diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/views/kanban/kanban_renderer.js b/addons/web/static/src/views/kanban/kanban_renderer.js
index 88bfc3076f5..fc4b2c8f6e6 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/views/kanban/kanban_renderer.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/views/kanban/kanban_renderer.js
@@ -606,16 +606,19 @@ export class KanbanRenderer extends Component {
      */
     focusNextCard(area, direction) {
         const { isGrouped } = this.props.list;
+        const closestCard = document.activeElement.closest(".o_kanban_record");
+        if (!closestCard) {
+            return;
+        }
         const groups = isGrouped ? [...area.querySelectorAll(".o_kanban_group")] : [area];
         const cards = [...groups]
             .map((group) => [...group.querySelectorAll(".o_kanban_record")])
             .filter((group) => group.length);
 
-        // Search current card position
         let iGroup;
         let iCard;
         for (iGroup = 0; iGroup < cards.length; iGroup++) {
-            const i = cards[iGroup].indexOf(document.activeElement);
+            const i = cards[iGroup].indexOf(closestCard);
             if (i !== -1) {
                 iCard = i;
                 break;
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/views/kanban_view_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/views/kanban_view_tests.js
index 6e4e7d965dc..44bd827e7bd 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/views/kanban_view_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/views/kanban_view_tests.js
@@ -9755,6 +9755,31 @@ QUnit.module("Views", (hooks) => {
         assert.strictEqual(document.activeElement, getCard(0), "the first card should be focussed");
     });
 
+    QUnit.test("keyboard navigation on kanban basic rendering does not crash when the focus is inside a card", async (assert) => {
+        await makeView({
+            type: "kanban",
+            resModel: "partner",
+            serverData,
+            arch:
+                '<kanban><templates><t t-name="kanban-box">' +
+                "<div>" +
+                '<t t-esc="record.foo.value"/>' +
+                '<field name="foo"/>' +
+                '<a href="#" class="o-this-is-focussable">ho! this is focussable</a>' +
+                "</div>" +
+                "</t></templates></kanban>",
+        });
+
+        getCard(0).querySelector(".o-this-is-focussable").focus();
+        triggerHotkey("ArrowDown");
+
+        assert.strictEqual(
+            document.activeElement,
+            getCard(1),
+            "the second card should be focussed"
+        );
+    });
+
     QUnit.test("keyboard navigation on kanban grouped rendering", async (assert) => {
         await makeView({
             type: "kanban",