diff --git a/src/components/UncontrolledTabs.jsx b/src/components/UncontrolledTabs.jsx
index 8e802b71d2..478ca4df61 100644
--- a/src/components/UncontrolledTabs.jsx
+++ b/src/components/UncontrolledTabs.jsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import cx from 'clsx';
 import { childrenPropType } from '../helpers/propTypes';
 import { getTabsCount as getTabsCountHelper } from '../helpers/count';
 import { deepMap } from '../helpers/childrenDeepMap';
-import { isTabList, isTabPanel, isTab } from '../helpers/elementTypes';
+import { isTabList, isTabPanel } from '../helpers/elementTypes';
 
 function isNode(node) {
   return node && 'getAttribute' in node;
@@ -212,9 +212,9 @@ const UncontrolledTabs = (props) => {
         const env =
           environment || (typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window : undefined);
         if (canUseActiveElement && env) {
-          wasTabFocused = React.Children.toArray(child.props.children)
-            .filter(isTab)
-            .some((tab, i) => env.document.activeElement === getTab(i));
+          wasTabFocused = Object.keys(tabNodes.current).some(
+            (key) => env.document.activeElement === tabNodes.current[key],
+          );
         }
 
         result = cloneElement(child, {
diff --git a/src/components/__tests__/Tabs-test.jsx b/src/components/__tests__/Tabs-test.jsx
index 8010cb8efd..e917844925 100644
--- a/src/components/__tests__/Tabs-test.jsx
+++ b/src/components/__tests__/Tabs-test.jsx
@@ -592,6 +592,52 @@ describe('<Tabs />', () => {
     expect(inputField).toHaveFocus();
   });
 
+  test('should retain tab focus when controlled tabs are inside a fragment', () => {
+    const renderTabs = (selectedIndex) => (
+      <Tabs selectedIndex={selectedIndex} onSelect={() => {}}>
+        <TabList>
+          <>
+            <Tab>First</Tab>
+            <Tab>Second</Tab>
+          </>
+        </TabList>
+        <TabPanel>First panel</TabPanel>
+        <TabPanel>Second panel</TabPanel>
+      </Tabs>
+    );
+    const { rerender } = render(renderTabs(0));
+    screen.getByRole('tab', { name: 'First' }).focus();
+
+    rerender(renderTabs(1));
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole('tab', { name: 'Second' })).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
+  test('should preserve outside focus when controlled tabs are inside a fragment', () => {
+    const renderTabs = (selectedIndex) => (
+      <>
+        <input aria-label="Outside" />
+        <Tabs selectedIndex={selectedIndex} onSelect={() => {}}>
+          <TabList>
+            <>
+              <Tab>First</Tab>
+              <Tab>Second</Tab>
+            </>
+          </TabList>
+          <TabPanel>First panel</TabPanel>
+          <TabPanel>Second panel</TabPanel>
+        </Tabs>
+      </>
+    );
+    const { rerender } = render(renderTabs(0));
+    const input = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Outside' });
+    input.focus();
+
+    rerender(renderTabs(1));
+
+    expect(input).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
   test('should not change tabs when arrow up/down is pressed and disableUpDownKeys is passed', async () => {
     render(
       createTabs({