diff --git a/.changeset/friendly-card-list-focus.md b/.changeset/friendly-card-list-focus.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..98604e2f1be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/friendly-card-list-focus.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@siemens/ix': patch
+---
+
+Prevent focus from remaining inside collapsed card lists.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/card-list/card-list.tsx b/packages/core/src/components/card-list/card-list.tsx
index 9bd1f40f0b6..0c6caf4d814 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/card-list/card-list.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/card-list/card-list.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   Listen,
   Prop,
   State,
+  Watch,
 } from '@stencil/core';
 import { createMutationObserver } from '../utils/mutation-observer';
 import { iconChevronUp, iconMoreMenu } from '@siemens/ix-icons/icons';
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ function CardListTitle(props: {
   labelShowLess: string;
   showLess: boolean;
   hideShowAll: boolean;
+  collapseButtonRef: (element?: HTMLIxIconButtonElement) => void;
 }) {
   if (!props.label) {
     return null;
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ function CardListTitle(props: {
           CardList__Title__Button__Collapsed: props.isCollapsed,
         }}
         aria-label={props.ariaLabelExpandButton}
+        ref={props.collapseButtonRef}
       ></ix-icon-button>
       <ix-typography class="CardList_Title__Label" format="body-lg">
         {props.label}
@@ -178,11 +181,34 @@ export class CardList {
 
   private observer?: MutationObserver;
 
+  private collapseButton?: HTMLIxIconButtonElement;
+
   private onCardListVisibilityToggle() {
     this.collapse = !this.collapse;
     this.collapseChanged.emit(this.collapse);
   }
 
+  @Watch('collapse')
+  protected handleCollapseChange(isCollapsed: boolean) {
+    if (isCollapsed && this.hasFocusWithinListContent()) {
+      this.collapseButton?.focus();
+    }
+  }
+
+  private hasFocusWithinListContent() {
+    const activeElement = document.activeElement;
+
+    if (!activeElement) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return this.getListChildren().some(
+      (child) =>
+        child === activeElement ||
+        (child instanceof HTMLElement && child.contains(activeElement))
+    );
+  }
+
   private handleClick(emitter: EventEmitter, event: MouseEvent) {
     const { defaultPrevented } = emitter.emit({
       nativeEvent: event,
@@ -337,6 +363,7 @@ export class CardList {
         <CardListTitle
           isCollapsed={this.collapse}
           label={this.label}
+          ariaLabelExpandButton={this.ariaLabelExpandButton}
           showAllLabel={this.i18nShowAll}
           showAllCounter={
             this.showAllCount === undefined
@@ -348,6 +375,7 @@ export class CardList {
           onClick={() => this.onCardListVisibilityToggle()}
           onShowAllClick={(e) => this.onShowAllClick(e)}
           hideShowAll={this.hideShowAll}
+          collapseButtonRef={(element) => (this.collapseButton = element)}
         ></CardListTitle>
         <div
           class={{
@@ -363,6 +391,7 @@ export class CardList {
               CardList__Style__Infinite__Scroll: this.listStyle === 'scroll',
             }}
             onScroll={() => this.onCardListScroll()}
+            inert={this.collapse}
           >
             <slot
               onSlotchange={() => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/card-list/test/card-list.ct.ts b/packages/core/src/components/card-list/test/card-list.ct.ts
index 586163bca94..3cbfe20da86 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/card-list/test/card-list.ct.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/card-list/test/card-list.ct.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,50 @@ const CARDS_HTML = `
   <ix-card><ix-card-content>Card 5</ix-card-content></ix-card>
 `;
 
+regressionTest(
+  'prevents focus from remaining in collapsed card content',
+  async ({ mount, page }) => {
+    await mount(`
+      <button id="before">Before</button>
+      <ix-card-list
+        label="Test"
+        aria-label-expand-button="Toggle card list"
+        hide-show-all
+      >
+        <ix-card>
+          <ix-card-content>
+            <button id="card-action">Card action</button>
+          </ix-card-content>
+        </ix-card>
+      </ix-card-list>
+      <button id="after">After</button>
+    `);
+
+    const cardList = page.locator('ix-card-list');
+    const collapseButton = cardList.getByRole('button', {
+      name: 'Toggle card list',
+    });
+    const cardAction = page.locator('#card-action');
+    const content = cardList.locator('.CardList__Content');
+    const after = page.locator('#after');
+
+    await expect(cardList).toHaveClass(/\bhydrated\b/);
+
+    await cardAction.focus();
+    await expect(cardAction).toBeFocused();
+
+    await cardList.evaluate((element: HTMLIxCardListElement) => {
+      element.collapse = true;
+    });
+
+    await expect(collapseButton).toBeFocused();
+    await expect(content).toHaveJSProperty('inert', true);
+
+    await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
+    await expect(after).toBeFocused();
+  }
+);
+
 regressionTest(
   'show all button reveals all hidden cards',
   async ({ mount, page }) => {