diff --git a/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs b/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
index 38d84ca71..fa8e5fc20 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/containers/area.rs
@@ -462,14 +462,17 @@ impl Area {
                 }
             });
 
-            let move_response = ctx.create_widget(WidgetRect {
-                id: interact_id,
-                layer_id,
-                rect: state.rect(),
-                interact_rect: state.rect(),
-                sense,
-                enabled,
-            });
+            let move_response = ctx.create_widget(
+                WidgetRect {
+                    id: interact_id,
+                    layer_id,
+                    rect: state.rect(),
+                    interact_rect: state.rect(),
+                    sense,
+                    enabled,
+                },
+                true,
+            );
 
             if movable && move_response.dragged() {
                 if let Some(pivot_pos) = &mut state.pivot_pos {
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/containers/window.rs b/crates/egui/src/containers/window.rs
index c183a4dc7..438d562ed 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/containers/window.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/containers/window.rs
@@ -833,14 +833,17 @@ fn resize_interaction(
     }
 
     let is_dragging = |rect, id| {
-        let response = ctx.create_widget(WidgetRect {
-            layer_id,
-            id,
-            rect,
-            interact_rect: rect,
-            sense: Sense::drag(),
-            enabled: true,
-        });
+        let response = ctx.create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                layer_id,
+                id,
+                rect,
+                interact_rect: rect,
+                sense: Sense::drag(),
+                enabled: true,
+            },
+            true,
+        );
         SideResponse {
             hover: response.hovered(),
             drag: response.dragged(),
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/context.rs b/crates/egui/src/context.rs
index 6f1a53db3..b1bfb14b9 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/context.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/context.rs
@@ -1114,8 +1114,11 @@ impl Context {
     /// You should use [`Ui::interact`] instead.
     ///
     /// If the widget already exists, its state (sense, Rect, etc) will be updated.
+    ///
+    /// `allow_focus` should usually be true, unless you call this function multiple times with the
+    /// same widget, then `allow_focus` should only be true once (like in [`Ui::new`] (true) and [`Ui::remember_min_rect`] (false)).
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    pub(crate) fn create_widget(&self, w: WidgetRect) -> Response {
+    pub(crate) fn create_widget(&self, w: WidgetRect, allow_focus: bool) -> Response {
         // Remember this widget
         self.write(|ctx| {
             let viewport = ctx.viewport();
@@ -1125,12 +1128,12 @@ impl Context {
             // but also to know when we have reached the widget we are checking for cover.
             viewport.this_pass.widgets.insert(w.layer_id, w);
 
-            if w.sense.focusable {
+            if allow_focus && w.sense.focusable {
                 ctx.memory.interested_in_focus(w.id);
             }
         });
 
-        if !w.enabled || !w.sense.focusable || !w.layer_id.allow_interaction() {
+        if allow_focus && (!w.enabled || !w.sense.focusable || !w.layer_id.allow_interaction()) {
             // Not interested or allowed input:
             self.memory_mut(|mem| mem.surrender_focus(w.id));
         }
@@ -1143,7 +1146,7 @@ impl Context {
         let res = self.get_response(w);
 
         #[cfg(feature = "accesskit")]
-        if w.sense.focusable {
+        if allow_focus && w.sense.focusable {
             // Make sure anything that can receive focus has an AccessKit node.
             // TODO(mwcampbell): For nodes that are filled from widget info,
             // some information is written to the node twice.
@@ -1179,7 +1182,7 @@ impl Context {
     }
 
