DevExpress · dmlvr · Sep 2, 2026
@@ -997,10 +997,25 @@ export class ListBase extends CollectionWidget<ListBaseProperties, Item> {
     const isEmpty = super._renderEmptyMessage(rootNodes);
 
     this.setAria({ role: isEmpty ? undefined : 'application' }, this._focusTarget());
+    this._updateEmptyMessageTabStop();
 
     return isEmpty;
   }
 
+  _renderFocusTarget(): void {
+    super._renderFocusTarget();
+
+    this._updateEmptyMessageTabStop();
+  }
+
+  _updateEmptyMessageTabStop(): void {
+    const { tabIndex } = this.option();
+
+    if (isDefined(tabIndex)) {
+      this._focusTarget().attr('tabIndex', this._$noData ? 0 : tabIndex);
+    }
+  }
+
   _isMultiSelectMode(): boolean {
     const { selectionMode } = this.option();
     return selectionMode === 'multiple' || selectionMode === 'all';

@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ const POPUP_TITLE_CLASS = 'dx-popup-title';
 const POPUP_CONTENT_CLASS = 'dx-popup-content';
 
 const LIST_CLASS = 'dx-list';
+const EMPTY_MESSAGE_CLASS = 'dx-empty-message';
 const LIST_ITEM_CLASS = 'dx-list-item';
 const LIST_ITEM_SELECTED_CLASS = 'dx-list-item-selected';
 const LIST_GROUP_HEADER_CLASS = 'dx-list-group-header';
@@ -299,6 +300,33 @@ QUnit.module('Lookup', {
         assert.equal(loadCalledCount, 3, 'Loading dataSource count is OK');
     });
 
+    QUnit.test('noDataText should be reachable with the tab key if search returns no items (T1334729)', function(assert) {
+        const instance = $('#thirdLookup').dxLookup({
+            dataSource: [1, 2, 3],
+            searchTimeout: 0,
+            'dropDownOptions.animation': null,
+            opened: true
+        }).dxLookup('instance');
+
+        const getItemContainer = () => $(`.${LIST_CLASS} .${SCROLL_VIEW_CONTENT_CLASS}`).eq(0);
+
+        assert.strictEqual(getItemContainer().attr('tabindex'), '-1', 'list is not a tab stop while it has items');
+
+        instance._searchBox.option('value', '4');
+        this.clock.tick(0);
+
+        assert.strictEqual($(`.${LIST_CLASS} .${EMPTY_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).length, 1, 'no data message is rendered');
+        assert.strictEqual(getItemContainer().attr('tabindex'), '0',
+            'empty list is a tab stop, so screen readers announce its content on the tab key press');
+        assert.strictEqual(getItemContainer().text(), messageLocalization.format('dxCollectionWidget-noDataText'),
+            'the tab stop exposes noDataText to screen readers');
+
+        instance._searchBox.option('value', '1');
+        this.clock.tick(0);
+
+        assert.strictEqual(getItemContainer().attr('tabindex'), '-1', 'tab stop is removed once items are found');
+    });
+
     QUnit.test('onContentReady fire with lookup\'s option \'minSearchLength\' at first show (Q575560)', function(assert) {
         let count = 0;
         this.element
@@ -3776,7 +3804,8 @@ if(devices.real().deviceType === 'desktop') {
                 };
 
                 const listItemContainerAttributes = {
-                    tabindex: searchEnabled ? '-1' : '0',
+                    // NOTE: the widget has no items, so the empty message is a tab stop (T1334729)
+                    tabindex: '0',
                 };
 
                 let fieldAttributes = {
@@ -3820,7 +3849,8 @@ if(devices.real().deviceType === 'desktop') {
                 helper.widget.option('searchEnabled', newSearchEnabled);
 
                 listAttributes.id = helper.widget._listId;
-                listItemContainerAttributes.tabindex = newSearchEnabled ? '-1' : '0';
+                // NOTE: the widget still has no items, so the empty message stays a tab stop (T1334729)
+                listItemContainerAttributes.tabindex = '0';
 
                 fieldAttributes = {
                     role: 'combobox',
@@ -3933,15 +3963,16 @@ if(devices.real().deviceType === 'desktop') {
                 const $scrollView = $list.find(`.${SCROLL_VIEW_CONTENT_CLASS}`);
                 const $itemsContainer = $list.find(`.${LIST_ITEMS_CLASS}`);
 
