diff --git a/src/port/port.tcl b/src/port/port.tcl
index 56b2e27dcc..06cdf67ec5 100755
--- a/src/port/port.tcl
+++ b/src/port/port.tcl
@@ -2213,14 +2213,20 @@ proc action_activate { action portlist opts } {
     }
     foreachport $portlist {
         set composite_version [composite_version $portversion $variations]
-        if {[catch {registry_installed $portname $composite_version} result]} {
-            break_softcontinue "port activate failed: $result" 1 status
-        }
-        set regref $result
-        if {![dict exists $options ports_activate_no-exec] &&
-            [registry::run_target $regref activate $options]
-        } then {
-            continue
+        # if the user passed -f we go for activate_composite at once so that
+        # the selection list won't be shown twice if there are multiple versions
+        # or variants installed and the goal was to re-activate the already
+        # active port.
+        if {![dict exists $options ports_force]} {
+            if {[catch {registry_installed $portname $composite_version} result]} {
+                break_softcontinue "port activate failed: $result" 1 status
+            }
+            set regref $result
+            if {![dict exists $options ports_activate_no-exec] &&
+                [registry::run_target $regref activate $options]
+            } then {
+                continue
+            }
         }
         if {![macports::global_option_isset ports_dryrun]} {
             if {[catch {portimage::activate_composite $portname $composite_version $options} result]} {
diff --git a/src/registry2.0/portimage.tcl b/src/registry2.0/portimage.tcl
index 0d6652944b..a62f90592e 100644
--- a/src/registry2.0/portimage.tcl
+++ b/src/registry2.0/portimage.tcl
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ proc activate {name {version ""} {revision ""} {variants 0} {options ""}} {
         set rename_list [dict get $options portactivate_rename_files]
     }
     set todeactivate [list]
+    set actaction "Activating"
 
     registry::read {
 
@@ -104,9 +105,14 @@ proc activate {name {version ""} {revision ""} {variants 0} {options ""}} {
         set location [$requested location]
 
         if {[$requested state] eq "installed"} {
-            ui_info "${name} @${specifier} is already active."
-            #registry::entry close $requested
-            return
+            if {$force} {
+                set actaction "Reactivating"
+                lappend todeactivate $requested
+            } else {
+                ui_info "${name} @${specifier} is already active."
+                #registry::entry close $requested
+                return
+            }
         }
 
         # this shouldn't be possible
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@ proc activate {name {version ""} {revision ""} {variants 0} {options ""}} {
             }
         }
 
-        ui_msg "$UI_PREFIX [format [msgcat::mc "Activating %s @%s"] $name $specifier]"
+        ui_msg "$UI_PREFIX [format [msgcat::mc "$actaction %s @%s"] $name $specifier]"
 
         _activate_contents $requested $rename_list
     } finally {