     /// Do all interaction for an existing widget, without (re-)registering it.
-    fn get_response(&self, widget_rect: WidgetRect) -> Response {
+    pub(crate) fn get_response(&self, widget_rect: WidgetRect) -> Response {
         let WidgetRect {
             id,
             layer_id,
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/menu.rs b/crates/egui/src/menu.rs
index 0d586df25..8faf8e77c 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/menu.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/menu.rs
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ impl MenuState {
 
             self.open_submenu(sub_id, pos);
         } else if open
-            && ui.interact_bg(Sense::hover()).contains_pointer()
+            && ui.response().contains_pointer()
             && !button.hovered()
             && !self.hovering_current_submenu(&pointer)
         {
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/response.rs b/crates/egui/src/response.rs
index e2747dd73..dd4c631f4 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/response.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/response.rs
@@ -875,14 +875,17 @@ impl Response {
             return self.clone();
         }
 
-        self.ctx.create_widget(WidgetRect {
-            layer_id: self.layer_id,
-            id: self.id,
-            rect: self.rect,
-            interact_rect: self.interact_rect,
-            sense: self.sense | sense,
-            enabled: self.enabled,
-        })
+        self.ctx.create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                layer_id: self.layer_id,
+                id: self.id,
+                rect: self.rect,
+                interact_rect: self.interact_rect,
+                sense: self.sense | sense,
+                enabled: self.enabled,
+            },
+            true,
+        )
     }
 
     /// Adjust the scroll position until this UI becomes visible.
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
index eb2871efe..97a45ef78 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/ui.rs
@@ -90,6 +90,14 @@ pub struct Ui {
 
     /// The [`UiStack`] for this [`Ui`].
     stack: Arc<UiStack>,
+
+    /// The sense for the ui background.
+    sense: Sense,
+
+    /// Whether [`Ui::remember_min_rect`] should be called when the [`Ui`] is dropped.
+    /// This is an optimization, so we don't call [`Ui::remember_min_rect`] multiple times at the
+    /// end of a [`Ui::scope`].
+    min_rect_already_remembered: bool,
 }
 
 impl Ui {
@@ -110,6 +118,7 @@ impl Ui {
             invisible,
             sizing_pass,
             style,
+            sense,
         } = ui_builder;
 
         debug_assert!(
@@ -122,6 +131,7 @@ impl Ui {
         let layout = layout.unwrap_or_default();
         let disabled = disabled || invisible;
         let style = style.unwrap_or_else(|| ctx.style());
+        let sense = sense.unwrap_or(Sense::hover());
 
         let placer = Placer::new(max_rect, layout);
         let ui_stack = UiStack {
@@ -142,18 +152,23 @@ impl Ui {
             sizing_pass,
             menu_state: None,
             stack: Arc::new(ui_stack),
+            sense,
+            min_rect_already_remembered: false,
         };
 
         // Register in the widget stack early, to ensure we are behind all widgets we contain:
         let start_rect = Rect::NOTHING; // This will be overwritten when/if `interact_bg` is called
-        ui.ctx().create_widget(WidgetRect {
-            id: ui.id,
-            layer_id: ui.layer_id(),
-            rect: start_rect,
-            interact_rect: start_rect,
-            sense: Sense::hover(),
-            enabled: ui.enabled,
-        });
+        ui.ctx().create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                id: ui.id,
+                layer_id: ui.layer_id(),
+                rect: start_rect,
+                interact_rect: start_rect,
+                sense,
+                enabled: ui.enabled,
+            },
+            true,
+        );
 
         if disabled {
             ui.disable();
@@ -217,6 +232,7 @@ impl Ui {
             invisible,
             sizing_pass,
             style,
+            sense,
         } = ui_builder;
 
         let mut painter = self.painter.clone();
@@ -230,6 +246,7 @@ impl Ui {
         }
         let sizing_pass = self.sizing_pass || sizing_pass;
         let style = style.unwrap_or_else(|| self.style.clone());
+        let sense = sense.unwrap_or(Sense::hover());
 
         if self.sizing_pass {
             // During the sizing pass we want widgets to use up as little space as possible,
@@ -265,18 +282,23 @@ impl Ui {
             sizing_pass,
             menu_state: self.menu_state.clone(),
             stack: Arc::new(ui_stack),
+            sense,
+            min_rect_already_remembered: false,
         };
 
