diff --git a/packages/react/src/tabs/tab/useTabsTab.ts b/packages/react/src/tabs/tab/useTabsTab.ts
index 50dbc6edd7..ba35218a57 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/tabs/tab/useTabsTab.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/tabs/tab/useTabsTab.ts
@@ -110,11 +110,14 @@ function useTabsTab(parameters: useTabsTab.Parameters): useTabsTab.ReturnValue {
                 setHighlightedTabIndex(index);
               }
 
-              if (!activateOnFocus || disabled) {
+              if (disabled) {
                 return;
               }
 
-              if (!isPressingRef.current || (isPressingRef.current && isMainButtonRef.current)) {
+              if (
+                (activateOnFocus && !isPressingRef.current) || // keyboard focus
+                (isPressingRef.current && isMainButtonRef.current) // focus caused by pointerdown
+              ) {
                 onTabActivation(tabValue, event.nativeEvent);
               }
             },