SkinnableTextBase focusManager runtime error popup

When you show a popup in Flex in a mobile environment, defined as the style “interactionMode” being set to InteractionMode.TOUCH in this context, that is based on a component that does not implement the mx.managers.IFocusManagerContainer interface, you will receive a runtime error when the user taps the control that is to receive focus.

Lets pretend you have a custom component that is based on <s:Group/>:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Group xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009" 
		 xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark" width="400" height="300">
	<s:TextInput width="100%"/>
</s:Group>

If you were to create or add this component as a popup using the PopupManager in a mobile application, you would get a runtime error.
TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at spark.components.supportClasses::SkinnableTextBase/touchMouseDownHandler()[E:\dev\hero_private\frameworks\projects\spark\src\spark\components\supportClasses\SkinnableTextBase.as:2140]
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at mx.core::UIComponent/dispatchEvent()[E:\dev\hero_private\frameworks\projects\framework\src\mx\core\UIComponent.as:13128]
at mx.managers::SystemManager/mouseEventHandler()[E:\dev\hero_private\frameworks\projects\framework\src\mx\managers\SystemManager.as:2924]

var myPopup:MyPopup = new MyPopup();
PopUpManager.addPopUp(myPopup, this, true);

The problem code is in spark.components.supportClasses::SkinnableTextBase.

    private function touchMouseDownHandler(event:MouseEvent):void
    {
        isMouseDown = true;
        mouseDownTarget = event.target as InteractiveObject;
        
        // If we already have focus, make sure to open soft keyboard
        // on mouse up
        if (focusManager.getFocus() == this) //<---- focusManager is null.
            delaySetFocus = true;
        
        // Wait for a mouseUp somewhere
        systemManager.getSandboxRoot().addEventListener(
            MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, touchMouseUpHandler, false, 0, true);
        systemManager.getSandboxRoot().addEventListener(
            SandboxMouseEvent.MOUSE_UP_SOMEWHERE, touchMouseUpHandler, false, 0, true);
    }

The focus manager only gets set when the popup that is added or created by the PopupManager implements the mx.managers.IFocusManagerContainer interface. A sample workaround for the Group component is listed below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Group xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009" 
		 xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark" width="400" height="300"
		 implements="mx.managers.IFocusManagerContainer">
	<fx:Script>
		<![CDATA[
			import mx.core.IFlexDisplayObject;
			public function get defaultButton():IFlexDisplayObject
			{
				//TODO:
				return null;
			}
			
			public function set defaultButton(value:IFlexDisplayObject):void
			{
				//TODO:
			}
		]]>
	</fx:Script>
	<s:TextInput width="100%"/>
</s:Group>