diff --git a/.changeset/healthy-zebras-cough.md b/.changeset/healthy-zebras-cough.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d39033460
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/healthy-zebras-cough.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@zag-js/popover": patch
+---
+
+Fix issue where popover does not restore focus when open state is changed programmatically
diff --git a/examples/next-ts/pages/popover-controlled.tsx b/examples/next-ts/pages/popover-controlled.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4754155f0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/next-ts/pages/popover-controlled.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { Fragment, useId, useState } from "react"
+import * as popover from "@zag-js/popover"
+import { useMachine, normalizeProps, Portal } from "@zag-js/react"
+
+export default function Page() {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
+
+  const initialContext = {
+    id: useId(),
+    open: false,
+    "open.controlled": true,
+  }
+
+  const [state, send] = useMachine(popover.machine(initialContext), {
+    context: {
+      ...initialContext,
+      onOpenChange: (details) => setOpen(details.open),
+      open: open,
+    },
+  })
+
+  const api = popover.connect(state, send, normalizeProps)
+
+  const Wrapper = api.portalled ? Portal : Fragment
+
+  return (
+    <main>
+      <button {...api.getTriggerProps()}>Click me</button>
+      <Wrapper>
+        <div {...api.getPositionerProps()}>
+          <div {...api.getContentProps()}>
+            <div {...api.getTitleProps()}>Presenters</div>
+            <div {...api.getDescriptionProps()}>Description</div>
+            <button onClick={() => setOpen(false)}>Action Button</button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </Wrapper>
+    </main>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.connect.ts b/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.connect.ts
index c4087e1cf8..84a95e2e5d 100644
--- a/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.connect.ts
+++ b/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.connect.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export function connect<T extends PropTypes>(state: State, send: Send, normalize
         "aria-label": "close",
         onClick(event) {
           if (event.defaultPrevented) return
-          send({ type: "CLOSE", restoreFocus: true })
+          send("CLOSE")
         },
       })
     },
diff --git a/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.machine.ts b/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.machine.ts
index ab0ebd55d8..94ff1014c1 100644
--- a/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.machine.ts
+++ b/packages/machines/popover/src/popover.machine.ts
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ export function machine(userContext: UserDefinedContext) {
         },
         setFinalFocus(ctx, evt) {
           const restoreFocus = evt.restoreFocus ?? evt.previousEvent?.restoreFocus
-          if (!restoreFocus) return
+          if (restoreFocus != null && !restoreFocus) return
           raf(() => {
             const element = dom.getTriggerEl(ctx)
             element?.focus({ preventScroll: true })