diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/index.js
index 8ce9f492b44ce2..f79eaeb58ccebd 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/index.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import ListViewDropIndicator from './drop-indicator';
 import useListViewClientIds from './use-list-view-client-ids';
 import useListViewDropZone from './use-list-view-drop-zone';
 import { store as blockEditorStore } from '../../store';
+import { hasFocusWithin } from './utils';
 
 const noop = () => {};
 const expanded = ( state, action ) => {
@@ -65,7 +66,11 @@ function ListView(
 	},
 	ref
 ) {
-	const { clientIdsTree, draggedClientIds } = useListViewClientIds( blocks );
+	const {
+		clientIdsTree,
+		draggedClientIds,
+		selectedBlockParentIds,
+	} = useListViewClientIds( blocks );
 	const { selectBlock } = useDispatch( blockEditorStore );
 	const selectEditorBlock = useCallback(
 		( clientId ) => {
@@ -75,12 +80,12 @@ function ListView(
 		[ selectBlock, onSelect ]
 	);
 	const [ expandedState, setExpandedState ] = useReducer( expanded, {} );
-
 	const { ref: dropZoneRef, target: blockDropTarget } = useListViewDropZone();
 	const elementRef = useRef();
 	const treeGridRef = useMergeRefs( [ elementRef, dropZoneRef, ref ] );
-
 	const isMounted = useRef( false );
+	const hasFocus = hasFocusWithin( elementRef?.current );
+
 	useEffect( () => {
 		isMounted.current = true;
 	}, [] );
@@ -139,6 +144,26 @@ function ListView(
 		]
 	);
 
+	// If a selection is made outside the block list,
+	// for example, in the Block Editor,
+	// try to expand the block list tree.
+	useEffect( () => {
+		if (
+			! hasFocus &&
+			Array.isArray( selectedBlockParentIds ) &&
+			selectedBlockParentIds.length
+		) {
+			selectedBlockParentIds.forEach( ( clientId ) => {
+				if ( ! expandedState[ clientId ] ) {
+					setExpandedState( {
+						type: 'expand',
+						clientId,
+					} );
+				}
+			} );
+		}
+	}, [ hasFocus, selectedBlockParentIds ] );
+
 	return (
 		<AsyncModeProvider value={ true }>
 			<ListViewDropIndicator
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/use-list-view-client-ids.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/use-list-view-client-ids.js
index f6c79a722e8647..c09f5833def2ad 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/use-list-view-client-ids.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/use-list-view-client-ids.js
@@ -15,11 +15,18 @@ export default function useListViewClientIds( blocks ) {
 			const {
 				getDraggedBlockClientIds,
 				__unstableGetClientIdsTree,
+				getSelectedBlockClientIds,
+				getBlockParents,
 			} = select( blockEditorStore );
+			const selectedBlockClientIds = getSelectedBlockClientIds();
 
 			return {
 				draggedClientIds: getDraggedBlockClientIds(),
 				clientIdsTree: blocks ? blocks : __unstableGetClientIdsTree(),
+				selectedBlockParentIds: getBlockParents(
+					selectedBlockClientIds[ 0 ],
+					false
+				),
 			};
 		},
 		[ blocks ]
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/utils.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/utils.js
index 50bb561e42a8a6..b103eb4664314f 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/utils.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/list-view/utils.js
@@ -30,3 +30,14 @@ export const isClientIdSelected = ( clientId, selectedBlockClientIds ) =>
 	isArray( selectedBlockClientIds ) && selectedBlockClientIds.length
 		? selectedBlockClientIds.indexOf( clientId ) !== -1
 		: selectedBlockClientIds === clientId;
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the container contains the document active element.
+ *
+ * @param {HTMLElement} container An HTML element.
+ *
+ * @return {boolean} Whether the container contains the currently document active element.
+ */
+export const hasFocusWithin = ( container ) => {
+	return !! container?.contains( container?.ownerDocument?.activeElement );
+};