diff --git a/.changeset/serious-kings-decide.md b/.changeset/serious-kings-decide.md
index 5d16a1da34c..f34443e3057 100644
--- a/.changeset/serious-kings-decide.md
+++ b/.changeset/serious-kings-decide.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 enabled uncontrolled/un-controlled open behaviour for `DatePicker`
 
-- added `openOnClick` and `openOnKeyDown` props to `DatePicker`.
+- added `openOnClick` props to `DatePicker`.
+- when the triggering element (`DateInput`) is focused, arrow key down, will now open the DatePicker by default
 - revise the controlled behaviour of the `open` prop on `DatePickerOverlay`.
 - add examples for controlled and uncontrolled behaviour.
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePicker.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePicker.tsx
index 55c9c553003..37c2edf0e94 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePicker.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePicker.tsx
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ export interface DatePickerBaseProps {
   open?: boolean;
   /** When `open` is uncontrolled, set this to `true` to open on click */
   openOnClick?: boolean;
-  /** When `open` is uncontrolled, set this to `true` to open on arrow key down */
-  openOnKeyDown?: boolean;
   /**
    * Handler for when open state changes
    * @param newOpen - true when opened
@@ -128,22 +126,13 @@ export const DatePickerMain = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DatePickerProps<any>>(
 export const DatePicker = forwardRef(function DatePicker<
   TDate extends DateFrameworkType,
 >(props: DatePickerProps<TDate>, ref: React.Ref<HTMLDivElement>) {
-  const {
-    defaultOpen,
-    open,
-    openOnClick,
-    openOnKeyDown,
-    onOpen,
-    readOnly,
-    ...rest
-  } = props;
+  const { defaultOpen, open, openOnClick, onOpen, readOnly, ...rest } = props;
 
   return (
     <DatePickerOverlayProvider
       defaultOpen={defaultOpen}
       open={open}
       openOnClick={openOnClick}
-      openOnKeyDown={openOnKeyDown}
       onOpen={onOpen}
       readOnly={readOnly}
     >
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlay.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlay.tsx
index 548ab541ce0..860cfb2a387 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlay.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlay.tsx
@@ -60,15 +60,6 @@ export const DatePickerOverlay = forwardRef<
       role="dialog"
       aria-modal="true"
       ref={floatingRef}
-      focusManagerProps={
-        floatingUIResult?.context
-          ? {
-              returnFocus: false,
-              context: floatingUIResult.context,
-              initialFocus: 4,
-            }
-          : undefined
-      }
       {...(getFloatingProps
         ? getFloatingProps({
             ...a11yProps,
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlayProvider.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlayProvider.tsx
index 2d0b32a209a..dc378f176b1 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlayProvider.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerOverlayProvider.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   useContext,
   useMemo,
   useRef,
+  useState,
 } from "react";
 import { useKeyboard } from "./useKeyboard";
 
@@ -46,8 +47,10 @@ interface DatePickerOverlayHelpers {
   /**
    * Sets the open state of the overlay.
    * @param newOpen - The new value for the open state.
+   * @param event - Event which triggered the change of state.
+   * @param reason - Reason for the state change
    */
-  setOpen: (newOpen: boolean) => void;
+  setOpen: (newOpen: boolean, event?: Event, reason?: OpenChangeReason) => void;
   /**~
    * Register a callback for when onDismiss is called
    * @param onDismissCallback
@@ -88,10 +91,6 @@ interface DatePickerOverlayProviderProps {
    * When `open` is uncontrolled, set this to `true` to open on click
    */
   openOnClick?: boolean;
-  /**
-   * When `open` is uncontrolled, set this to `true` to open on arrow key down
-   */
-  openOnKeyDown?: boolean;
   /**
    * Handler for when open state changes
    * @param newOpen - true when opened
@@ -120,7 +119,6 @@ export const DatePickerOverlayProvider: React.FC<
 > = ({
   open: openProp,
   openOnClick,
-  openOnKeyDown = true,
   defaultOpen,
   onOpen,
   children,
@@ -133,18 +131,19 @@ export const DatePickerOverlayProvider: React.FC<
     name: "DatePicker",
     state: "openDatePickerOverlay",
   });
-  const triggeringElement = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
+  const [disableFocus, setDisableFocus] = useState<boolean>(true);
+  const triggeringElementRef = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
   const onDismissCallback = useRef<() => void>();
-
   const setOpen = useCallback(
     (newOpen: boolean, _event?: Event, reason?: OpenChangeReason) => {
       if (newOpen) {
         if (readOnly) {
           return;
         }
-        triggeringElement.current = document.activeElement as HTMLElement;
+        triggeringElementRef.current = document.activeElement as HTMLElement;
+        setDisableFocus(reason === "click"); // prevent the overlay taking focus on click
       } else if (!isOpenControlled) {
-        const trigger = triggeringElement.current as HTMLElement;
+        const trigger = triggeringElementRef.current as HTMLElement;
         if (trigger) {
           trigger.focus();
         }
@@ -153,9 +152,8 @@ export const DatePickerOverlayProvider: React.FC<
             trigger.setSelectionRange(0, trigger.value.length);
           }, 1);
         }
-        triggeringElement.current = null;
+        triggeringElementRef.current = null;
       }
-
       setOpenState(newOpen);
       onOpen?.(newOpen);
 
