diff --git a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/focus-trap.ts b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/focus-trap.ts
index 6ca5031fc7..a456feca0b 100644
--- a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/focus-trap.ts
+++ b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/focus-trap.ts
@@ -503,6 +503,28 @@ export class FocusTrap {
     }
   }
 
+  private getInitialTabbableNode = () => {
+    const firstGroup = this.state.tabbableGroups[0]
+    const skipSelector = this.config.initialFocusSkip
+    if (!firstGroup) return undefined
+    if (!skipSelector) return firstGroup.firstTabbableNode
+
+    for (const group of this.state.tabbableGroups) {
+      for (const node of group.tabbableNodes) {
+        let matches: boolean
+        try {
+          matches = node.matches(skipSelector)
+        } catch (err: any) {
+          throw new Error(`\`initialFocusSkip\` appears to be an invalid selector; error="${err.message}"`)
+        }
+        if (!matches) return node
+      }
+    }
+
+    // every tabbable node matched the skip selector — fall back to the first tabbable
+    return firstGroup.firstTabbableNode
+  }
+
   private getInitialFocusNode = () => {
     let node = this.getNodeForOption("initialFocus", { hasFallback: true })
 
@@ -517,8 +539,7 @@ export class FocusTrap {
       if (activeElement && this.findContainerIndex(activeElement) >= 0) {
         node = activeElement
       } else {
-        const firstTabbableGroup = this.state.tabbableGroups[0]
-        const firstTabbableNode = firstTabbableGroup && firstTabbableGroup.firstTabbableNode
+        const firstTabbableNode = this.getInitialTabbableNode()
 
         // NOTE: `fallbackFocus` option function cannot return `false` (not supported)
         node = firstTabbableNode || this.getNodeForOption("fallbackFocus")
diff --git a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/types.ts b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/types.ts
index 0ac75134a2..5ca3d0d06c 100644
--- a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/src/types.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,16 @@ export interface FocusTrapOptions {
    * will result in the default behavior.
    */
   initialFocus?: FocusTargetOrFalse | undefined | VoidFunction
+  /**
+   * A CSS selector identifying elements that should be skipped when picking
+   * the initial focus target. When the trap activates and no explicit
+   * `initialFocus` is provided (or it does not resolve), the first tabbable
+   * element that does not match this selector receives focus instead.
+   *
+   * This only affects initial focus selection; skipped elements remain
+   * focusable in normal tab order once the trap is active.
+   */
+  initialFocusSkip?: string | undefined
   /**
    * By default, an error will be thrown if the focus trap contains no
    * elements in its tab order. With this option you can specify a
diff --git a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/tests/focus-trap.test.ts b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/tests/focus-trap.test.ts
index cbf857316b..b7eb537316 100644
--- a/packages/utilities/focus-trap/tests/focus-trap.test.ts
+++ b/packages/utilities/focus-trap/tests/focus-trap.test.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,96 @@ describe("FocusTrap", () => {
     expect(document.activeElement).toBe(trigger)
   })
 
+  it("skips elements matching initialFocusSkip on activation", () => {
+    const container = createContainer()
+    const close = createButton("Close")
+    close.setAttribute("data-skip", "")
+    const submit = createButton("Submit")
+    container.append(close, submit)
+
+    const trap = track(
+      new FocusTrap(container, {
+        document,
+        delayInitialFocus: false,
+        initialFocusSkip: "[data-skip]",
+        fallbackFocus: container,
+      }),
+    )
+    trap.activate()
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(submit)
+  })
+
+  it("keeps initialFocusSkip elements focusable during tab navigation", () => {
+    const container = createContainer()
+    const close = createButton("Close")
+    close.setAttribute("data-skip", "")
+    const submit = createButton("Submit")
+    container.append(close, submit)
+
+    const trap = track(
+      new FocusTrap(container, {
+        document,
+        delayInitialFocus: false,
+        initialFocusSkip: "[data-skip]",
+        fallbackFocus: container,
+      }),
+    )
+    trap.activate()
+
+    const event = dispatchTab(submit)
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true)
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(close)
+  })
+
+  it("cycles tab from the last element back to an initialFocusSkip element", () => {
+    const container = createContainer()
+    const skipped = createButton("Skipped")
+    skipped.setAttribute("data-skip", "")
+    const middle = createButton("Middle")
+    const last = createButton("Last")
+    container.append(skipped, middle, last)
+
+    const trap = track(
+      new FocusTrap(container, {
+        document,
+        delayInitialFocus: false,
+        initialFocusSkip: "[data-skip]",
+        fallbackFocus: container,
+      }),
+    )
+    trap.activate()
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(middle)
+
+    last.focus()
+    const event = dispatchTab(last)
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true)
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(skipped)
+  })
+
+  it("falls back to the first tabbable when every node matches initialFocusSkip", () => {
+    const container = createContainer()
+    const first = createButton("First")
+    first.setAttribute("data-skip", "")
+    const second = createButton("Second")
+    second.setAttribute("data-skip", "")
+    container.append(first, second)
+
+    const trap = track(
+      new FocusTrap(container, {
+        document,
+        delayInitialFocus: false,
+        initialFocusSkip: "[data-skip]",
+        fallbackFocus: container,
+      }),
+    )
+    trap.activate()
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(first)
+  })
+
   it("uses fallbackFocus when there are no tabbables", () => {
     const container = createContainer()