diff --git a/packages/web/src/javascripts/Components/LinkedItems/ItemLinkAutocompleteInput.tsx b/packages/web/src/javascripts/Components/LinkedItems/ItemLinkAutocompleteInput.tsx
index ff7e3ac52..c582cf665 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/javascripts/Components/LinkedItems/ItemLinkAutocompleteInput.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/javascripts/Components/LinkedItems/ItemLinkAutocompleteInput.tsx
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ const ItemLinkAutocompleteInput = ({ linkingController, focusPreviousItem, focus
         break
       case KeyboardKey.Down:
         if (searchQuery.length > 0) {
+          event.preventDefault()
           searchResultsMenuRef.current?.focus()
         }
         break
diff --git a/packages/web/src/javascripts/Hooks/useListKeyboardNavigation.ts b/packages/web/src/javascripts/Hooks/useListKeyboardNavigation.ts
index ccf40f5f8..c112e7830 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/javascripts/Hooks/useListKeyboardNavigation.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/javascripts/Hooks/useListKeyboardNavigation.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,24 @@
 import { KeyboardKey } from '@standardnotes/ui-services'
 import { FOCUSABLE_BUT_NOT_TABBABLE } from '@/Constants/Constants'
-import { useCallback, useState, useEffect, RefObject } from 'react'
+import { useCallback, useEffect, RefObject, useRef } from 'react'
 
 export const useListKeyboardNavigation = (container: RefObject<HTMLElement | null>, initialFocus = 0) => {
-  const [listItems, setListItems] = useState<HTMLButtonElement[]>()
-  const [focusedItemIndex, setFocusedItemIndex] = useState<number>(initialFocus)
+  const listItems = useRef<HTMLButtonElement[]>([])
+  const focusedItemIndex = useRef<number>(initialFocus)
 
-  const focusItemWithIndex = useCallback(
-    (index: number, items?: HTMLButtonElement[]) => {
-      setFocusedItemIndex(index)
-      if (items && items.length > 0) {
-        items[index]?.focus()
-      } else {
-        listItems?.[index]?.focus()
-      }
-    },
-    [listItems],
-  )
+  const focusItemWithIndex = useCallback((index: number, items?: HTMLButtonElement[]) => {
+    focusedItemIndex.current = index
+    if (items && items.length > 0) {
+      items[index]?.focus()
+    } else {
+      listItems.current[index]?.focus()
+    }
+  }, [])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (container.current) {
       container.current.tabIndex = FOCUSABLE_BUT_NOT_TABBABLE
-      setListItems(Array.from(container.current.querySelectorAll('button')))
+      listItems.current = Array.from(container.current.querySelectorAll('button'))
     }
   }, [container])
 
@@ -33,47 +30,44 @@ export const useListKeyboardNavigation = (container: RefObject<HTMLElement | nul
         return
       }
 
-      if (!listItems?.length) {
-        setListItems(Array.from(container.current?.querySelectorAll('button') as NodeListOf<HTMLButtonElement>))
+      listItems.current = Array.from(container.current?.querySelectorAll('button') as NodeListOf<HTMLButtonElement>)
+
+      if (e.key === KeyboardKey.Up) {
+        let previousIndex = focusedItemIndex.current - 1
+        if (previousIndex < 0) {
+          previousIndex = listItems.current.length - 1
+        }
+        focusItemWithIndex(previousIndex)
       }
 
-      if (listItems) {
-        if (e.key === KeyboardKey.Up) {
-          let previousIndex = focusedItemIndex - 1
-          if (previousIndex < 0) {
-            previousIndex = listItems.length - 1
-          }
-          focusItemWithIndex(previousIndex)
-        }
-
-        if (e.key === KeyboardKey.Down) {
-          let nextIndex = focusedItemIndex + 1
-          if (nextIndex > listItems.length - 1) {
-            nextIndex = 0
-          }
-          focusItemWithIndex(nextIndex)
+      if (e.key === KeyboardKey.Down) {
+        let nextIndex = focusedItemIndex.current + 1
+        if (nextIndex > listItems.current.length - 1) {
+          nextIndex = 0
         }
+        focusItemWithIndex(nextIndex)
       }
     },
-    [container, focusItemWithIndex, focusedItemIndex, listItems],
+    [container, focusItemWithIndex],
   )
 
   const FIRST_ITEM_FOCUS_TIMEOUT = 20
 
   const containerFocusHandler = useCallback(() => {
-    let temporaryItems = listItems && listItems?.length > 0 ? listItems : []
-    if (!temporaryItems.length) {
-      temporaryItems = Array.from(container.current?.querySelectorAll('button') as NodeListOf<HTMLButtonElement>)
-      setListItems(temporaryItems)
+    const items = Array.from(container.current?.querySelectorAll('button') as NodeListOf<HTMLButtonElement>)
+    listItems.current = items
+
+    if (items.length < 1) {
+      return
     }
-    if (temporaryItems.length > 0) {
-      const selectedItemIndex = Array.from(temporaryItems).findIndex((item) => item.dataset.selected)
-      const indexToFocus = selectedItemIndex > -1 ? selectedItemIndex : initialFocus
-      setTimeout(() => {
-        focusItemWithIndex(indexToFocus, temporaryItems)
-      }, FIRST_ITEM_FOCUS_TIMEOUT)
-    }
-  }, [container, focusItemWithIndex, initialFocus, listItems])
+
+    const selectedItemIndex = Array.from(items).findIndex((item) => item.dataset.selected)
+    const indexToFocus = selectedItemIndex > -1 ? selectedItemIndex : initialFocus
+
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      focusItemWithIndex(indexToFocus, items)
+    }, FIRST_ITEM_FOCUS_TIMEOUT)
+  }, [container, focusItemWithIndex, initialFocus])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const containerElement = container.current