@@ -177,45 +175,44 @@ export const DatePickerOverlayProvider: React.FC<
   });
 
   const {
-    getFloatingProps: _getFloatingPropsCallback,
-    getReferenceProps: _getReferenceProps,
+    getFloatingProps: getFloatingPropsCallback,
+    getReferenceProps: getReferencePropsCallback,
   } = useInteractions(
     interactions
       ? interactions(floatingUIResult.context)
       : [
           useDismiss(floatingUIResult.context),
           useKeyboard(floatingUIResult.context, {
-            enabled: !!openOnKeyDown && !readOnly,
+            enabled: !readOnly,
           }),
           useClick(floatingUIResult.context, {
             enabled: !!openOnClick && !readOnly,
             toggle: false,
+            keyboardHandlers: false,
           }),
         ],
   );
 
-  const getFloatingPropsCallback = useMemo(
-    () => _getFloatingPropsCallback,
-    [_getFloatingPropsCallback],
-  );
-  const getReferenceProps = useMemo(
-    () => _getReferenceProps,
-    [_getReferenceProps],
-  );
-
   const getFloatingProps = useCallback(
     (userProps: React.HTMLProps<HTMLElement> | undefined) => {
       const { x, y, strategy, elements } = floatingUIResult;
+      const floatingProps = getFloatingPropsCallback(userProps);
       return {
         top: y ?? 0,
         left: x ?? 0,
         position: strategy,
         width: elements.floating?.offsetWidth,
         height: elements.floating?.offsetHeight,
-        ...getFloatingPropsCallback(userProps),
+        ...floatingProps,
+        focusManagerProps: {
+          disabled: disableFocus,
+          returnFocus: false,
+          context: floatingUIResult.context,
+          initialFocus: 4,
+        },
       };
     },
-    [getFloatingPropsCallback, floatingUIResult],
+    [getFloatingPropsCallback, floatingUIResult, disableFocus],
   );
   const setOnDismiss = useCallback((dismissCallback: () => void) => {
     onDismissCallback.current = dismissCallback;
@@ -232,11 +229,11 @@ export const DatePickerOverlayProvider: React.FC<
   const helpers: DatePickerOverlayHelpers = useMemo(
     () => ({
       getFloatingProps,
-      getReferenceProps,
+      getReferenceProps: getReferencePropsCallback,
       setOpen,
       setOnDismiss,
     }),
-    [getFloatingProps, getReferenceProps, setOpen],
+    [getFloatingProps, getReferencePropsCallback, setOpen],
   );
   const contextValue = useMemo(() => ({ state, helpers }), [state, helpers]);
 
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerRangeInput.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerRangeInput.tsx
index 4a72956979f..b40f328892b 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerRangeInput.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerRangeInput.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
 } from "@salt-ds/date-adapters";
 import { clsx } from "clsx";
 import {
+  type MouseEventHandler,
   type SyntheticEvent,
   forwardRef,
   useCallback,
@@ -150,9 +151,14 @@ export const DatePickerRangeInput = forwardRef(function DatePickerRangeInput<
     state: "dateValue",
   });
 
-  const handleCalendarButton = useCallback(() => {
-    setOpen(!open);
-  }, [open, setOpen]);
+  const handleCalendarButton: MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement> =
+    useCallback(
+      (event) => {
+        setOpen(!open);
+        event.stopPropagation();
+      },
+      [open, setOpen],
+    );
 
   const handleDateChange = useCallback(
     (
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSingleInput.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSingleInput.tsx
index a24cd68fd18..3fdf4326e37 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSingleInput.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSingleInput.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 import { CalendarIcon } from "@salt-ds/icons";
 import { clsx } from "clsx";
 import {
+  type MouseEventHandler,
   type SyntheticEvent,
   forwardRef,
   useCallback,
@@ -120,9 +121,14 @@ export const DatePickerSingleInput = forwardRef<
       state: "value",
     });
 
