diff --git a/.changeset/wise-mirrors-grab.md b/.changeset/wise-mirrors-grab.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f0964ebf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/wise-mirrors-grab.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@lion/ui': patch
+---
+
+make sure that voiceover + safari modals are accessible
diff --git a/packages/ui/components/overlays/src/OverlayController.js b/packages/ui/components/overlays/src/OverlayController.js
index fa834fc3e..c64e1baff 100644
--- a/packages/ui/components/overlays/src/OverlayController.js
+++ b/packages/ui/components/overlays/src/OverlayController.js
@@ -1121,6 +1121,15 @@ export class OverlayController extends EventTarget {
     if (this.manager) {
       this.manager.disableTrapsKeyboardFocusForAll();
     }
+
+    const isContentShadowHost = Boolean(this.contentNode.shadowRoot);
+    if (isContentShadowHost) {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+      console.warn(
+        '[overlays]: For best accessibility (compatibility with Safari + VoiceOver), provide a contentNode that is not a host for a shadow root',
+      );
+    }
+
     this._containFocusHandler = containFocus(this.contentNode);
     this.__hasActiveTrapsKeyboardFocus = true;
     if (this.manager) {
diff --git a/packages/ui/components/overlays/test/OverlayController.test.js b/packages/ui/components/overlays/test/OverlayController.test.js
index 7b8640843..025ce71f5 100644
--- a/packages/ui/components/overlays/test/OverlayController.test.js
+++ b/packages/ui/components/overlays/test/OverlayController.test.js
@@ -603,8 +603,8 @@ describe('OverlayController', () => {
         event.keyCode = keyCodes.tab;
         window.dispatchEvent(event);
 
-        expect(elOutside).to.not.equal(document.activeElement);
-        expect(input1).to.equal(document.activeElement);
+        expect(isActiveElement(elOutside)).to.be.false;
+        expect(isActiveElement(input1)).to.be.true;
       });
 
       it('allows to move the focus outside of the overlay if trapsKeyboardFocus is disabled', async () => {
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ describe('OverlayController', () => {
         input.focus();
         simulateTab();
 
-        expect(elOutside).to.equal(document.activeElement);
+        expect(isActiveElement(elOutside)).to.be.true;
       });
 
       it('keeps focus within overlay with multiple overlays with all traps on true', async () => {
@@ -648,6 +648,30 @@ describe('OverlayController', () => {
         expect(ctrl0.hasActiveTrapsKeyboardFocus).to.be.true;
         expect(ctrl1.hasActiveTrapsKeyboardFocus).to.be.false;
       });
+
+      it('warns when contentNode is a host for a shadowRoot', async () => {
+        const warnSpy = sinon.spy(console, 'warn');
+
+        const contentNode = /** @type {HTMLDivElement} */ (await fixture(html` <div></div> `));
+        contentNode.attachShadow({ mode: 'open' });
+        const shadowRootContentNode = /** @type {HTMLElement} */ (
+          await fixture(html` <div><input id="input1" /><input id="input2" /></div> `)
+        );
+        contentNode.shadowRoot?.appendChild(shadowRootContentNode);
+
+        const ctrl = new OverlayController({
+          ...withGlobalTestConfig(),
+          trapsKeyboardFocus: true,
+          contentNode,
+        });
+        await ctrl.show();
+
+        // @ts-expect-error
+        expect(console.warn.args[0][0]).to.equal(
+          '[overlays]: For best accessibility (compatibility with Safari + VoiceOver), provide a contentNode that is not a host for a shadow root',
+        );
+        warnSpy.restore();
+      });
     });
 
     describe('hidesOnEsc', () => {