diff --git a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/incremental-hydration.integration.spec.ts b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/incremental-hydration.integration.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6194394f8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/incremental-hydration.integration.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import {
+  Component,
+  signal,
+} from '@angular/core';
+import {
+  ComponentFixture,
+  DeferBlockBehavior,
+  DeferBlockFixture,
+  DeferBlockState,
+  TestBed,
+} from '@angular/core/testing';
+import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
+
+import { DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective } from './roving-tab-index-boundary.directive';
+import { DaffRovingTabIndexDirective } from './roving-tab-index.directive';
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+		<div class="boundary" [rtiBoundary]="groupValue()">
+			@defer (hydrate on interaction) {
+				<div class="child" rti></div>
+			}
+		</div>
+	`,
+  imports: [
+    DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective,
+    DaffRovingTabIndexDirective,
+  ],
+})
+class WrapperComponent {
+  groupValue = signal('group');
+}
+
+describe('@daffodil/design/core | Roving Tab Index | Incremental Hydration', () => {
+  let wrapper: WrapperComponent;
+  let fixture: ComponentFixture<WrapperComponent>;
+  let deferBlockFixture: DeferBlockFixture;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      imports: [
+        WrapperComponent,
+      ],
+      deferBlockBehavior: DeferBlockBehavior.Manual,
+    });
+
+    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(WrapperComponent);
+    wrapper = fixture.componentInstance;
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+    deferBlockFixture = (await fixture.getDeferBlocks())[0];
+  });
+
+  // not functional as a mocked test, needs e2e to properly test
+  xit('should update the child to match the parent after deferred hydration', async () => {
+    await deferBlockFixture.render(DeferBlockState.Complete);
+
+    wrapper.groupValue.set('updated-group');
+    await fixture.whenStable();
+
+    const child = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.child'));
+
+    expect(child.attributes['data-rti']).toEqual('updated-group');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-boundary.directive.ts b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-boundary.directive.ts
index 76238a6dbc..8b56618ffe 100644
--- a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-boundary.directive.ts
+++ b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-boundary.directive.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-import { CdkTrapFocus } from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
 import {
   computed,
   Directive,
-  effect,
   forwardRef,
+  inject,
   input,
 } from '@angular/core';
 
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ import { DaffRovingTabIndexDirective } from './roving-tab-index.directive';
     '(keydown.space)': 'enterGroup($event)',
   },
   hostDirectives: [
-    CdkTrapFocus,
     DaffRovingTabIndexDirective,
   ],
   providers: [
@@ -36,22 +34,19 @@ import { DaffRovingTabIndexDirective } from './roving-tab-index.directive';
   ],
 })
 export class DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective implements DaffRovingTabIndexBoundary {
-  /**
-   * Don't touch this directly. Use `_uniqueId`.
-   */
-  private static _uniqueIdCounter = 0;
-
   /**
    * Don't touch this directly. Use `_uniqueId`.
    */
   private _cachedUniqueId: string | undefined;
   private get _uniqueId(): string {
     if (!this._cachedUniqueId) {
-      this._cachedUniqueId = `ε-rtiBoundary-${DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective._uniqueIdCounter++}`;
+      this._cachedUniqueId = `ε-rtiBoundary-${crypto.randomUUID()}`;
     }
     return this._cachedUniqueId;
   }
 
+  private readonly groupService = inject(DaffRovingTabIndexService);
+
   /**
    * The name of the group for which that this element will act as boundary.
    * Optional, will be autogenerated to a unique name if omitted.
@@ -62,15 +57,6 @@ export class DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective implements DaffRovingTabIndexBo
    */
   readonly effectiveBoundary = computed(() => this.rtiBoundary() || this._uniqueId);
 
-  constructor(
-    private groupService: DaffRovingTabIndexService,
-    private focusTrap: CdkTrapFocus,
-  ) {
-    effect(() => {
-      this.focusTrap.enabled = this.effectiveBoundary() === this.groupService.group();
-    });
-  }
-
   /**
    * @docs-private
    */
diff --git a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-group.service.ts b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-group.service.ts
index 0226930683..b59c49fa22 100644
--- a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-group.service.ts
+++ b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index-group.service.ts
@@ -63,26 +63,4 @@ export class DaffRovingTabIndexService {
         : ary[index === ary.length - 1 ? 0 : index + 1]).focus();
     }
   }
-
-  onKeydown(evt: Event) {
-    if ('key' in evt) {
-      switch ((<KeyboardEvent>evt).key) {
-        case 'ArrowUp':
-        case 'ArrowDown':
-          if (this._group()) {
-            evt.preventDefault();
-            const ary = Array.from(this.document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(`[data-rti="${this._group()}"]`));
-            const index = ary.findIndex((el) => el === this.document.activeElement);
-            (<HTMLElement>this.document.activeElement).blur();
-            ((<KeyboardEvent>evt).key === 'ArrowUp'
-              ? ary[index === 0 ? ary.length - 1 : index - 1]
-              : ary[index === ary.length - 1 ? 0 : index + 1]).focus();
-          }
-          break;
-
-        default:
-          break;
-      }
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.spec.ts b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.spec.ts
index 87e910b4b5..9312e4357d 100644
--- a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.spec.ts
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ describe('@daffodil/design | DaffRovingTabIndexDirective', () => {
     expect(directive.group()).toEqual('');
   });
 