         // Register in the widget stack early, to ensure we are behind all widgets we contain:
         let start_rect = Rect::NOTHING; // This will be overwritten when/if `interact_bg` is called
-        child_ui.ctx().create_widget(WidgetRect {
-            id: child_ui.id,
-            layer_id: child_ui.layer_id(),
-            rect: start_rect,
-            interact_rect: start_rect,
-            sense: Sense::hover(),
-            enabled: child_ui.enabled,
-        });
+        child_ui.ctx().create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                id: child_ui.id,
+                layer_id: child_ui.layer_id(),
+                rect: start_rect,
+                interact_rect: start_rect,
+                sense,
+                enabled: child_ui.enabled,
+            },
+            true,
+        );
 
         child_ui
     }
@@ -972,14 +994,17 @@ impl Ui {
 impl Ui {
     /// Check for clicks, drags and/or hover on a specific region of this [`Ui`].
     pub fn interact(&self, rect: Rect, id: Id, sense: Sense) -> Response {
-        self.ctx().create_widget(WidgetRect {
-            id,
-            layer_id: self.layer_id(),
-            rect,
-            interact_rect: self.clip_rect().intersect(rect),
-            sense,
-            enabled: self.enabled,
-        })
+        self.ctx().create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                id,
+                layer_id: self.layer_id(),
+                rect,
+                interact_rect: self.clip_rect().intersect(rect),
+                sense,
+                enabled: self.enabled,
+            },
+            true,
+        )
     }
 
     /// Deprecated: use [`Self::interact`] instead.
@@ -994,10 +1019,62 @@ impl Ui {
         self.interact(rect, id, sense)
     }
 
+    /// Read the [`Ui`]s background [`Response`].
+    /// It's [`Sense`] will be based on the [`UiBuilder::sense`] used to create this [`Ui`].
+    ///
+    /// The rectangle of the [`Response`] (and interactive area) will be [`Self::min_rect`]
+    /// of the last frame.
+    ///
+    /// On the first frame, when the [`Ui`] is created, this will return a [`Response`] with a
+    /// [`Rect`] of [`Rect::NOTHING`].
+    pub fn response(&self) -> Response {
+        // This is the inverse of Context::read_response. We prefer a response
+        // based on last frame's widget rect since the one from this frame is Rect::NOTHING until
+        // Ui::interact_bg is called or the Ui is dropped.
+        self.ctx()
+            .viewport(|viewport| {
+                viewport
+                    .prev_frame
+                    .widgets
+                    .get(self.id)
+                    .or_else(|| viewport.this_frame.widgets.get(self.id))
+                    .copied()
+            })
+            .map(|widget_rect| self.ctx().get_response(widget_rect))
+            .expect(
+                "Since we always call Context::create_widget in Ui::new, this should never be None",
+            )
+    }
+
+    /// Update the [`WidgetRect`] created in [`Ui::new`] or [`Ui::new_child`] with the current
+    /// [`Ui::min_rect`].
+    fn remember_min_rect(&mut self) -> Response {
+        self.min_rect_already_remembered = true;
+        // We remove the id from used_ids to prevent a duplicate id warning from showing
+        // when the ui was created with `UiBuilder::sense`.
+        // This is a bit hacky, is there a better way?
+        self.ctx().frame_state_mut(|fs| {
+            fs.used_ids.remove(&self.id);
+        });
+        // This will update the WidgetRect that was first created in `Ui::new`.
+        self.ctx().create_widget(
+            WidgetRect {
+                id: self.id,
+                layer_id: self.layer_id(),
+                rect: self.min_rect(),
+                interact_rect: self.clip_rect().intersect(self.min_rect()),
+                sense: self.sense,
+                enabled: self.enabled,
+            },
+            false,
+        )
+    }
+
     /// Interact with the background of this [`Ui`],
     /// i.e. behind all the widgets.
     ///
     /// The rectangle of the [`Response`] (and interactive area) will be [`Self::min_rect`].
+    #[deprecated = "Use UiBuilder::sense with Ui::response instead"]
     pub fn interact_bg(&self, sense: Sense) -> Response {
         // This will update the WidgetRect that was first created in `Ui::new`.
         self.interact(self.min_rect(), self.id, sense)
@@ -1020,7 +1097,7 @@ impl Ui {
     ///
     /// Note that this tests against the _current_ [`Ui::min_rect`].
     /// If you want to test against the final `min_rect`,
-    /// use [`Self::interact_bg`] instead.
+    /// use [`Self::response`] instead.
     pub fn ui_contains_pointer(&self) -> bool {
         self.rect_contains_pointer(self.min_rect())
     }
@@ -2168,7 +2245,8 @@ impl Ui {
         let mut child_ui = self.new_child(ui_builder);
         self.next_auto_id_salt = next_auto_id_salt; // HACK: we want `scope` to only increment this once, so that `ui.scope` is equivalent to `ui.allocate_space`.
         let ret = add_contents(&mut child_ui);
-        let response = self.allocate_rect(child_ui.min_rect(), Sense::hover());
+        let response = child_ui.remember_min_rect();
+        self.allocate_rect(child_ui.min_rect(), Sense::hover());
         InnerResponse::new(ret, response)
     }
 
