diff --git a/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-provider/component.tsx b/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-provider/component.tsx
index c20e7aaa5c533..a801f1245ab84 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-provider/component.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-provider/component.tsx
@@ -42,35 +42,17 @@ function NavigatorProvider(
 	>( [
 		{
 			path: initialPath,
-			isBack: false,
-			isInitial: true,
 		},
 	] );
 
 	const push: NavigatorContextType[ 'push' ] = useCallback(
 		( path, options = {} ) => {
-			const { focusTargetSelector, ...restOptions } = options;
-
-			// Notes:
-			// - the `isBack` flag is set to `false` when navigating forwards on both
-			//   the previous and the new location.
-			// - the `isInitial` flag is set to `false` for the new location, to make
-			//   sure it doesn't get overridden by mistake.
-			// - the `focusTargetSelector` prop is set on the current (soon previous)
-			//   location, as it is used to restore focus in NavigatorScreen. The
-			//   remaining options are instead set on the new location being pushed.
 			setLocationHistory( [
-				...locationHistory.slice( 0, -1 ),
-				{
-					...locationHistory[ locationHistory.length - 1 ],
-					isBack: false,
-					focusTargetSelector,
-				},
+				...locationHistory,
 				{
-					...restOptions,
+					...options,
 					path,
 					isBack: false,
-					isInitial: false,
 				},
 			] );
 		},
@@ -79,7 +61,6 @@ function NavigatorProvider(
 
 	const pop: NavigatorContextType[ 'pop' ] = useCallback( () => {
 		if ( locationHistory.length > 1 ) {
-			// Force the `isBack` flag to `true` when navigating back.
 			setLocationHistory( [
 				...locationHistory.slice( 0, -2 ),
 				{
@@ -92,7 +73,10 @@ function NavigatorProvider(
 
 	const navigatorContextValue: NavigatorContextType = useMemo(
 		() => ( {
-			location: locationHistory[ locationHistory.length - 1 ],
+			location: {
+				...locationHistory[ locationHistory.length - 1 ],
+				isInitial: locationHistory.length === 1,
+			},
 			push,
 			pop,
 		} ),
diff --git a/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-screen/component.tsx b/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-screen/component.tsx
index 9cf5812417718..7cf629a7b0f6d 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-screen/component.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/navigator/navigator-screen/component.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ import { css } from '@emotion/react';
  */
 import { focus } from '@wordpress/dom';
 import { useContext, useEffect, useMemo, useRef } from '@wordpress/element';
-import { useReducedMotion, useMergeRefs } from '@wordpress/compose';
+import {
+	useReducedMotion,
+	useMergeRefs,
+	usePrevious,
+} from '@wordpress/compose';
 import { isRTL } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 
 /**
@@ -50,6 +54,8 @@ function NavigatorScreen( props: Props, forwardedRef: Ref< any > ) {
 	const isMatch = location.path === path;
 	const wrapperRef = useRef< HTMLDivElement >( null );
 
+	const previousLocation = usePrevious( location );
+
 	const cx = useCx();
 	const classes = useMemo(
 		() =>
@@ -80,9 +86,9 @@ function NavigatorScreen( props: Props, forwardedRef: Ref< any > ) {
 
 		// When navigating back, if a selector is provided, use it to look for the
 		// target element (assumed to be a node inside the current NavigatorScreen)
-		if ( location.isBack && location.focusTargetSelector ) {
+		if ( location.isBack && previousLocation?.focusTargetSelector ) {
 			elementToFocus = wrapperRef.current.querySelector(
-				location.focusTargetSelector
+				previousLocation.focusTargetSelector
 			);
 		}