diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
index ee0c5b254861..d457b02cd7bc 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   ViewEncapsulation,
   inject,
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
+  CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {ComponentFixture, TestBed, waitForAsync} from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
@@ -186,6 +187,21 @@ describe('FocusTrap', () => {
       expect(() => focusTrapInstance.focusFirstTabbableElement()).not.toThrow();
       expect(() => focusTrapInstance.focusLastTabbableElement()).not.toThrow();
     });
+
+    it('should find a tabbable element nested inside a child element shadow root', () => {
+      if (!_supportsShadowDom()) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(FocusTrapWithNestedShadowDomChild);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      const focusTrapInstance = fixture.componentInstance.focusTrapDirective.focusTrap;
+
+      const result = focusTrapInstance.focusFirstTabbableElement();
+
+      expect(getActiveElement()?.id).toBe('shadow-child-button');
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('with autoCapture', () => {
@@ -424,6 +440,38 @@ class FocusTrapWithSvg {
   @ViewChild(CdkTrapFocus) focusTrapDirective!: CdkTrapFocus;
 }
 
+if (
+  typeof customElements !== 'undefined' &&
+  !customElements.get('cdk-focus-trap-test-shadow-child')
+) {
+  customElements.define(
+    'cdk-focus-trap-test-shadow-child',
+    class extends HTMLElement {
+      connectedCallback() {
+        const root = this.attachShadow({mode: 'open'});
+        const button = document.createElement('button');
+        button.id = 'shadow-child-button';
+        button.textContent = 'Shadow button';
+        root.appendChild(button);
+      }
+    },
+  );
+}
+
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <div cdkTrapFocus>
+      <cdk-focus-trap-test-shadow-child></cdk-focus-trap-test-shadow-child>
+    </div>
+    `,
+  imports: [A11yModule, PortalModule],
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager,
+  schemas: [CUSTOM_ELEMENTS_SCHEMA],
+})
+class FocusTrapWithNestedShadowDomChild {
+  @ViewChild(CdkTrapFocus) focusTrapDirective!: CdkTrapFocus;
+}
+
 @Component({
   template: `
     <div cdkTrapFocus>
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.ts
index 18567653f3e6..b8ba1cdbc316 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.ts
@@ -279,13 +279,23 @@ export class FocusTrap {
     return this._hasAttached;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Gets the children to consider for a subtree, in shadow-including tree order: a root's
+   * shadow DOM content (if any) precedes its light DOM content.
+   */
+  private _getChildren(root: HTMLElement): Element[] {
+    return root.shadowRoot
+      ? [...root.shadowRoot.children, ...root.children]
+      : Array.from(root.children);
+  }
+
   /** Get the first tabbable element from a DOM subtree (inclusive). */
   private _getFirstTabbableElement(root: HTMLElement): HTMLElement | null {
     if (this._checker.isFocusable(root) && this._checker.isTabbable(root)) {
       return root;
     }
 
-    const children = root.children;
+    const children = this._getChildren(root);
 
     for (let i = 0; i < children.length; i++) {
       const tabbableChild =
@@ -308,7 +318,7 @@ export class FocusTrap {
     }
 
     // Iterate in reverse DOM order.
-    const children = root.children;
+    const children = this._getChildren(root);
 
     for (let i = children.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
       const tabbableChild =