diff --git a/api-generator/components/autocomplete.js b/api-generator/components/autocomplete.js
index 825e2aa60..888298632 100644
--- a/api-generator/components/autocomplete.js
+++ b/api-generator/components/autocomplete.js
@@ -179,6 +179,12 @@ const AutoCompleteProps = [
         default: "true",
         description: "Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown."
     },
+    {
+        name: "selectOnFocus",
+        type: "boolean",
+        default: "false",
+        description: "When enabled, the focused option is selected."
+    },
     {
         name: "searchLocale",
         type: "string",
diff --git a/api-generator/components/cascadeselect.js b/api-generator/components/cascadeselect.js
index cf188cf63..e3a79c774 100644
--- a/api-generator/components/cascadeselect.js
+++ b/api-generator/components/cascadeselect.js
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ const CascadeSelectProps = [
         default: "true",
         description: "Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown."
     },
+    {
+        name: "selectOnFocus",
+        type: "boolean",
+        default: "false",
+        description: "When enabled, the focused option is selected/opened."
+    },
     {
         name: "searchLocale",
         type: "string",
diff --git a/api-generator/components/dropdown.js b/api-generator/components/dropdown.js
index a6f86c0e0..8f132fcf2 100644
--- a/api-generator/components/dropdown.js
+++ b/api-generator/components/dropdown.js
@@ -191,6 +191,12 @@ const DropdownProps = [
         default: "true",
         description: "Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown."
     },
+    {
+        name: "selectOnFocus",
+        type: "boolean",
+        default: "false",
+        description: "When enabled, the focused option is selected."
+    },
     {
         name: "filterMessage",
         type: "string",
diff --git a/api-generator/components/listbox.js b/api-generator/components/listbox.js
index dc1f84bce..4741ab862 100644
--- a/api-generator/components/listbox.js
+++ b/api-generator/components/listbox.js
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ const ListboxProps = [
         default: "true",
         description: "Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element."
     },
+    {
+        name: "selectOnFocus",
+        type: "boolean",
+        default: "false",
+        description: "When enabled, the focused option is selected."
+    },
     {
         name: "filterMessage",
         type: "string",
diff --git a/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.d.ts b/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.d.ts
index 3d28711dd..0c69cc4c3 100755
--- a/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.d.ts
+++ b/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.d.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ export interface AutoCompleteProps {
      * Default value is true.
      */
     autoOptionFocus?: boolean | undefined;
+    /**
+     * When enabled, the focused option is selected.
+     * Default value is false.
+     */
+    selectOnFocus?: boolean | undefined;
     /**
      * Locale to use in searching. The default locale is the host environment's current locale.
      */
diff --git a/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.vue b/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.vue
index 4055ea5d6..31782caab 100755
--- a/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.vue
+++ b/src/components/autocomplete/AutoComplete.vue
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export default {
             type: String,
             default: 'blank'
         },
-        autoHighlight: { // TODO: Deprecated since v3.16.0
+        autoHighlight: { // TODO: Deprecated since v3.16.0. Use selectOnFocus property instead.
             type: Boolean,
             default: false
         },
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ export default {
             type: Boolean,
             default: true
         },
+        selectOnFocus: {
+            type: Boolean,
+            default: false
+        },
         searchLocale: {
             type: String,
             default: undefined
@@ -193,7 +197,6 @@ export default {
     overlay: null,
     virtualScroller: null,
     searchTimeout: null,
-    selectOnFocus: false,
     focusOnHover: false,
     dirty: false,
     data() {
@@ -464,7 +467,7 @@ export default {
 
             this.$emit('dropdown-click', { originalEvent: event, query });
         },
-        onOptionSelect(event, option) {
+        onOptionSelect(event, option, isHide = true) {
             const value = this.getOptionValue(option);
 
             if (this.multiple) {
@@ -480,7 +483,7 @@ export default {
 
             this.$emit('item-select', { originalEvent: event, value: option });
 