@@ -2861,9 +2939,13 @@ impl Ui {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(debug_assertions)]
 impl Drop for Ui {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
+        if !self.min_rect_already_remembered {
+            // Register our final `min_rect`
+            self.remember_min_rect();
+        }
+        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
         register_rect(self, self.min_rect());
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs b/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
index 5cc8200b0..33a48dbd5 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/ui_builder.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::{hash::Hash, sync::Arc};
 
-use crate::{Id, Layout, Rect, Style, UiStackInfo};
+use crate::{Id, Layout, Rect, Sense, Style, UiStackInfo};
 
 #[allow(unused_imports)] // Used for doclinks
 use crate::Ui;
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub struct UiBuilder {
     pub invisible: bool,
     pub sizing_pass: bool,
     pub style: Option<Arc<Style>>,
+    pub sense: Option<Sense>,
 }
 
 impl UiBuilder {
@@ -114,4 +115,16 @@ impl UiBuilder {
         self.style = Some(style.into());
         self
     }
+
+    /// Set if you want sense clicks and/or drags. Default is [`Sense::hover`].
+    /// The sense will be registered below the Senses of any widgets contained in this [`Ui`], so
+    /// if the user clicks a button contained within this [`Ui`], that button will receive the click
+    /// instead.
+    ///
+    /// The response can be read early with [`Ui::response`].
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn sense(mut self, sense: Sense) -> Self {
+        self.sense = Some(sense);
+        self
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/egui/src/widget_rect.rs b/crates/egui/src/widget_rect.rs
index 7be3897dc..e69badb87 100644
--- a/crates/egui/src/widget_rect.rs
+++ b/crates/egui/src/widget_rect.rs
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ pub struct WidgetRect {
 
