diff --git a/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8698.md b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8698.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e13e3f073dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/8698.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+**Bug fixes**
+
+- Fixed an issue with `EuiDataGrid` where navigating cells with simultaneous key presses would result in a crash in React 18 legacy mode
+
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/components/datagrid/utils/focus.ts b/packages/eui/src/components/datagrid/utils/focus.ts
index e20d4bfd9c9..b7bda5d13c1 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/components/datagrid/utils/focus.ts
+++ b/packages/eui/src/components/datagrid/utils/focus.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import {
   createContext,
   useCallback,
-  useEffect,
+  useLayoutEffect,
   useMemo,
   useRef,
   useState,
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export const useFocus = (): DataGridFocusContextShape & {
   );
 
   const previousCell = useRef<EuiDataGridFocusedCell | undefined>(undefined);
-  useEffect(() => {
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
     if (previousCell.current) {
       notifyCellOfFocusState(
         cellsUpdateFocus.current,