diff --git a/core/pfe-core/controllers/at-focus-controller.ts b/core/pfe-core/controllers/at-focus-controller.ts
index c8d099df06..03da55a838 100644
--- a/core/pfe-core/controllers/at-focus-controller.ts
+++ b/core/pfe-core/controllers/at-focus-controller.ts
@@ -49,8 +49,13 @@ export abstract class ATFocusController<Item extends HTMLElement> {
 
   set atFocusedItemIndex(index: number) {
     const previousIndex = this.#atFocusedItemIndex;
-    const direction = index > previousIndex ? 1 : -1;
     const { items, atFocusableItems } = this;
+    // - Home (index=0): always search forward to find first focusable item
+    // - End (index=last): always search backward to find last focusable item
+    // - Other cases: use comparison to determine direction
+    const direction = index === 0 ? 1
+    : index >= items.length - 1 ? -1
+    : index > previousIndex ? 1 : -1;
     const itemsIndexOfLastATFocusableItem = items.indexOf(this.atFocusableItems.at(-1)!);
     let itemToGainFocus = items.at(index);
     let itemToGainFocusIsFocusable = atFocusableItems.includes(itemToGainFocus!);
diff --git a/core/pfe-core/controllers/combobox-controller.ts b/core/pfe-core/controllers/combobox-controller.ts
index c69e129ea5..ca5292c017 100644
--- a/core/pfe-core/controllers/combobox-controller.ts
+++ b/core/pfe-core/controllers/combobox-controller.ts
@@ -735,9 +735,12 @@ export class ComboboxController<
   #onFocusoutListbox = (event: FocusEvent) => {
     if (!this.#hasTextInput && this.options.isExpanded()) {
       const root = this.#element?.getRootNode();
+      // Check if focus moved to the toggle button
+      // If so, let the click handler manage toggle
+      const isToggleButton = event.relatedTarget === this.#button;
       if ((root instanceof ShadowRoot || root instanceof Document)
           && !this.items.includes(event.relatedTarget as Item)
-      ) {
+          && !isToggleButton) {
         this.#hide();
       }
     }
diff --git a/core/pfe-core/controllers/roving-tabindex-controller.ts b/core/pfe-core/controllers/roving-tabindex-controller.ts
index 9659a11095..6189ac689b 100644
--- a/core/pfe-core/controllers/roving-tabindex-controller.ts
+++ b/core/pfe-core/controllers/roving-tabindex-controller.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,21 @@ export class RovingTabindexController<
       if (container instanceof HTMLElement) {
         container.addEventListener('focusin', () =>
           this.#gainedInitialFocus = true, { once: true });
+        // Sync atFocusedItemIndex when an item receives DOM focus (e.g., via mouse click)
+        // This ensures keyboard navigation starts from the correct position
+        container.addEventListener('focusin', (event: FocusEvent) => {
+          const target = event.target as Item;
+          const index = this.items.indexOf(target);
+          // Only update if the target is a valid item and index differs
+          if (index >= 0 && index !== this.atFocusedItemIndex) {
+            // Update index via setter, but avoid the focus() call by temporarily
+            // clearing #gainedInitialFocus to prevent redundant focus
+            const hadInitialFocus = this.#gainedInitialFocus;
+            this.#gainedInitialFocus = false;
+            this.atFocusedItemIndex = index;
+            this.#gainedInitialFocus = hadInitialFocus;
+          }
+        });
       } else {
         this.#logger.warn('RovingTabindexController requires a getItemsContainer function');
       }