 /// Stores the [`WidgetRect`]s of all widgets generated during a single egui update/frame.
 ///
-/// All [`crate::Ui`]s have a [`WidgetRects`], but whether or not their rects are correct
-/// depends on if [`crate::Ui::interact_bg`] was ever called.
+/// All [`crate::Ui`]s have a [`WidgetRect`]. It is created in [`crate::Ui::new`] with [`Rect::NOTHING`]
+/// and updated with the correct [`Rect`] when the [`crate::Ui`] is dropped.
 #[derive(Default, Clone)]
 pub struct WidgetRects {
     /// All widgets, in painting order.
diff --git a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/demo_app_windows.rs b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/demo_app_windows.rs
index 576a69e66..d55cc6aff 100644
--- a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/demo_app_windows.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/demo_app_windows.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ impl Default for Demos {
             Box::<super::font_book::FontBook>::default(),
             Box::<super::frame_demo::FrameDemo>::default(),
             Box::<super::highlighting::Highlighting>::default(),
+            Box::<super::interactive_container::InteractiveContainerDemo>::default(),
             Box::<super::MiscDemoWindow>::default(),
             Box::<super::multi_touch::MultiTouch>::default(),
             Box::<super::painting::Painting>::default(),
@@ -258,7 +259,8 @@ impl DemoWindows {
     fn desktop_ui(&mut self, ctx: &Context) {
         egui::SidePanel::right("egui_demo_panel")
             .resizable(false)
-            .default_width(150.0)
+            .default_width(160.0)
+            .min_width(160.0)
             .show(ctx, |ui| {
                 ui.add_space(4.0);
                 ui.vertical_centered(|ui| {
diff --git a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/interactive_container.rs b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/interactive_container.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11d8afa48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/interactive_container.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+use egui::{Frame, Label, RichText, Sense, UiBuilder, Widget};
+
+/// Showcase [`egui::Ui::response`].
+#[derive(PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Deserialize, serde::Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(default))]
+pub struct InteractiveContainerDemo {
+    count: usize,
+}
+
+impl crate::Demo for InteractiveContainerDemo {
+    fn name(&self) -> &'static str {
+        "\u{20E3} Interactive Container"
+    }
+
+    fn show(&mut self, ctx: &egui::Context, open: &mut bool) {
+        egui::Window::new(self.name())
+            .open(open)
+            .resizable(false)
+            .default_width(250.0)
+            .show(ctx, |ui| {
+                use crate::View as _;
+                self.ui(ui);
+            });
+    }
+}
+
+impl crate::View for InteractiveContainerDemo {
+    fn ui(&mut self, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
+        ui.vertical_centered(|ui| {
+            ui.add(crate::egui_github_link_file!());
+        });
+
+        ui.horizontal_wrapped(|ui| {
+            ui.spacing_mut().item_spacing.x = 0.0;
+            ui.label("This demo showcases how to use ");
+            ui.code("Ui::response");
+            ui.label(" to create interactive container widgets that may contain other widgets.");
+        });
+
+        let response = ui
+            .scope_builder(
+                UiBuilder::new()
+                    .id_salt("interactive_container")
+                    .sense(Sense::click()),
+                |ui| {
+                    let response = ui.response();
+                    let visuals = ui.style().interact(&response);
+                    let text_color = visuals.text_color();
+
+                    Frame::canvas(ui.style())
+                        .fill(visuals.bg_fill.gamma_multiply(0.3))
+                        .stroke(visuals.bg_stroke)
+                        .inner_margin(ui.spacing().menu_margin)
+                        .show(ui, |ui| {
+                            ui.set_width(ui.available_width());
+
+                            ui.add_space(32.0);
+                            ui.vertical_centered(|ui| {
+                                Label::new(
+                                    RichText::new(format!("{}", self.count))
+                                        .color(text_color)
+                                        .size(32.0),
+                                )
+                                .selectable(false)
+                                .ui(ui);
+                            });
+                            ui.add_space(32.0);
+
+                            ui.horizontal(|ui| {
+                                if ui.button("Reset").clicked() {
+                                    self.count = 0;
+                                }
+                                if ui.button("+ 100").clicked() {
+                                    self.count += 100;
+                                }
+                            });
+                        });
+                },
+            )
+            .response;
+
+        if response.clicked() {
+            self.count += 1;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/mod.rs b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/mod.rs
index e5d7e5959..828bdd896 100644
--- a/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/egui_demo_lib/src/demo/mod.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub mod extra_viewport;
 pub mod font_book;
 pub mod frame_demo;
 pub mod highlighting;
+pub mod interactive_container;
 pub mod misc_demo_window;
 pub mod multi_touch;
 pub mod paint_bezier;