diff --git a/change/@fluentui-react-973ad22b-82a2-4ee9-aa9c-42cf7b5b8ea4.json b/change/@fluentui-react-973ad22b-82a2-4ee9-aa9c-42cf7b5b8ea4.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..7a16172529311b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/change/@fluentui-react-973ad22b-82a2-4ee9-aa9c-42cf7b5b8ea4.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "type": "patch",
+  "comment": "fix: GroupedList sets correct focus attributes on List",
+  "packageName": "@fluentui/react",
+  "email": "sarah.higley@microsoft.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}
diff --git a/packages/react/src/components/GroupedList/GroupedList.base.tsx b/packages/react/src/components/GroupedList/GroupedList.base.tsx
index 1881357e02d592..1c7b85830e4010 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/components/GroupedList/GroupedList.base.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/components/GroupedList/GroupedList.base.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { initializeComponentRef, classNamesFunction, KeyCodes, getRTLSafeKeyCode, css } from '../../Utilities';
+import {
+  initializeComponentRef,
+  classNamesFunction,
+  FocusRects,
+  KeyCodes,
+  getRTLSafeKeyCode,
+  css,
+} from '../../Utilities';
 import { GroupedListSection } from './GroupedListSection';
 import { List, ScrollToMode } from '../../List';
 import { SelectionMode } from '../../Selection';
@@ -154,6 +161,7 @@ export class GroupedListBase extends React.Component<IGroupedListProps, IGrouped
         shouldEnterInnerZone={shouldEnterInnerZone}
         className={css(this._classNames.root, focusZoneProps.className)}
       >
+        <FocusRects />
         {!groups ? (
           this._renderGroup(undefined, 0)
         ) : (
@@ -168,6 +176,7 @@ export class GroupedListBase extends React.Component<IGroupedListProps, IGrouped
             usePageCache={usePageCache}
             onShouldVirtualize={onShouldVirtualize}
             version={version}
+            renderEarly={true}
             {...rootListProps}
           />
         )}