diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/add_processor_button.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/add_processor_button.tsx
index 138299637e5e3..f21239d6a3d5a 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/add_processor_button.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/add_processor_button.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 
-import React, { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
+import React, { forwardRef } from 'react';
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import { EuiButtonEmpty, EuiButton } from '@elastic/eui';
 import { css } from '@emotion/react';
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const styles = {
   `,
 };
 
-export const AddProcessorButton: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
+export const AddProcessorButton = forwardRef<HTMLButtonElement, Props>((props, ref) => {
   const { onClick, renderButtonAsLink } = props;
   const {
     state: { editor },
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ export const AddProcessorButton: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
         iconSide="left"
         iconType="plusInCircle"
         onClick={onClick}
+        buttonRef={ref}
       >
         {addProcessorButtonLabel}
       </EuiButtonEmpty>
@@ -56,8 +57,9 @@ export const AddProcessorButton: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
       css={styles.button}
       disabled={editor.mode.id !== 'idle'}
       onClick={onClick}
+      buttonRef={ref}
     >
       {addProcessorButtonLabel}
     </EuiButton>
   );
-};
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/context_menu.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/context_menu.tsx
index 1166e40db3864..a25a23ca4f038 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/context_menu.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/context_menu.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 
-import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
-import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, forwardRef } from 'react';
 import { css } from '@emotion/react';
 
 import { EuiContextMenuItem, EuiContextMenuPanel, EuiPopover, EuiButtonIcon } from '@elastic/eui';
@@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ const getStyles = ({ hidden }: { hidden?: boolean }) => ({
     : undefined,
 });
 
-export const ContextMenu: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
+export const ContextMenu = forwardRef<HTMLButtonElement, Props>((props, ref) => {
   const { showAddOnFailure, onDuplicate, onAddOnFailure, onDelete, disabled, hidden } = props;
   const styles = getStyles({ hidden });
   const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState<boolean>(false);
@@ -85,6 +84,7 @@ export const ContextMenu: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
         closePopover={() => setIsOpen(false)}
         button={
           <EuiButtonIcon
+            buttonRef={ref}
             data-test-subj="button"
             disabled={disabled}
             onClick={() => setIsOpen((v) => !v)}
@@ -97,4 +97,4 @@ export const ContextMenu: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => {
       </EuiPopover>
     </div>
   );
-};
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/pipeline_processors_editor_item.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/pipeline_processors_editor_item.tsx
index b702b6e38ae78..28bb17a05a0d7 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/pipeline_processors_editor_item.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/pipeline_processors_editor_item/pipeline_processors_editor_item.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 
 import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
-import React, { memo, useCallback } from 'react';
+import React, { memo, useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
 import {
   EuiButtonIcon,
   EuiFlexGroup,
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ export const PipelineProcessorsEditorItem: FunctionComponent<Props> = memo(
     editor,
     processorsDispatch,
   }) {
+    const editButtonRef = useRef<HTMLAnchorElement>(null);
+    const contextMenuButtonRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
     const isEditorNotInIdleMode = editor.mode.id !== 'idle';
     const isInMoveMode = Boolean(movingProcessor);
     const isMovingThisProcessor = processor.id === movingProcessor?.id;
@@ -240,12 +242,13 @@ export const PipelineProcessorsEditorItem: FunctionComponent<Props> = memo(
               <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
                 <EuiText css={styles.processorText} color={isDimmed ? 'subdued' : undefined}>
                   <EuiLink
+                    ref={editButtonRef}
                     tabIndex={isEditorNotInIdleMode ? -1 : 0}
                     disabled={isEditorNotInIdleMode}
                     onClick={() => {
                       editor.setMode({
                         id: 'managingProcessor',
-                        arg: { processor, selector },
+                        arg: { processor, selector, buttonRef: editButtonRef },
                       });
                     }}
                     data-test-subj="manageItemButton"
@@ -275,12 +278,16 @@ export const PipelineProcessorsEditorItem: FunctionComponent<Props> = memo(
           </EuiFlexItem>
           <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
             <ContextMenu
+              ref={contextMenuButtonRef}
               data-test-subj="moreMenu"
               disabled={isEditorNotInIdleMode}
               hidden={isInMoveMode}
               showAddOnFailure={!processor.onFailure?.length}
               onAddOnFailure={() => {
-                editor.setMode({ id: 'creatingProcessor', arg: { selector } });
+                editor.setMode({
+                  id: 'creatingProcessor',
+                  arg: { selector, buttonRef: contextMenuButtonRef },
+                });
               }}
               onDelete={() => {
                 editor.setMode({ id: 'removingProcessor', arg: { selector } });
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/add_processor_form.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/add_processor_form.tsx
index 6394d87827b90..c2c96257fc2bc 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/add_processor_form.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/add_processor_form.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export interface Props {
   esDocsBasePath: string;
   closeFlyout: () => void;
   handleSubmit: (shouldCloseFlyout?: boolean) => Promise<void>;
+  buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement>;
 }
 
