From 357ff27840601c293283455d677934152b2c0c36 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Reid Barber <reid@reidbarber.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:57:34 -0600
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] fix: prevent closing combobox when section headers are
 clicked

---
 packages/@react-aria/listbox/src/useListBoxSection.ts | 8 ++++++--
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/@react-aria/listbox/src/useListBoxSection.ts b/packages/@react-aria/listbox/src/useListBoxSection.ts
index 82952c43bcc..1b0a045cf4c 100644
--- a/packages/@react-aria/listbox/src/useListBoxSection.ts
+++ b/packages/@react-aria/listbox/src/useListBoxSection.ts
@@ -46,11 +46,15 @@ export function useListBoxSection(props: AriaListBoxSectionProps): ListBoxSectio
       role: 'presentation'
     },
     headingProps: heading ? {
-      // Techincally, listbox cannot contain headings according to ARIA.
+      // Technically, listbox cannot contain headings according to ARIA.
       // We hide the heading from assistive technology, using role="presentation",
       // and only use it as a visual label for the nested group.
       id: headingId,
-      role: 'presentation'
+      role: 'presentation',
+      onMouseDown: (e) => {
+        // Prevent DOM focus from moving on mouse down when using virtual focus
+        e.preventDefault();
+      }
     } : {},
     groupProps: {
       role: 'group',

From 0988a776290b2370f802bb68e3e638513ae58832 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Reid Barber <reid@reidbarber.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:23:49 -0600
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] add unit test

---
 .../test/ComboBox.test.js                     | 66 +++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 66 insertions(+)

diff --git a/packages/react-aria-components/test/ComboBox.test.js b/packages/react-aria-components/test/ComboBox.test.js
index b786271a0da..cdd950f47a1 100644
--- a/packages/react-aria-components/test/ComboBox.test.js
+++ b/packages/react-aria-components/test/ComboBox.test.js
@@ -482,4 +482,70 @@ describe('ComboBox', () => {
     expect(onAction).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(comboboxTester.combobox).toHaveValue('Cat');
   });
+
+  it('should not close the combobox when clicking on a section header', async () => {
+    let tree = render(
+      <ComboBox>
+        <Label>Preferred fruit or vegetable</Label>
+        <Input />
+        <Button />
+        <Popover>
+          <ListBox>
+            <ListBoxSection>
+              <Header>Fruit</Header>
+              <ListBoxItem id="Apple">Apple</ListBoxItem>
+              <ListBoxItem id="Banana">Banana</ListBoxItem>
+            </ListBoxSection>
+            <ListBoxSection>
+              <Header>Vegetable</Header>
+              <ListBoxItem id="Cabbage">Cabbage</ListBoxItem>
+              <ListBoxItem id="Broccoli">Broccoli</ListBoxItem>
+            </ListBoxSection>
+          </ListBox>
+        </Popover>
+      </ComboBox>
+    );
+
+    let comboboxTester = testUtilUser.createTester('ComboBox', {root: tree.container});
+    let button = tree.getByRole('button');
+    
+    // Open the combobox
+    await user.click(button);
+    act(() => {
+      jest.runAllTimers();
+    });
+
+    // Verify the listbox is open
+    let listbox = tree.getByRole('listbox');
+    expect(listbox).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(listbox).toBeVisible();
+
+    // Find and click on a section header
+    let fruitHeader = tree.getByText('Fruit');
+    expect(fruitHeader).toBeInTheDocument();
+    
+    await user.click(fruitHeader);
+    act(() => {
+      jest.runAllTimers();
+    });
+
+    // Verify the listbox is still open
+    listbox = tree.getByRole('listbox');
+    expect(listbox).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(listbox).toBeVisible();
+
+    // Verify we can still interact with options
+    let options = comboboxTester.options();
+    expect(options.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    
+    // Click an option
+    await user.click(options[0]);
+    act(() => {
+      jest.runAllTimers();
+    });
+    
+    // Verify the combobox is closed and the value is updated
+    expect(tree.queryByRole('listbox')).toBeNull();
+    expect(comboboxTester.combobox).toHaveValue('Apple');
+  });
 });