-    const handleCalendarButton = useCallback(() => {
-      setOpen(!open);
-    }, [open, setOpen]);
+    const handleCalendarButton: MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement> =
+      useCallback(
+        (event) => {
+          setOpen(!open);
+          event.stopPropagation();
+        },
+        [open, setOpen],
+      );
 
     const handleDateChange = useCallback(
       (
diff --git a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSinglePanel.tsx b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSinglePanel.tsx
index 6083f5d9bf1..6dabefbe80a 100644
--- a/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSinglePanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/src/date-picker/DatePickerSinglePanel.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import {
 import { Calendar, type SingleDateSelection } from "../calendar";
 import { useLocalization } from "../localization-provider";
 import { useDatePickerContext } from "./DatePickerContext";
+import { useDatePickerOverlay } from "./DatePickerOverlayProvider";
 import datePickerPanelCss from "./DatePickerPanel.css";
 
 /**
@@ -138,6 +139,9 @@ export const DatePickerSinglePanel = forwardRef(function DatePickerSinglePanel<
     helpers: { select },
   } = useDatePickerContext<TDate>({ selectionVariant: "single" });
 
+  const {
+    state: { initialFocusRef },
+  } = useDatePickerOverlay();
   const [hoveredDate, setHoveredDate] = useState<TDate | null>(null);
 
   const [uncontrolledDefaultVisibleMonth] = useState(() => {
@@ -217,7 +221,7 @@ export const DatePickerSinglePanel = forwardRef(function DatePickerSinglePanel<
           <Calendar selectionVariant="single" {...baseCalendarProps}>
             <CalendarNavigation {...CalendarNavigationProps} />
             <CalendarWeekHeader {...CalendarWeekHeaderProps} />
-            <CalendarGrid {...CalendarDataGridProps} />
+            <CalendarGrid ref={initialFocusRef} {...CalendarDataGridProps} />
           </Calendar>
         </FormFieldContext.Provider>
       </FlexLayout>
diff --git a/packages/lab/stories/date-picker/date-picker.stories.tsx b/packages/lab/stories/date-picker/date-picker.stories.tsx
index c9b10e2043a..0d0aa8e2ed2 100644
--- a/packages/lab/stories/date-picker/date-picker.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/lab/stories/date-picker/date-picker.stories.tsx
@@ -2695,11 +2695,10 @@ WithExperimentalTime.parameters = {
   },
 };
 
-export const UncontrolledOpen: StoryFn<
+export const UncontrolledSingleOpen: StoryFn<
   DatePickerSingleProps<DateFrameworkType>
 > = ({ selectionVariant, defaultSelectedDate, ...args }) => {
   const [openOnClick, setOpenOnClick] = useState(false);
-  const [openOnKeyDown, setOpenOnKeyDown] = useState(false);
   return (
     <StackLayout style={{ width: "400px" }}>
       <FlexLayout>
@@ -2712,28 +2711,52 @@ export const UncontrolledOpen: StoryFn<
         >
           Open On Click
         </ToggleButton>
+      </FlexLayout>
+      <DatePicker
+        selectionVariant={"single"}
+        openOnClick={openOnClick}
+        {...args}
+        defaultSelectedDate={defaultSelectedDate}
+      >
+        <DatePickerTrigger>
+          <DatePickerSingleInput />
+        </DatePickerTrigger>
+        <DatePickerOverlay>
+          <DatePickerSinglePanel />
+        </DatePickerOverlay>
+      </DatePicker>
+    </StackLayout>
+  );
+};
+
+export const UncontrolledRangeOpen: StoryFn<
+  DatePickerRangeProps<DateFrameworkType>
+> = ({ selectionVariant, defaultSelectedDate, ...args }) => {
+  const [openOnClick, setOpenOnClick] = useState(false);
+  return (
+    <StackLayout style={{ width: "400px" }}>
+      <FlexLayout>
         <ToggleButton
-          aria-label={"open on key down"}
-          value={openOnKeyDown ? "false" : "true"}
+          aria-label={"open on click"}
+          value={openOnClick ? "false" : "true"}
           onChange={(event) =>
-            setOpenOnKeyDown(event.currentTarget.value === "true")
+            setOpenOnClick(event.currentTarget.value === "true")
           }
         >
-          Open On Key Down
+          Open On Click
         </ToggleButton>
       </FlexLayout>
       <DatePicker
-        selectionVariant={"single"}
+        selectionVariant={"range"}
         openOnClick={openOnClick}
-        openOnKeyDown={openOnKeyDown}
         {...args}
         defaultSelectedDate={defaultSelectedDate}
       >
         <DatePickerTrigger>
-          <DatePickerSingleInput />
+          <DatePickerRangeInput />
         </DatePickerTrigger>
         <DatePickerOverlay>
-          <DatePickerSinglePanel />
+          <DatePickerRangePanel />
         </DatePickerOverlay>
       </DatePicker>
     </StackLayout>
@@ -2800,16 +2823,14 @@ export const ControlledOpen: StoryFn<
   return (
     <StackLayout style={{ width: "400px" }}>
       <FlexLayout>
-        <ToggleButton
+        <Button
           aria-label={"open picker"}
-          value={open ? "false" : "true"}
-          selected={open}
-          onChange={(event) => {
-            setOpen(event.currentTarget.value === "true");
+          onClick={() => {
+            setOpen(true);
           }}
         >
           Open
-        </ToggleButton>
+        </Button>
       </FlexLayout>
       <DatePicker
         selectionVariant={"single"}
diff --git a/site/docs/components/date-picker/examples.mdx b/site/docs/components/date-picker/examples.mdx
index 35ce418c458..8f22a181b3c 100644
--- a/site/docs/components/date-picker/examples.mdx
+++ b/site/docs/components/date-picker/examples.mdx
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ A `DatePicker` component with a border provides a visually distinct area for sel
 