-            this.hide(true);
+            isHide && this.hide(true);
         },
         onOptionMouseMove(event, index) {
             if (this.focusOnHover) {
@@ -788,7 +791,7 @@ export default {
                 this.scrollInView();
 
                 if (this.selectOnFocus || this.autoHighlight) {
-                    this.updateModel(event, this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[index]));
+                    this.onOptionSelect(event, this.visibleOptions[index], false);
                 }
             }
         },
@@ -807,8 +810,7 @@ export default {
         autoUpdateModel() {
             if ((this.selectOnFocus || this.autoHighlight) && this.autoOptionFocus && !this.hasSelectedOption) {
                 this.focusedOptionIndex = this.findFirstFocusedOptionIndex();
-                const value = this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex]);
-                this.updateModel(null, this.multiple ? [value] : value);
+                this.onOptionSelect(null, this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex], false);
             }
         },
         updateModel(event, value) {
diff --git a/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.d.ts b/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.d.ts
index 0219e76ca..9c6649f32 100644
--- a/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.d.ts
+++ b/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.d.ts
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ export interface CascadeSelectProps {
      * Default value is true.
      */
     autoOptionFocus?: boolean | undefined;
+    /**
+     * When enabled, the focused option is selected/opened.
+     * Default value is false.
+     */
+    selectOnFocus?: boolean | undefined;
     /**
      * Locale to use in searching. The default locale is the host environment's current locale.
      */
diff --git a/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.vue b/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.vue
index a05ca63ef..9fcbd7978 100644
--- a/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.vue
+++ b/src/components/cascadeselect/CascadeSelect.vue
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ export default {
             type: Boolean,
             default: true
         },
+        selectOnFocus: {
+            type: Boolean,
+            default: false
+        },
         searchLocale: {
             type: String,
             default: undefined
@@ -122,7 +126,6 @@ export default {
     overlay: null,
     searchTimeout: null,
     searchValue: null,
-    selectOnFocus: false,
     focusOnHover: false,
     data() {
         return {
@@ -141,6 +144,8 @@ export default {
     },
     mounted() {
         this.id = this.$attrs.id || this.id;
+
+        this.autoUpdateModel();
     },
     beforeUnmount() {
         this.unbindOutsideClickListener();
@@ -185,7 +190,7 @@ export default {
         show(isFocus) {
             this.$emit('before-show');
             this.overlayVisible = true;
-            this.activeOptionPath = this.findOptionPathByValue(this.modelValue);
+            this.activeOptionPath = this.hasSelectedOption ? this.findOptionPathByValue(this.modelValue) : this.activeOptionPath;
 
             if (this.hasSelectedOption && ObjectUtils.isNotEmpty(this.activeOptionPath)) {
                 const processedOption = this.activeOptionPath[this.activeOptionPath.length - 1];
@@ -286,7 +291,10 @@ export default {
             }
         },
         onOptionChange(event) {
-            const { originalEvent, processedOption, isFocus } = event;
+            const { originalEvent, processedOption, isFocus, isHide } = event;
+
+            if (ObjectUtils.isEmpty(processedOption)) return;
+
             const { index, level, parentKey, children } = processedOption;
             const grouped = ObjectUtils.isNotEmpty(children);
 
@@ -296,15 +304,15 @@ export default {
             this.focusedOptionInfo = { index, level, parentKey };
             this.activeOptionPath = activeOptionPath;
 
-            grouped ? this.onOptionGroupSelect(originalEvent, processedOption) : this.onOptionSelect(originalEvent, processedOption);
+            grouped ? this.onOptionGroupSelect(originalEvent, processedOption) : this.onOptionSelect(originalEvent, processedOption, isHide);
             isFocus && this.$refs.focusInput.focus();
         },
-        onOptionSelect(event, processedOption) {
+        onOptionSelect(event, processedOption, isHide = true) {
             const value = this.getOptionValue(processedOption.option);
 
             this.activeOptionPath.forEach(p => p.selected = true);
             this.updateModel(event, value);
-            this.hide(true);
+            isHide && this.hide(true);
         },
         onOptionGroupSelect(event, processedOption) {
             this.dirty = true;
@@ -634,7 +642,7 @@ export default {
                 this.scrollInView();
 
