diff --git a/packages/mui-material/test/integration/MenuList.test.js b/packages/mui-material/test/integration/MenuList.test.js
index 7bbaff63f38a75..c84dd750d9c3a3 100644
--- a/packages/mui-material/test/integration/MenuList.test.js
+++ b/packages/mui-material/test/integration/MenuList.test.js
@@ -445,6 +445,61 @@ describe('<MenuList> integration', () => {
     expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
   });
 
+  it('should not infinite loop on keyboard navigation when there are no children', () => {
+    render(<MenuList autoFocus />);
+
+    const menu = screen.getByRole('menu');
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'ArrowDown' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'ArrowUp' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'Home' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'End' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
+  it('should not infinite loop on keyboard navigation when children are removed', () => {
+    function DynamicMenuList() {
+      const [items, setItems] = React.useState(['Item 1', 'Item 2']);
+
+      return (
+        <React.Fragment>
+          <button data-testid="clear" onClick={() => setItems([])}>
+            Clear
+          </button>
+          <MenuList autoFocus>
+            {items.map((item) => (
+              <MenuItem key={item}>{item}</MenuItem>
+            ))}
+          </MenuList>
+        </React.Fragment>
+      );
+    }
+
+    render(<DynamicMenuList />);
+
+    const menu = screen.getByRole('menu');
+    const menuitems = screen.getAllByRole('menuitem');
+
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'ArrowDown' });
+    expect(menuitems[0]).toHaveFocus();
+
+    // Remove all children
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('clear'));
+
+    act(() => {
+      menu.focus();
+    });
+
+    // Should not hang
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'ArrowDown' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+    fireEvent.keyDown(menu, { key: 'ArrowUp' });
+    expect(menu).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
   it('should allow focus on disabled items when disabledItemsFocusable=true', () => {
     render(
       <MenuList autoFocus disabledItemsFocusable>
diff --git a/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.test.tsx b/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.test.tsx
index bbc43917c76922..8cb1fbf1b5ae8f 100644
--- a/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.test.tsx
@@ -154,6 +154,71 @@ describe('useRovingTabIndex', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId('container').getAttribute('tabindex')).to.equal('-1');
   });
 
+  test('should not infinite loop when focusNext is called with no children', () => {
+    let focusNextResult: number | undefined;
+
+    function EmptyContainer() {
+      const { getContainerProps, focusNext: focusNextFn } = useRovingTabIndex({
+        orientation: 'horizontal',
+      });
+
+      focusNext = focusNextFn;
+
+      return <div data-testid="container" tabIndex={-1} {...getContainerProps()} />;
+    }
+
+    render(<EmptyContainer />);
+
+    act(() => {
+      focusNextResult = focusNext();
+    });
+
+    expect(focusNextResult).to.equal(-1);
+  });
+
+  test('should not infinite loop on arrow key navigation with no children', async () => {
+    function EmptyContainer() {
+      const { getContainerProps } = useRovingTabIndex({
+        orientation: 'horizontal',
+      });
+
+      return <div data-testid="container" tabIndex={-1} {...getContainerProps()} />;
+    }
+
+    const { user } = render(<EmptyContainer />);
+
+    const container = screen.getByTestId('container');
+    container.focus();
+
+    // These would hang if the bug is present
+    await user.keyboard('{ArrowRight}');
+    await user.keyboard('{ArrowLeft}');
+    await user.keyboard('{Home}');
+    await user.keyboard('{End}');
+
+    expect(container).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
+  test('should not infinite loop on arrow key navigation with no children (vertical)', async () => {
+    function EmptyContainer() {
+      const { getContainerProps } = useRovingTabIndex({
+        orientation: 'vertical',
+      });
+
+      return <div data-testid="container" tabIndex={-1} {...getContainerProps()} />;
+    }
+
+    const { user } = render(<EmptyContainer />);
+
+    const container = screen.getByTestId('container');
+    container.focus();
+
+    await user.keyboard('{ArrowDown}');
+    await user.keyboard('{ArrowUp}');
+
+    expect(container).toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
   test('should make the controlled prop take precedence over internal state', async () => {
     const focusableIndex = 1;
 
diff --git a/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.ts b/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.ts
index bce6b1583e81b6..e6920356b08dae 100644
--- a/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.ts
+++ b/packages/mui-utils/src/useRovingTabIndex/useRovingTabIndex.ts
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@ function focusNext(
   wrap: boolean,
   shouldFocus: (element: HTMLElement | null) => boolean,
 ): number {
+  if (elementsRef.current.length === 0) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
   const lastIndex = elementsRef.current.length - 1;
   let wrappedOnce = false;
   let nextIndex = getNextIndex(currentIndex, lastIndex, direction, wrap);