diff --git a/docs/resources/changelog.md b/docs/resources/changelog.md
index fe23db7ab..e656977ac 100644
--- a/docs/resources/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/resources/changelog.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ This is a lot more intuitive and makes it easier to activate animations imperati
 - 🚨 BREAKING: removed `getCurrentTime()` and `setCurrentTime()` from `sl-animation` (use the `currentTime` property instead)
 - 🚨 BREAKING: removed `closeOnSelect` prop from `sl-dropdown` (use `stayOpenOnSelect` instead)
 - Added `currentTime` to `sl-animation` to control the current time without methods
+- Reworked tabbable logic to be more performant [#466](https://github.com/shoelace-style/shoelace/issues/466)
 
 ## 2.0.0-beta.45
 
diff --git a/src/components/dropdown/dropdown.ts b/src/components/dropdown/dropdown.ts
index 040909bf9..ce6497833 100644
--- a/src/components/dropdown/dropdown.ts
+++ b/src/components/dropdown/dropdown.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { emit } from '../../internal/event';
 import { watch } from '../../internal/watch';
 import { waitForEvent } from '../../internal/event';
 import { scrollIntoView } from '../../internal/scroll';
-import { getNearestTabbableElement } from '../../internal/tabbable';
+import { getTabbableBoundary } from '../../internal/tabbable';
 import { setDefaultAnimation, getAnimation } from '../../utilities/animation-registry';
 import type SlMenu from '../menu/menu';
 import type SlMenuItem from '../menu-item/menu-item';
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ export default class SlDropdown extends LitElement {
     if (this.trigger) {
       const slot = this.trigger.querySelector('slot') as HTMLSlotElement;
       const assignedElements = slot.assignedElements({ flatten: true }) as HTMLElement[];
-      const accessibleTrigger = assignedElements.map(getNearestTabbableElement)[0];
+      const accessibleTrigger = assignedElements.find(el => getTabbableBoundary(el).start);
 
       if (accessibleTrigger) {
         accessibleTrigger.setAttribute('aria-haspopup', 'true');
diff --git a/src/internal/modal.ts b/src/internal/modal.ts
index 67b71c689..843c32f47 100644
--- a/src/internal/modal.ts
+++ b/src/internal/modal.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { getTabbableElements } from '../internal/tabbable';
+import { getTabbableBoundary } from '../internal/tabbable';
 
 let activeModals: HTMLElement[] = [];
 
@@ -34,12 +34,11 @@ export default class Modal {
 
     // Trap focus so it doesn't go out of the modal's boundary
     if (this.isActive() && !path.includes(this.element)) {
-      const tabbableElements = getTabbableElements(this.element);
-      const index = this.tabDirection === 'backward' ? tabbableElements.length - 1 : 0;
-      const el = tabbableElements[index];
+      const { start, end } = getTabbableBoundary(this.element);
+      const target = this.tabDirection === 'forward' ? start : end;
 
-      if (typeof el?.focus === 'function') {
-        el.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      if (typeof target?.focus === 'function') {
+        target.focus({ preventScroll: true });
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/internal/tabbable.ts b/src/internal/tabbable.ts
index 5e4457c9b..a7372cf83 100644
--- a/src/internal/tabbable.ts
+++ b/src/internal/tabbable.ts
@@ -51,32 +51,31 @@ function isTabbable(el: HTMLElement) {
   return ['button', 'input', 'select', 'textarea', 'a', 'audio', 'video', 'summary'].includes(tag);
 }
 
-// Locates all tabbable elements within an element. If the target element is tabbable, it will be included in the
-// resulting array. This function will also look in open shadow roots.
-export function getTabbableElements(root: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot) {
-  const tabbableElements: HTMLElement[] = [];
+//
+// Returns the first and last bounding elements that are tabbable. This is more performant than checking every single
+// element because it short-circuits after finding the first and last ones.
+//
+export function getTabbableBoundary(root: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot) {
+  const allElements: HTMLElement[] = [];
 
-  if (root instanceof HTMLElement) {
-    // Is the root element tabbable?
-    if (isTabbable(root)) {
-      tabbableElements.push(root);
+  function walk(el: HTMLElement | ShadowRoot) {
+    if (el instanceof HTMLElement) {
+      allElements.push(el);
+
+      if (el.shadowRoot && el.shadowRoot.mode === 'open') {
+        walk(el.shadowRoot);
+      }
     }
 
-    // Look for tabbable elements in the shadow root
-    if (root.shadowRoot && root.shadowRoot.mode === 'open') {
-      getTabbableElements(root.shadowRoot).map(el => tabbableElements.push(el));
-    }
+    [...el.querySelectorAll('*')].map((e: HTMLElement) => walk(e));
   }
 
-  // Look for tabbable elements in children
-  [...root.querySelectorAll('*')].map((el: HTMLElement) => {
-    getTabbableElements(el).map(el => tabbableElements.push(el));
-  });
+  // Collect all elements including the root
+  walk(root);
 
-  return tabbableElements;
-}
+  // Find the first and last tabbable elements
+  const start = allElements.find(el => isTabbable(el)) || null;
+  const end = allElements.reverse().find(el => isTabbable(el)) || null;
 
-export function getNearestTabbableElement(el: HTMLElement): HTMLElement | null {
-  const tabbableElements = getTabbableElements(el);
-  return tabbableElements.length ? tabbableElements[0] : null;
+  return { start, end };
 }