                 if (this.selectOnFocus) {
-                    this.updateModel(event, this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[index]));
+                    this.onOptionChange({ originalEvent: event, processedOption: this.visibleOptions[index], isHide: false });
                 }
             }
         },
@@ -648,8 +656,9 @@ export default {
         autoUpdateModel() {
             if (this.selectOnFocus && this.autoOptionFocus && !this.hasSelectedOption) {
                 this.focusedOptionInfo.index = this.findFirstFocusedOptionIndex();
-                const value = this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionInfo.index]);
-                this.updateModel(null, value);
+                this.onOptionChange({ processedOption: this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionInfo.index], isHide: false });
+
+                !this.overlayVisible && (this.focusedOptionInfo = { index: -1, level: 0, parentKey: '' });
             }
         },
         updateModel(event, value) {
@@ -713,7 +722,7 @@ export default {
 
             if (this.hasSelectedOption) {
                 const activeOptionPath = this.findOptionPathByValue(this.modelValue);
-                const processedOption = activeOptionPath.length ? activeOptionPath[activeOptionPath.length - 1] : null;
+                const processedOption = ObjectUtils.isNotEmpty(activeOptionPath) ? activeOptionPath[activeOptionPath.length - 1] : null;
 
                 return processedOption ? this.getOptionLabel(processedOption.option) : label;
             }
diff --git a/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.d.ts b/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.d.ts
index adaf626b8..fb34f5bf3 100755
--- a/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.d.ts
+++ b/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.d.ts
@@ -178,6 +178,11 @@ export interface DropdownProps {
      * Default value is true.
      */
     autoOptionFocus?: boolean | undefined;
+    /**
+     * When enabled, the focused option is selected.
+     * Default value is false.
+     */
+    selectOnFocus?: boolean | undefined;
     /**
      * Text to be displayed in hidden accessible field when filtering returns any results. Defaults to value from PrimeVue locale configuration.
      * Default value is '{0} results are available'.
diff --git a/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.vue b/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.vue
index a0dd969b7..863b00f02 100755
--- a/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.vue
+++ b/src/components/dropdown/Dropdown.vue
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ export default {
             type: Boolean,
             default: true
         },
+        selectOnFocus: {
+            type: Boolean,
+            default: false
+        },
         filterMessage: {
             type: String,
             default: null
@@ -182,7 +186,6 @@ export default {
     searchTimeout: null,
     searchValue: null,
     isModelValueChanged: false,
-    selectOnFocus: false,
     focusOnHover: false,
     data() {
         return {
@@ -391,11 +394,11 @@ export default {
         onLastHiddenFocus() {
             this.$refs.firstHiddenFocusableElementOnOverlay.focus();
         },
-        onOptionSelect(event, option) {
+        onOptionSelect(event, option, isHide = true) {
             const value = this.getOptionValue(option);
 
             this.updateModel(event, value);
-            this.hide(true);
+            isHide && this.hide(true);
         },
         onOptionMouseMove(event, index) {
             if (this.focusOnHover) {
@@ -744,7 +747,7 @@ export default {
                 this.scrollInView();
 
                 if (this.selectOnFocus) {
-                    this.updateModel(event, this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[index]));
+                    this.onOptionSelect(event, this.visibleOptions[index], false);
                 }
             }
         },
@@ -763,8 +766,7 @@ export default {
         autoUpdateModel() {
             if (this.selectOnFocus && this.autoOptionFocus && !this.hasSelectedOption) {
                 this.focusedOptionIndex = this.findFirstFocusedOptionIndex();
-                const value = this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex]);
-                this.updateModel(null, value);
+                this.onOptionSelect(null, this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex], false);
             }
         },
         updateModel(event, value) {
diff --git a/src/components/listbox/Listbox.d.ts b/src/components/listbox/Listbox.d.ts
index 1721ab87b..76e60ec58 100755
--- a/src/components/listbox/Listbox.d.ts
+++ b/src/components/listbox/Listbox.d.ts
@@ -122,6 +122,11 @@ export interface ListboxProps {
      * Default value is true.
      */
     autoOptionFocus?: boolean | undefined;
+    /**
+     * When enabled, the focused option is selected.
+     * Default value is false.
+     */
+    selectOnFocus?: boolean | undefined;
     /**
      * Text to be displayed in hidden accessible field when filtering returns any results. Defaults to value from PrimeVue locale configuration.
      * Default value is '{0} results are available'.
diff --git a/src/components/listbox/Listbox.vue b/src/components/listbox/Listbox.vue
index d8eea3423..8460e59e0 100755
--- a/src/components/listbox/Listbox.vue
+++ b/src/components/listbox/Listbox.vue
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ export default {
             type: Boolean,
             default: true
         },
+        selectOnFocus: {
+            type: Boolean,
+            default: false
+        },
         filterMessage: {
             type: String,
             default: null
@@ -135,7 +139,6 @@ export default {
     startRangeIndex: -1,
     searchTimeout: null,
     searchValue: '',
-    selectOnFocus: false,
     focusOnHover: false,
     data() {
         return {
@@ -598,7 +601,7 @@ export default {
                 this.scrollInView();
 
