- a/base/shell/rshell/CMenuDeskBar.cpp
+++ b/base/shell/rshell/CMenuDeskBar.cpp
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ HRESULT CMenuDeskBar::_CloseBar()
     if (FAILED_UNEXPECTEDLY(hr))
         return hr;
 
-    SetWindowPos(m_hWnd, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_HIDEWINDOW | SWP_NOACTIVATE | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOZORDER);
+    SetWindowPos(NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_HIDEWINDOW | SWP_NOACTIVATE | SWP_NOMOVE);
 
     return UIActivateIO(FALSE, NULL);
 }
@@ -609,8 +609,13 @@ LRESULT CMenuDeskBar::_OnPaint(UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, BOOL &bH
 
 LRESULT CMenuDeskBar::_OnActivate(UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, BOOL &bHandled)
 {
-    if (wParam != 0)
+    DbgPrint("BaseBar %08p (de)activated (%08x, %08x).\n", m_hWnd, wParam, lParam);
+
+    // BUG in ReactOS: WM_ACTIVATE/WA_INACTIVE makes no sense with lParam==hWnd
+    if (LOWORD(wParam) != 0 || reinterpret_cast<HWND>(lParam) == m_hWnd)
+    {
         return 0;
+    }
 
     // HACK! I just want it to work !!!
     CComPtr<IDeskBar> db;
diff --git a/base/shell/rshell/CMenuToolbars.cpp b/base/shell/rshell/CMenuToolbars.cpp
index 08c26868842..9fb2ae62611 100644
--- a/base/shell/rshell/CMenuToolbars.cpp
+++ b/base/shell/rshell/CMenuToolbars.cpp
@@ -622,7 +622,10 @@ HRESULT CMenuToolbarBase::OnCommand(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, LRESULT *theRe
         PopupItem(wParam);
         return S_FALSE;
     }
-    return m_menuBand->_MenuItemHotTrack(MPOS_EXECUTE);
+    HRESULT hr = m_menuBand->_MenuItemHotTrack(MPOS_EXECUTE);
+    if (FAILED_UNEXPECTEDLY(hr))
+        return hr;
+    return S_OK; // filter out a possible S_FALSE from here.
 }
 
 HRESULT CMenuToolbarBase::ChangeHotItem(DWORD dwSelectType)
@@ -938,7 +941,10 @@ HRESULT CMenuStaticToolbar::OnCommand(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, LRESULT *the
 
     // in case the clicked item has a submenu, we do not need to execute the item
     if (hr == S_FALSE)
+    {
+        DbgPrint("CMenuToolbarBase::OnCommand told us to cancel.\n");
         return hr;
+    }
 
     return m_menuBand->_CallCBWithItemId(wParam, SMC_EXEC, 0, 0);
 }
@@ -1102,7 +1108,10 @@ HRESULT CMenuSFToolbar::OnCommand(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, LRESULT *theResu
 
     // in case the clicked item has a submenu, we do not need to execute the item
     if (hr == S_FALSE)
+    {
+        DbgPrint("CMenuToolbarBase::OnCommand told us to cancel.\n");
         return hr;
+    }
 
     DWORD_PTR data;
     GetDataFromId(wParam, NULL, &data);
diff --git a/base/shell/rshell/CStartMenu.cpp b/base/shell/rshell/CStartMenu.cpp
index fa10931a901..140ec1ec5b8 100644
--- a/base/shell/rshell/CStartMenu.cpp
+++ b/base/shell/rshell/CStartMenu.cpp
@@ -267,8 +267,10 @@ public:
         case SMC_GETOBJECT:
             return OnGetObject(psmd, *reinterpret_cast<IID *>(wParam), reinterpret_cast<void **>(lParam));
         case SMC_EXEC:
+            DbgPrint("SMC_EXEC\n");
             return OnExec(psmd);
         case SMC_SFEXEC:
+            DbgPrint("SMC_SFEXEC\n");
             m_pTrayPriv->Execute(psmd->psf, psmd->pidlItem);
             break;
         }