diff --git a/src/hooks/useCombobox/__tests__/props.test.js b/src/hooks/useCombobox/__tests__/props.test.js
index a93a95ae..8d4c671c 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useCombobox/__tests__/props.test.js
+++ b/src/hooks/useCombobox/__tests__/props.test.js
@@ -334,6 +334,71 @@ describe('props', () => {
     expect(input).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', expectedItemId)
   })
 
+  test('initialHighlightedIndex is ignored if item is disabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderCombobox({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === initialHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnInput()
+
+    expect(getInput()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
+  test('initialHighlightedIndex is ignored and defaultHighlightedIndex is chosen if enabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 0
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderCombobox({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === initialHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnInput()
+
+    expect(getInput()).toHaveAttribute(
+      'aria-activedescendant',
+      defaultIds.getItemId(defaultHighlightedIndex),
+    )
+  })
+
+  test('defaultHighlightedIndex is ignored if item is disabled', async () => {
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderCombobox({
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === defaultHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnInput()
+
+    expect(getInput()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
+  test('both defaultHighlightedIndex and initialHighlightedIndex are ignored if items are disabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 0
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderCombobox({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return [initialHighlightedIndex, defaultHighlightedIndex].includes(
+          items.indexOf(item),
+        )
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnInput()
+
+    expect(getInput()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
   describe('inputValue', () => {
     test('controls the state property if passed', async () => {
       renderCombobox({isOpen: true, inputValue: 'Dohn Joe'})
diff --git a/src/hooks/useSelect/__tests__/props.test.js b/src/hooks/useSelect/__tests__/props.test.js
index 111dbf66..f83a8982 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useSelect/__tests__/props.test.js
+++ b/src/hooks/useSelect/__tests__/props.test.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ describe('props', () => {
         inputValue: 'h',
         highlightedIndex: 15,
         isOpen: true,
-        selectedItem: null
+        selectedItem: null,
       })
       expect(getA11yStatusMessage).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
 
@@ -234,7 +234,72 @@ describe('props', () => {
     }
   })
 
-  test('controls the state property if passed', async () => {
+  test('initialHighlightedIndex is ignored if item is disabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderSelect({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === initialHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnToggleButton()
+
+    expect(getToggleButton()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
+  test('initialHighlightedIndex is ignored and defaultHighlightedIndex is chosen if enabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 0
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderSelect({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === initialHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnToggleButton()
+
+    expect(getToggleButton()).toHaveAttribute(
+      'aria-activedescendant',
+      defaultIds.getItemId(defaultHighlightedIndex),
+    )
+  })
+
+  test('defaultHighlightedIndex is ignored if item is disabled', async () => {
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderSelect({
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return items.indexOf(item) === defaultHighlightedIndex
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnToggleButton()
+
+    expect(getToggleButton()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
+  test('both defaultHighlightedIndex and initialHighlightedIndex are ignored if items are disabled', async () => {
+    const initialHighlightedIndex = 0
+    const defaultHighlightedIndex = 2
+    renderSelect({
+      initialHighlightedIndex,
+      defaultHighlightedIndex,
+      isItemDisabled(item) {
+        return [initialHighlightedIndex, defaultHighlightedIndex].includes(
+          items.indexOf(item),
+        )
+      },
+    })
+
+    await clickOnToggleButton()
+
+    expect(getToggleButton()).toHaveAttribute('aria-activedescendant', '')
+  })
+
+  test('isOpen controls the state property if passed', async () => {
     renderSelect({isOpen: true})
     expect(getItems()).toHaveLength(items.length)
     await tab() // focus toggle button
diff --git a/src/hooks/utils.js b/src/hooks/utils.js
index 746ef658..9e0c4c7f 100644
--- a/src/hooks/utils.js
+++ b/src/hooks/utils.js
@@ -310,8 +310,13 @@ function getInitialState(props) {
 }
 
 function getHighlightedIndexOnOpen(props, state, offset) {
-  const {items, initialHighlightedIndex, defaultHighlightedIndex, itemToKey} =
-    props
+  const {
+    items,
+    initialHighlightedIndex,
+    defaultHighlightedIndex,
+    isItemDisabled,
+    itemToKey,
+  } = props
   const {selectedItem, highlightedIndex} = state
 
   if (items.length === 0) {
@@ -321,11 +326,15 @@ function getHighlightedIndexOnOpen(props, state, offset) {
   // initialHighlightedIndex will give value to highlightedIndex on initial state only.
   if (
     initialHighlightedIndex !== undefined &&
-    highlightedIndex === initialHighlightedIndex
+    highlightedIndex === initialHighlightedIndex &&
+    !isItemDisabled(items[initialHighlightedIndex])
   ) {
     return initialHighlightedIndex
   }
-  if (defaultHighlightedIndex !== undefined) {
+  if (
+    defaultHighlightedIndex !== undefined &&
+    !isItemDisabled(items[defaultHighlightedIndex])
+  ) {
     return defaultHighlightedIndex
   }
   if (selectedItem) {