diff --git a/.changeset/popular-pigs-begin.md b/.changeset/popular-pigs-begin.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5d0a05413
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/popular-pigs-begin.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@nextui-org/autocomplete": patch
+---
+
+automatically focus first non-disabled item
diff --git a/packages/components/autocomplete/src/use-autocomplete.ts b/packages/components/autocomplete/src/use-autocomplete.ts
index b6a9cae1ab..6f84d1c979 100644
--- a/packages/components/autocomplete/src/use-autocomplete.ts
+++ b/packages/components/autocomplete/src/use-autocomplete.ts
@@ -317,6 +317,16 @@ export function useAutocomplete<T extends object>(originalProps: UseAutocomplete
     }
   }, [inputRef.current]);
 
+  // focus first non-disabled item
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let key = state.collection.getFirstKey();
+
+    while (key && state.disabledKeys.has(key)) {
+      key = state.collection.getKeyAfter(key);
+    }
+    state.selectionManager.setFocusedKey(key);
+  }, [state.collection, state.disabledKeys]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isOpen) {
       // apply the same with to the popover as the select