diff --git a/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.test.ts b/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.test.ts
index be441da6f..7d3dd92bd 100644
--- a/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.test.ts
+++ b/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+import { userEvent } from 'vitest/browser';
 import { html } from 'lit';
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { createFixture, removeFixture } from '@internals/testing';
@@ -57,13 +58,13 @@ describe('StateActiveController', () => {
     element.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseup'));
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
 
-    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Space' }));
+    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Space' }));
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
 
     element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keyup'));
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
 
-    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Enter' }));
+    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Enter' }));
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
 
     element.dispatchEvent(new FocusEvent('blur'));
@@ -76,13 +77,13 @@ describe('StateActiveController', () => {
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
 
     element.disabled = false;
-    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'KeyA' }));
+    element.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'KeyA' }));
     expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  it('should prevent default space keypress scrolling on the host', () => {
-    const space = new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Space', cancelable: true });
-    const enter = new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Enter', cancelable: true });
+  it('should prevent default on space keydown activation', () => {
+    const space = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Space', cancelable: true });
+    const enter = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Enter', cancelable: true });
 
     element.dispatchEvent(space);
     element.dispatchEvent(enter);
@@ -91,6 +92,21 @@ describe('StateActiveController', () => {
     expect(enter.defaultPrevented).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it('should hold the active state for a real space or enter key', async () => {
+    element.tabIndex = 0;
+    element.focus();
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard('{Space>}');
+    expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
+    await userEvent.keyboard('{/Space}');
+    expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
+
+    await userEvent.keyboard('{Enter>}');
+    expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
+    await userEvent.keyboard('{/Enter}');
+    expect(element.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it('should remove active listeners on disconnect', () => {
     element.remove();
     element.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousedown'));
diff --git a/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.ts b/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.ts
index d14c89003..c7c428994 100644
--- a/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.ts
+++ b/projects/forms/src/internal/controllers/state-active.controller.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export class StateActiveController<T extends Active> implements ReactiveControll
 
   hostConnected() {
     attachInternals(this.host);
-    this.host.addEventListener('keypress', this.#onActive as EventListener);
+    this.host.addEventListener('keydown', this.#onActive as EventListener);
     this.host.addEventListener('mousedown', this.#onActive as EventListener);
     this.host.addEventListener('keyup', this.#onInactive);
     this.host.addEventListener('blur', this.#onInactive);
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export class StateActiveController<T extends Active> implements ReactiveControll
   }
 
   hostDisconnected() {
-    this.host.removeEventListener('keypress', this.#onActive as EventListener);
+    this.host.removeEventListener('keydown', this.#onActive as EventListener);
     this.host.removeEventListener('mousedown', this.#onActive as EventListener);
     this.host.removeEventListener('keyup', this.#onInactive);
     this.host.removeEventListener('blur', this.#onInactive);
diff --git a/projects/forms/src/mixins/button.test.ts b/projects/forms/src/mixins/button.test.ts
index 4b603def3..55fba41a6 100644
--- a/projects/forms/src/mixins/button.test.ts
+++ b/projects/forms/src/mixins/button.test.ts
@@ -91,24 +91,24 @@ describe('ButtonFormControlMixin', () => {
       button.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseup'));
       expect(button.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
 
-      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Space' }));
+      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Space' }));
       expect(button.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it('should clear active state on blur and ignore non-activation keys', () => {
-      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'KeyA' }));
+      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'KeyA' }));
       expect(button.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
 
-      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Enter' }));
+      button.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Enter' }));
       expect(button.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(true);
 
       button.dispatchEvent(new FocusEvent('blur'));
       expect(button.matches(':state(active)')).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('should prevent default on space keypress activation', () => {
-      const space = new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Space', cancelable: true });
-      const enter = new KeyboardEvent('keypress', { code: 'Enter', cancelable: true });
+    it('should prevent default on space keydown activation', () => {
+      const space = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Space', cancelable: true });
+      const enter = new KeyboardEvent('keydown', { code: 'Enter', cancelable: true });
 
       button.dispatchEvent(space);
       button.dispatchEvent(enter);