diff --git a/src/sap.ui.core/src/sap/ui/core/delegate/ItemNavigation.js b/src/sap.ui.core/src/sap/ui/core/delegate/ItemNavigation.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/sap.ui.core/src/sap/ui/core/delegate/ItemNavigation.js
+++ b/src/sap.ui.core/src/sap/ui/core/delegate/ItemNavigation.js
@@ -577,6 +577,12 @@ sap.ui.define(['jquery.sap.global', 'sap/ui/base/EventProvider'],
 	ItemNavigation.prototype.setFocusedIndex = function(iIndex) {
 		var $Item;
 
+		if (this.aItemDomRefs.length < 0) {
+			// no items -> don't change TabIndex
+			this.iFocusedIndex = -1;
+			return this;
+		}
+
 		if (iIndex < 0) {
 			iIndex = 0;
 		}
[FIX] sap.ui.core.delegate.ItemNavigation: no items

if there are no Items in the ItemNavigation the tabIndex 0 must not be
removed from the root DOM-Ref

Change-Id: I2f<I>c1e<I>f<I>dd<I>d<I>a1aa<I>b<I>
BCP: <I>