 const addButtonLabel = i18n.translate(
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ export const AddProcessorForm: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
   esDocsBasePath,
   closeFlyout,
   handleSubmit,
+  buttonRef,
 }) => {
   useEffect(
     () => {
@@ -87,6 +89,19 @@ export const AddProcessorForm: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
         onClose={closeFlyout}
         outsideClickCloses={!isFormDirty}
         aria-labelledby={pipelineTitleId}
+        focusTrapProps={{
+          returnFocus: (triggerElement) => {
+            if (buttonRef?.current) {
+              // Using setTimeout here to postpone focus until after the flyout has finished unmounting and cleaning up its focus traps.
+              // Without this, the focus gets applied too early and it's overridden by the browser's default focus behavior.
+              setTimeout(() => {
+                buttonRef.current?.focus();
+              }, 0);
+              return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+          },
+        }}
       >
         <EuiFlyoutHeader>
           <EuiFlexGroup gutterSize="xs">
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/edit_processor_form.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/edit_processor_form.tsx
index 51484975d63a8..37d350f2474e6 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/edit_processor_form.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/edit_processor_form.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export interface Props {
   resetProcessors: () => void;
   handleSubmit: (shouldCloseFlyout?: boolean) => Promise<void>;
   getProcessor: () => ProcessorInternal;
+  buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement>;
 }
 
 const updateButtonLabel = i18n.translate(
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ export const EditProcessorForm: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
   closeFlyout,
   handleSubmit,
   resetProcessors,
+  buttonRef,
 }) => {
   const { testPipelineData, testPipelineDataDispatch } = useTestPipelineContext();
   const {
@@ -168,6 +170,19 @@ export const EditProcessorForm: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
         }}
         outsideClickCloses={!isFormDirty}
         aria-labelledby={flyoutTitleId}
+        focusTrapProps={{
+          returnFocus: (triggerElement) => {
+            if (buttonRef?.current) {
+              // Using setTimeout here to postpone focus until after the flyout has finished unmounting and cleaning up its focus traps.
+              // Without this, the focus gets applied too early and it's overridden by the browser's default focus behavior.
+              setTimeout(() => {
+                buttonRef.current?.focus();
+              }, 0);
+              return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+          },
+        }}
       >
         <EuiFlyoutHeader>
           <EuiFlexGroup gutterSize="xs">
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/processor_form.container.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/processor_form.container.tsx
index d32ea6d222b8b..52ea87a6dce83 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/processor_form.container.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processor_form/processor_form.container.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ interface Props {
   onOpen: () => void;
   onClose: () => void;
   processor?: ProcessorInternal;
+  buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement>;
 }
 
 const formOptions: FormOptions = {
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ export const ProcessorFormContainer: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
   onFormUpdate,
   onSubmit,
   onClose,
+  buttonRef,
   ...rest
 }) => {
   const { services } = useKibana();
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ export const ProcessorFormContainer: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
         closeFlyout={onClose}
         resetProcessors={resetProcessors}
         handleSubmit={handleSubmit}
+        buttonRef={buttonRef}
       />
     );
   }
@@ -153,6 +156,7 @@ export const ProcessorFormContainer: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
       esDocsBasePath={services.documentation.getEsDocsBasePath()}
       closeFlyout={onClose}
       handleSubmit={handleSubmit}
+      buttonRef={buttonRef}
     />
   );
 };
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_empty_prompt.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_empty_prompt.tsx
index 9c88deed5de8a..8bd71c2d0c8b7 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_empty_prompt.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_empty_prompt.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 
-import React, { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
+import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
+import React, { useRef } from 'react';
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import { FormattedMessage } from '@kbn/i18n-react';
 import { EuiEmptyPrompt, EuiSpacer, EuiLink } from '@elastic/eui';
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@ export const ProcessorsEmptyPrompt: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onLoadJson })
   const { onTreeAction } = usePipelineProcessorsContext();
   const { services } = useKibana();
 
+  const buttonRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+
   return (
     <EuiEmptyPrompt
       title={<h2>{i18nTexts.emptyPromptTitle}</h2>}
@@ -55,8 +58,12 @@ export const ProcessorsEmptyPrompt: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onLoadJson })
       actions={
         <>
           <AddProcessorButton
+            ref={buttonRef}
             onClick={() => {
-              onTreeAction({ type: 'addProcessor', payload: { target: ['processors'] } });
+              onTreeAction({
+                type: 'addProcessor',
+                payload: { target: ['processors'], buttonRef },
+              });
             }}
           />
 