                 if (this.selectOnFocus && !this.multiple) {
-                    this.updateModel(event, this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[index]));
+                    this.onOptionSelect(event, this.visibleOptions[index]);
                 }
             }
         },
@@ -613,10 +616,9 @@ export default {
             }
         },
         autoUpdateModel() {
-            if (this.selectOnFocus && this.autoOptionFocus && !this.hasSelectedOption) {
+            if (this.selectOnFocus && this.autoOptionFocus && !this.hasSelectedOption && !this.multiple) {
                 this.focusedOptionIndex = this.findFirstFocusedOptionIndex();
-                const value = this.getOptionValue(this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex]);
-                this.updateModel(null, this.multiple ? [value] : value);
+                this.onOptionSelect(null, this.visibleOptions[this.focusedOptionIndex]);
             }
         },
         updateModel(event, value) {
diff --git a/src/views/autocomplete/AutoCompleteDoc.vue b/src/views/autocomplete/AutoCompleteDoc.vue
index 4845a2300..6e9e8dae5 100755
--- a/src/views/autocomplete/AutoCompleteDoc.vue
+++ b/src/views/autocomplete/AutoCompleteDoc.vue
@@ -328,6 +328,12 @@ export default {
                         <td>true</td>
                         <td>Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown.</td>
                     </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td>selectOnFocus</td>
+                        <td>boolean</td>
+                        <td>false</td>
+                        <td>When enabled, the focused option is selected.</td>
+                    </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td>searchLocale</td>
                         <td>string</td>
diff --git a/src/views/cascadeselect/CascadeSelectDoc.vue b/src/views/cascadeselect/CascadeSelectDoc.vue
index 6f30ea0a9..3bb67ee11 100644
--- a/src/views/cascadeselect/CascadeSelectDoc.vue
+++ b/src/views/cascadeselect/CascadeSelectDoc.vue
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ data() &#123;
                         <td>true</td>
                         <td>Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown.</td>
                     </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td>selectOnFocus</td>
+                        <td>boolean</td>
+                        <td>false</td>
+                        <td>When enabled, the focused option is selected/opened.</td>
+                    </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td>searchLocale</td>
                         <td>string</td>
diff --git a/src/views/dropdown/DropdownDoc.vue b/src/views/dropdown/DropdownDoc.vue
index 424b0ff88..c03ec8bc6 100755
--- a/src/views/dropdown/DropdownDoc.vue
+++ b/src/views/dropdown/DropdownDoc.vue
@@ -324,6 +324,12 @@ export default {
                         <td>true</td>
                         <td>Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element when the overlay panel is shown.</td>
                     </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td>selectOnFocus</td>
+                        <td>boolean</td>
+                        <td>false</td>
+                        <td>When enabled, the focused option is selected.</td>
+                    </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td>filterMessage</td>
                         <td>string</td>
diff --git a/src/views/listbox/ListboxDoc.vue b/src/views/listbox/ListboxDoc.vue
index dbeaaef25..328c8242c 100755
--- a/src/views/listbox/ListboxDoc.vue
+++ b/src/views/listbox/ListboxDoc.vue
@@ -249,6 +249,12 @@ export default {
                         <td>true</td>
                         <td>Whether to focus on the first visible or selected element.</td>
                     </tr>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td>selectOnFocus</td>
+                        <td>boolean</td>
+                        <td>false</td>
+                        <td>When enabled, the focused option is selected.</td>
+                    </tr>
                     <tr>
                         <td>filterMessage</td>
                         <td>string</td>