diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.spec.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.spec.ts
index ba4e8bfda8b..b219e8f24d4 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Component, ViewChild, TemplateRef, ChangeDetectionStrategy, ElementRef } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, ViewChild, TemplateRef, ChangeDetectionStrategy, ElementRef, provideZonelessChangeDetection, inject, ChangeDetectorRef } from '@angular/core';
 import { TestBed, fakeAsync, tick, waitForAsync } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {
@@ -1049,6 +1049,47 @@ describe('Carousel', () => {
     });
 });
 
+describe('Carousel Zoneless Tests:', () => {
+    let mockElement: any;
+    let mockElementRef: ElementRef;
+
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+        TestBed.resetTestingModule();
+        mockElement = document.createElement("div");
+        mockElementRef = new ElementRef(mockElement);
+        await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+            imports: [
+                NoopAnimationsModule,
+                CarouselDynamicSlidesWithNoActiveComponent,
+            ],
+            providers: [
+                { provide: ElementRef, useValue: mockElementRef },
+                IgxSlideComponent,
+                provideZonelessChangeDetection()
+            ]
+        }).compileComponents();
+    });
+
+    it('should activate and show the correct slide when the entire collection is replaced', async () => {
+        const fix = TestBed.createComponent(CarouselDynamicSlidesWithNoActiveComponent);
+        await wait(16);
+        fix.detectChanges();
+        await fix.whenStable();
+        const car: IgxCarouselComponent = fix.componentInstance.carousel;
+        HelperTestFunctions.verifyActiveSlide(car, 0);
+
+        // Replace the entire slide collection;
+        fix.componentInstance.changeSlides();
+        await wait(16);
+        fix.detectChanges();
+        await fix.whenStable();
+
+        expect(car.total).toEqual(3);
+        // the carousel should activate the first slide again
+        HelperTestFunctions.verifyActiveSlide(car, 0);
+    });
+});
+
 class HelperTestFunctions {
     public static NEXT_BUTTON_CLASS = '.igx-carousel__arrow--next';
     public static PRIV_BUTTON_CLASS = '.igx-carousel__arrow--prev';
@@ -1117,7 +1158,7 @@ class HelperTestFunctions {
         const carouselElement = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('igx-carousel'));
         const touchManager = carouselElement.injector.get(HammerGesturesManager);
         const hammerManager = touchManager.getManagerForElement(carouselElement.nativeElement);
-        (hammerManager as any).emit('tap', { target: activeSlide, srcEvent: { preventDefault: () => {} } });
+        (hammerManager as any).emit('tap', { target: activeSlide, srcEvent: { preventDefault: () => { } } });
     }
 
     public static simulatePan(fixture, carousel, deltaOffset, velocity, dir: 'horizontal' | 'vertical') {
@@ -1139,8 +1180,8 @@ class HelperTestFunctions {
             deltaY,
             duration: 100,
             velocity,
-            preventDefault: ( () => {  }),
-            srcEvent: { preventDefault: () => {} }
+            preventDefault: (() => { }),
+            srcEvent: { preventDefault: () => { } }
         };
 
         (hammerManager as any).emit(event, panOptions);
@@ -1298,3 +1339,42 @@ class CarouselDynamicSlidesComponent {
         );
     }
 }
+
+@Component({
+    template: `
+        <igx-carousel #carousel [loop]="loop" [animationType]="'none'">
+            @for (slide of slides; track slide) {
+                <igx-slide>
+                    <h3>{{slide.text}}</h3>
+                </igx-slide>
+            }
+        </igx-carousel>
+    `,
+    changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager,
+    imports: [IgxCarouselComponent, IgxSlideComponent]
+})
+class CarouselDynamicSlidesWithNoActiveComponent {
+    @ViewChild('carousel', { static: true }) public carousel: IgxCarouselComponent;
+
+    public loop = true;
+    public slides = [];
+    private cdr = inject(ChangeDetectorRef);
+
+    constructor() {
+        this.slides.push(
+            { text: 'Slide 1' },
+            { text: 'Slide 2' },
+            { text: 'Slide 3' },
+            { text: 'Slide 4' }
+        );
+    }
+
+    public changeSlides() {
+        this.slides = [
+            { text: 'New Slide 1' },
+            { text: 'New Slide 2' },
+            { text: 'New Slide 3' }
+        ];
+        this.cdr.markForCheck();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.ts
index d13cde0aae6..ad296e33c29 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/carousel/src/carousel/carousel.component.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { NgClass, NgTemplateOutlet } from '@angular/common';
 import { AfterContentInit, Component, ContentChild, ContentChildren, ElementRef, EventEmitter, HostBinding, HostListener, Input, IterableChangeRecord, IterableDiffer, IterableDiffers, OnDestroy, Output, QueryList, TemplateRef, ViewChild, ViewChildren, booleanAttribute, inject, ChangeDetectionStrategy } from '@angular/core';
 import { merge, Subject } from 'rxjs';
 import { takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
-import { CarouselResourceStringsEN, ICarouselResourceStrings, isLeftToRight} from 'igniteui-angular/core';
+import { CarouselResourceStringsEN, ICarouselResourceStrings, isLeftToRight } from 'igniteui-angular/core';
 import { first, IBaseEventArgs, last, PlatformUtil } from 'igniteui-angular/core';
 import { CarouselAnimationDirection, IgxCarouselComponentBase } from './carousel-base';
 import { IgxCarouselIndicatorDirective, IgxCarouselNextButtonDirective, IgxCarouselPrevButtonDirective } from './carousel.directives';
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ export class IgxCarouselComponent extends IgxCarouselComponentBase implements On
 
     /** @hidden */
     @HostBinding('class.igx-carousel--vertical')
-	public get isVertical(): boolean {
-		return this.vertical;
-	}
+    public get isVertical(): boolean {
+        return this.vertical;
+    }
 
     /**
      * Returns the class of the carousel component.
@@ -1071,7 +1071,9 @@ export class IgxCarouselComponent extends IgxCarouselComponentBase implements On
                 this.slideRemoved.emit({ carousel: this, slide });
                 if (slide.active) {
                     slide.active = false;
-                    this.currentItem = this.get(slide.index < this.total ? slide.index : this.total - 1);
+                    if (this.currentItem === slide) { // Only fall back if nothing better was found.
+                        this.currentItem = this.get(slide.index < this.total ? slide.index : this.total - 1);
+                    }
                 }
             });
 
@@ -1090,6 +1092,7 @@ export class IgxCarouselComponent extends IgxCarouselComponentBase implements On
                     this.slides.first.active = true;
                 }
                 this.play();
+                this.cdr.markForCheck();
             });
         }
     }