-                helper.checkAttributes($scrollView, { tabindex: '-1' });
+                // NOTE: an empty list is a tab stop, so screen readers announce noDataText (T1334729)
+                helper.checkAttributes($scrollView, { tabindex: '0' });
                 helper.checkAttributes($itemsContainer, { });
 
                 helper.widget.option(dataSourcePropertyName, [1, 2, 3]);
                 helper.checkAttributes($scrollView, { tabindex: '-1', role: 'application' });
                 helper.checkAttributes($itemsContainer, { 'aria-label': 'Items', role: 'listbox' });
 
                 helper.widget.option(dataSourcePropertyName, []);
-                helper.checkAttributes($scrollView, { tabindex: '-1' });
+                helper.checkAttributes($scrollView, { tabindex: '0' });
                 helper.checkAttributes($itemsContainer, { });
             });
         });

@@ -5378,4 +5378,44 @@ QUnit.module('Accessibility', () => {
             assert.strictEqual(instance.$element().find(`.${SCROLLVIEW_CONTENT_CLASS}`).eq(0).attr('role'), 'application');
         });
     });
+
+    const getTabIndex = (instance) => instance.$element().find(`.${SCROLLVIEW_CONTENT_CLASS}`).eq(0).attr('tabindex');
+
+    [true, false].forEach(repaintChangesOnly => {
+        QUnit.test(`empty list should be a tab stop when dataSource is empty on init and repaintChangesOnly=${repaintChangesOnly} (T1334729)`, function(assert) {
+            const instance = $('#list').dxList({ dataSource: [], tabIndex: -1, repaintChangesOnly }).dxList('instance');
+
+            assert.strictEqual(getTabIndex(instance), '0',
+                'empty message is reachable with the tab key, so screen readers announce it');
+        });
+
+        QUnit.test(`list should keep the configured tabIndex when dataSource has items on init and repaintChangesOnly=${repaintChangesOnly} (T1334729)`, function(assert) {
+            const instance = $('#list').dxList({ dataSource: ['Item 1'], tabIndex: -1, repaintChangesOnly }).dxList('instance');
+
+            assert.strictEqual(getTabIndex(instance), '-1');
+        });
+
+        QUnit.test(`list should become a tab stop when dataSource is cleared at runtime and repaintChangesOnly=${repaintChangesOnly} (T1334729)`, function(assert) {
+            const instance = $('#list').dxList({ dataSource: ['Item 1'], tabIndex: -1, repaintChangesOnly }).dxList('instance');
+
+            instance.option('dataSource', []);
+
+            assert.strictEqual(getTabIndex(instance), '0');
+        });
+
+        QUnit.test(`configured tabIndex should be restored when dataSource is set at runtime and repaintChangesOnly=${repaintChangesOnly} (T1334729)`, function(assert) {
+            const instance = $('#list').dxList({ dataSource: [], tabIndex: -1, repaintChangesOnly }).dxList('instance');
+
+            instance.option('dataSource', ['Item 1']);
+
+            assert.strictEqual(getTabIndex(instance), '-1');
+        });
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('empty list should not become a tab stop if the list can not have focus (T1334729)', function(assert) {
+        const instance = $('#list').dxList({ dataSource: [], tabIndex: null }).dxList('instance');
+
+        assert.strictEqual(getTabIndex(instance), undefined,
+            'lists that must not receive focus, such as the SelectBox drop-down list, stay unfocusable');
+    });
 });