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/components/tree_node.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/components/tree_node.tsx
index b9f547b86494c..222813e08c118 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/components/tree_node.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/components/tree_node.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 
-import React, { FunctionComponent, useMemo, useCallback } from 'react';
+import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
+import React, { useMemo, useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
 import { i18n } from '@kbn/i18n';
 import { css } from '@emotion/react';
 import { EuiText, useEuiTheme } from '@elastic/eui';
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ export const TreeNode: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
 }) => {
   const stringSelector = useMemo(() => processorInfo.selector.join('.'), [processorInfo.selector]);
   const styles = useStyles({ level });
+  const buttonRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
+
   const handlers = useMemo((): Handlers => {
     return {
       onMove: () => {
@@ -83,12 +86,13 @@ export const TreeNode: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
           processors={processor.onFailure}
         />
         <AddProcessorButton
+          ref={buttonRef}
           data-test-subj={stringSelector}
           renderButtonAsLink
           onClick={() =>
             onAction({
               type: 'addProcessor',
-              payload: { target: processorInfo.selector.concat('onFailure') },
+              payload: { target: processorInfo.selector.concat('onFailure'), buttonRef },
             })
           }
         />
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/processors_tree.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/processors_tree.tsx
index cca2224163f40..fe7417b31aaf8 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/processors_tree.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/components/processors_tree/processors_tree.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ export type Action =
   | { type: 'move'; payload: { source: ProcessorSelector; destination: ProcessorSelector } }
   | { type: 'selectToMove'; payload: { info: ProcessorInfo } }
   | { type: 'cancelMove' }
-  | { type: 'addProcessor'; payload: { target: ProcessorSelector } };
+  | {
+      type: 'addProcessor';
+      payload: { target: ProcessorSelector; buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement> };
+    };
 
 export type OnActionHandler = (action: Action) => void;
 
@@ -58,6 +61,7 @@ const useStyles = () => {
 export const ProcessorsTree: FunctionComponent<Props> = memo((props) => {
   const { processors, baseSelector, onAction, movingProcessor } = props;
   const styles = useStyles();
+  const buttonRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement>(null);
   // These refs are created here so they can be shared with all
   // recursively rendered trees. Their values should come from react-virtualized
   // List component and WindowScroller component.
@@ -140,8 +144,9 @@ export const ProcessorsTree: FunctionComponent<Props> = memo((props) => {
           )}
           <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
             <AddProcessorButton
+              ref={buttonRef}
               onClick={() => {
-                onAction({ type: 'addProcessor', payload: { target: baseSelector } });
+                onAction({ type: 'addProcessor', payload: { target: baseSelector, buttonRef } });
               }}
               renderButtonAsLink
             />
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/context/processors_context.tsx b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/context/processors_context.tsx
index 2da59a371ec03..90bbac0a7e5e1 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/context/processors_context.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/context/processors_context.tsx
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ export const PipelineProcessorsContextProvider: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
     (action) => {
       switch (action.type) {
         case 'addProcessor':
-          setMode({ id: 'creatingProcessor', arg: { selector: action.payload.target } });
+          setMode({
+            id: 'creatingProcessor',
+            arg: { selector: action.payload.target, buttonRef: action.payload.buttonRef },
+          });
           break;
         case 'move':
           setMode({ id: 'idle' });
@@ -263,6 +266,7 @@ export const PipelineProcessorsContextProvider: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
         <ProcessorForm
           isOnFailure={isOnFailureSelector(mode.arg.selector)}
           processor={mode.id === 'managingProcessor' ? mode.arg.processor : undefined}
+          buttonRef={mode.arg.buttonRef}
           onOpen={onFlyoutOpen}
           onFormUpdate={onFormUpdate}
           onSubmit={onSubmit}
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/types.ts b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/types.ts
index d7c6a69a0dc04..43cde92664de2 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/types.ts
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/ingest_pipelines/public/application/components/pipeline_editor/types.ts
@@ -49,9 +49,22 @@ export type OnUpdateHandler = (arg: OnUpdateHandlerArg) => void;
  * which will be used to update the in-memory processors data structure.
  */
 export type EditorMode =
-  | { id: 'creatingProcessor'; arg: { selector: ProcessorSelector } }
+  | {
+      id: 'creatingProcessor';
+      arg: {
+        selector: ProcessorSelector;
+        buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement>;
+      };
+    }
   | { id: 'movingProcessor'; arg: ProcessorInfo }
-  | { id: 'managingProcessor'; arg: { processor: ProcessorInternal; selector: ProcessorSelector } }
+  | {
+      id: 'managingProcessor';
+      arg: {
+        processor: ProcessorInternal;
+        selector: ProcessorSelector;
+        buttonRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement>;
+      };
+    }
   | { id: 'removingProcessor'; arg: { selector: ProcessorSelector } }
   | { id: 'idle' };