diff --git a/packages/select/src/common/listItemsProps.ts b/packages/select/src/common/listItemsProps.ts
index 8cb45d133c..43cf53b951 100644
--- a/packages/select/src/common/listItemsProps.ts
+++ b/packages/select/src/common/listItemsProps.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,16 @@ export interface IListItemsProps<T> extends IProps {
      */
     resetOnSelect?: boolean;
 
+    /**
+     * When `activeItem` is controlled, whether the active item should _always_
+     * be scrolled into view when the prop changes. If `false`, only changes
+     * that result from built-in interactions (clicking, querying, or using
+     * arrow keys) will scroll the active item into view. Ignored if the
+     * `activeItem` prop is omitted (uncontrolled behavior).
+     * @default true
+     */
+    scrollToActiveItem?: boolean;
+
     /**
      * Query string passed to `itemListPredicate` or `itemPredicate` to filter items.
      * This value is controlled: its state must be managed externally by attaching an `onChange`
diff --git a/packages/select/src/components/query-list/queryList.tsx b/packages/select/src/components/query-list/queryList.tsx
index 28618252a6..8be1e4506a 100644
--- a/packages/select/src/components/query-list/queryList.tsx
+++ b/packages/select/src/components/query-list/queryList.tsx
@@ -98,6 +98,13 @@ export class QueryList<T> extends React.Component<IQueryListProps<T>, IQueryList
      */
     private shouldCheckActiveItemInViewport = false;
 
+    /**
+     * The item that we expect to be the next selected active item (based on click
+     * or key interactions). When scrollToActiveItem = false, used to detect if
+     * an unexpected external change to the active item has been made.
+     */
+    private expectedNextActiveItem: T | null = null;
+
     public constructor(props: IQueryListProps<T>, context?: any) {
         super(props, context);
         const { query = "" } = this.props;
@@ -152,6 +159,14 @@ export class QueryList<T> extends React.Component<IQueryListProps<T>, IQueryList
     }
 
     public scrollActiveItemIntoView() {
+        const scrollToActiveItem = this.props.scrollToActiveItem !== false;
+        const externalChangeToActiveItem = this.expectedNextActiveItem !== this.props.activeItem;
+        this.expectedNextActiveItem = null;
+
+        if (!scrollToActiveItem && externalChangeToActiveItem) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         const activeElement = this.getActiveElement();
         if (this.itemsParentRef != null && activeElement != null) {
             const { offsetTop: activeTop, offsetHeight: activeHeight } = activeElement;
@@ -294,6 +309,7 @@ export class QueryList<T> extends React.Component<IQueryListProps<T>, IQueryList
     }
 
     private setActiveItem(activeItem: T | null) {
+        this.expectedNextActiveItem = activeItem;
         if (this.props.activeItem === undefined) {
             // indicate that the active item may need to be scrolled into view after update.
             this.shouldCheckActiveItemInViewport = true;