diff --git a/change/@fluentui-web-components-c799e352-175a-41e3-8338-7e785f5ea828.json b/change/@fluentui-web-components-c799e352-175a-41e3-8338-7e785f5ea828.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..22b859d0d7ba80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/change/@fluentui-web-components-c799e352-175a-41e3-8338-7e785f5ea828.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "type": "prerelease",
+  "comment": "avoid dialog from focusing on non-active tab upon showing",
+  "packageName": "@fluentui/web-components",
+  "email": "machi@microsoft.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.spec.ts b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
index 967a655033e40e..893b14868c0d9b 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import type { Locator } from '@playwright/test';
 import { expect, test } from '../../test/playwright/index.js';
 import { tagName as DialogBodyTagName } from '../dialog-body/dialog-body.options.js';
+import { tagName as TabTagName } from '../tab/tab.options.js';
+import { tagName as TablistTagName } from '../tablist/tablist.options.js';
 import type { Dialog } from './dialog.js';
 import { tagName } from './dialog.options.js';
 
@@ -383,4 +385,43 @@ test.describe('Dialog', () => {
 
     await expect(content).toBeHidden();
   });
+
+  test.describe('opening focus', () => {
+    test.use({
+      tagName,
+      waitFor: [DialogBodyTagName, TablistTagName, TabTagName],
+    });
+
+    test('should not change tablist’s `activeid` attribute', async ({ fastPage }) => {
+      const { element } = fastPage;
+      const content = element.locator('#content');
+      const tablist = element.locator(TablistTagName);
+
+      await fastPage.setTemplate({
+        innerHTML: /* html */ `
+          <${DialogBodyTagName} id="content">
+            <${TablistTagName} activeid="tab2">
+              <${TabTagName} id="tab1">tab 1</${TabTagName}>
+              <${TabTagName} id="tab2">tab 2</${TabTagName}>
+            </${TablistTagName}>
+          </${DialogBodyTagName}>
+        `,
+      });
+
+      await element.evaluate((node: Dialog) => {
+        node.show();
+      });
+
+      await expect(content).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(tablist).toHaveAttribute('activeid', 'tab2');
+
+      await element.evaluate((node: Dialog) => {
+        node.hide();
+        node.show();
+      });
+
+      await expect(content).toBeVisible();
+      await expect(tablist).toHaveAttribute('activeid', 'tab2');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.stories.ts b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.stories.ts
index e9df63d8ca5b07..3ff55ed1a97e7a 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.stories.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.stories.ts
@@ -399,3 +399,18 @@ export const ScrollingLongContent: Story = {
     },
   ],
 };
+
+export const WithTablist: Story = {
+  args: {
+    ariaLabel: 'With Tablist',
+    titleSlottedContent: () => html` <h2 slot="title">With Tablist</h2> `,
+    closeSlottedContent: () => html``,
+    slottedContent: () => html`
+      <fluent-tablist activeid="tab2">
+        <fluent-tab id="tab1">tab 1</fluent-tab>
+        <fluent-tab id="tab2">tab 2</fluent-tab>
+        <fluent-tab id="tab3">tab 3</fluent-tab>
+      </fluent-tablist>
+    `,
+  },
+};
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.template.ts b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.template.ts
index 018eae02fa1a65..2a4991d760aab5 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.template.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/dialog/dialog.template.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import type { Dialog } from './dialog.js';
 
 /**
  * Template for the Dialog component
+ *
+ * Note: The empty `<div tabindex="-1">` element above the `<slot>` element is
+ * for working around a dialog focus issue, learn more at
+ * https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/36278
+ *
  * @public
  */
 export const template: ElementViewTemplate<Dialog> = html`
@@ -18,6 +23,7 @@ export const template: ElementViewTemplate<Dialog> = html`
     @cancel="${x => x.hide()}"
     ${ref('dialog')}
   >
+    <div tabindex="-1"></div>
     <slot></slot>
   </dialog>
 `;