 ## Uncontrolled open
 
-By default, the overlay's open state is uncontrolled and opens only when the calendar button is used. However, it can also be configured to open using the `openOnClick` and `openOnKeyDown`props.
+By default, the overlay's open state is uncontrolled and opens only when the calendar button or down arrow is used. However, it can also be configured to open using the `openOnClick` prop.
 
 </LivePreview>
 
diff --git a/site/src/examples/date-picker/ControlledOpen.tsx b/site/src/examples/date-picker/ControlledOpen.tsx
index 026876710c0..307543e050e 100644
--- a/site/src/examples/date-picker/ControlledOpen.tsx
+++ b/site/src/examples/date-picker/ControlledOpen.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import type { OpenChangeReason } from "@floating-ui/react";
 import {
+  Button,
   Divider,
   FlexItem,
   FlexLayout,
   StackLayout,
-  ToggleButton,
 } from "@salt-ds/core";
 import type { DateFrameworkType } from "@salt-ds/date-adapters";
 import {
@@ -84,16 +84,14 @@ export const ControlledOpen = (): ReactElement => {
   return (
     <StackLayout>
       <FlexLayout>
-        <ToggleButton
+        <Button
           aria-label={"open picker"}
-          value={open ? "false" : "true"}
-          selected={open}
-          onChange={(event) => {
-            setOpen(event.currentTarget.value === "true");
+          onChange={() => {
+            setOpen(true);
           }}
         >
           Open
-        </ToggleButton>
+        </Button>
       </FlexLayout>
       <DatePicker
         selectionVariant={"single"}
diff --git a/site/src/examples/date-picker/UncontrolledOpen.tsx b/site/src/examples/date-picker/UncontrolledOpen.tsx
index 77d3f492599..5dcc7ca9388 100644
--- a/site/src/examples/date-picker/UncontrolledOpen.tsx
+++ b/site/src/examples/date-picker/UncontrolledOpen.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import { type ReactElement, useState } from "react";
 
 export const UncontrolledOpen = (): ReactElement => {
   const [openOnClick, setOpenOnClick] = useState(false);
-  const [openOnKeyDown, setOpenOnKeyDown] = useState(false);
   return (
     <StackLayout>
       <FlexLayout>
@@ -23,21 +22,8 @@ export const UncontrolledOpen = (): ReactElement => {
         >
           Open On Click
         </ToggleButton>
-        <ToggleButton
-          aria-label={"open on key down"}
-          value={openOnKeyDown ? "false" : "true"}
-          onChange={(event) =>
-            setOpenOnKeyDown(event.currentTarget.value === "true")
-          }
-        >
-          Open On Key Down
-        </ToggleButton>
       </FlexLayout>
-      <DatePicker
-        selectionVariant={"single"}
-        openOnClick={openOnClick}
-        openOnKeyDown={openOnKeyDown}
-      >
+      <DatePicker selectionVariant={"single"} openOnClick={openOnClick}>
         <DatePickerTrigger>
           <DatePickerSingleInput />
         </DatePickerTrigger>