-  describe('when the escape key is pressed', () => {
+  describe('when the escape key is pressed when inside a group', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
+      groupSpy.set('test');
       (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Escape' }));
       fixture.detectChanges();
     });
@@ -89,8 +90,9 @@ describe('@daffodil/design | DaffRovingTabIndexDirective', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('when the up arrow is pressed', () => {
+  describe('when the up arrow is pressed when inside a group', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
+      groupSpy.set('test');
       (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowUp' }));
       fixture.detectChanges();
     });
@@ -100,8 +102,9 @@ describe('@daffodil/design | DaffRovingTabIndexDirective', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('when the down arrow is pressed', () => {
+  describe('when the down arrow is pressed when inside a group', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
+      groupSpy.set('test');
       (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowDown' }));
       fixture.detectChanges();
     });
@@ -110,6 +113,74 @@ describe('@daffodil/design | DaffRovingTabIndexDirective', () => {
       expect(serviceSpy.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('when the up arrow is pressed when not inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowUp' }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should not navigate to the previous target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.previous).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when the down arrow is pressed when not inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'ArrowDown' }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should not navigate to the next target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when the tab key is pressed when inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      groupSpy.set('test');
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Tab' }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should navigate to the next target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when the tab plus shift key is pressed when inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      groupSpy.set('test');
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Tab', shiftKey: true }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should navigate to the previous target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.previous).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when the tab key is pressed when not inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Tab' }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should not navigate to the previous target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.previous).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when the tab plus shift key is pressed when not inside a group', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      (<HTMLElement>de.nativeElement).dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { key: 'Tab', shiftKey: true }));
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should not navigate to the next target', () => {
+      expect(serviceSpy.next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 @Component({
diff --git a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.ts b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.ts
index b5feb39286..e80da9539f 100644
--- a/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.ts
+++ b/libs/design/src/core/roving-tab-index/roving-tab-index.directive.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import {
+  afterNextRender,
   computed,
   Directive,
   Inject,
   input,
   Optional,
+  signal,
   SkipSelf,
 } from '@angular/core';
 
@@ -26,9 +28,13 @@ import { DaffRovingTabIndexService } from './roving-tab-index-group.service';
     '(keydown.escape)': 'leaveGroup($event)',
     '(keydown.arrowup)': 'previous($event)',
     '(keydown.arrowdown)': 'next($event)',
+    '(keydown.tab)': 'next($event)',
+    '(keydown.shift.tab)': 'previous($event)',
   },
 })
 export class DaffRovingTabIndexDirective {
+  private readonly _hydrationWorkaround = signal(false);
+
   /**
    * Allows the RTI group to be overriden.
    * By default it will be the nearest ancestor or the default root group if no boundary ancestor exists.
@@ -39,7 +45,11 @@ export class DaffRovingTabIndexDirective {
    * The group in which this RTI target resides.
    * See {@link DaffRovingTabIndexBoundaryDirective} to make an element act as the boundary of an RTI group.
    */
-  readonly group = computed(() => this.rti() || this.parent?.effectiveBoundary() || '');
+  readonly group = computed(() =>
+    this._hydrationWorkaround()
+      ? this.rti() || this.parent?.effectiveBoundary() || ''
+      : this.rti() || this.parent?.effectiveBoundary() || '',
+  );
   /**
    * @docs-private
    */
@@ -52,29 +62,42 @@ export class DaffRovingTabIndexDirective {
   constructor(
     private service: DaffRovingTabIndexService,
     @Optional() @SkipSelf() @Inject(DAFF_ROVING_TAB_INDEX_BOUNDARY) private parent: DaffRovingTabIndexBoundary,
-  ) {}
+  ) {
+    afterNextRender({
+      read: () => this._hydrationWorkaround.set(true),
+    });
+  }
 
   /**
    * @docs-private
    */
-  leaveGroup(evt: Event) {
-    evt.stopPropagation();
-    this.service.leave();
+  protected leaveGroup(evt: Event) {
+    if (this.service.group()) {
+      evt.preventDefault();
+      evt.stopPropagation();
+      this.service.leave();
+    }
   }
 
   /**
    * @docs-private
    */
-  next(evt: Event) {
-    evt.stopPropagation();
-    this.service.next();
+  protected next(evt: Event) {
+    if (this.service.group()) {
+      evt.preventDefault();
+      evt.stopPropagation();
+      this.service.next();
+    }
   }
 
   /**
    * @docs-private
    */
-  previous(evt: Event) {
-    evt.stopPropagation();
-    this.service.previous();
+  protected previous(evt: Event) {
+    if (this.service.group()) {
+      evt.preventDefault();
+      evt.stopPropagation();
+      this.service.previous();
+    }
   }
 }