diff --git a/packages/paste-core/components/tabs/src/TabList.tsx b/packages/paste-core/components/tabs/src/TabList.tsx
index b1634fb812..78d606f552 100644
--- a/packages/paste-core/components/tabs/src/TabList.tsx
+++ b/packages/paste-core/components/tabs/src/TabList.tsx
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ const HorizontalTabList: React.FC<React.PropsWithChildren<{ variant?: Variants;
   };
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    if (ref.current) {
+    if (ref.current && scrollableRef.current) {
       scrollableRef.current?.addEventListener("scroll", handleScrollEvent);
       window.addEventListener("resize", handleScrollEvent);
       determineElementsOutOfBounds(scrollableRef.current, ref.current);