diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/index.js
index de192050d05cb..4784e654994be 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import SettingsTab from './settings-tab';
 import StylesTab from './styles-tab';
 import InspectorControls from '../inspector-controls';
 import useIsListViewTabDisabled from './use-is-list-view-tab-disabled';
+import useLastSelectedInspectorControlTab from './use-last-selected-inspector-control-tab';
 
 export default function InspectorControlsTabs( {
 	blockName,
@@ -18,19 +19,25 @@ export default function InspectorControlsTabs( {
 	hasBlockStyles,
 	tabs,
 } ) {
+	const [ lastSelectedTab, setLastSelectedTab ] =
+		useLastSelectedInspectorControlTab( tabs );
+
 	// The tabs panel will mount before fills are rendered to the list view
 	// slot. This means the list view tab isn't initially included in the
 	// available tabs so the panel defaults selection to the settings tab
 	// which at the time is the first tab. This check allows blocks known to
 	// include the list view tab to set it as the tab selected by default.
-	const initialTabName = ! useIsListViewTabDisabled( blockName )
-		? TAB_LIST_VIEW.name
-		: undefined;
+	const hasListTab = ! useIsListViewTabDisabled( blockName );
+
+	const initialTabName =
+		lastSelectedTab ?? ( hasListTab ? TAB_LIST_VIEW.name : undefined );
+
 	return (
 		<TabPanel
 			className="block-editor-block-inspector__tabs"
 			tabs={ tabs }
 			initialTabName={ initialTabName }
+			onSelect={ setLastSelectedTab }
 			key={ clientId }
 		>
 			{ ( tab ) => {
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/use-last-selected-inspector-control-tab.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/use-last-selected-inspector-control-tab.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6733c00d2d090
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/inspector-controls-tabs/use-last-selected-inspector-control-tab.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/**
+ * WordPress dependencies
+ */
+import { useDispatch, useSelect } from '@wordpress/data';
+import { useCallback } from '@wordpress/element';
+
+/**
+ * Internal dependencies
+ */
+import { store as blockEditorStore } from '../../store';
+import { TAB_LIST_VIEW } from './utils';
+
+const SETTINGS_KEY = 'lastSelectedInspectorControlTab';
+
+export default function useLastSelectedInspectorControlTab( tabs ) {
+	const lastTab = useSelect( ( select ) => {
+		const settings = select( blockEditorStore ).getSettings();
+		return settings[ SETTINGS_KEY ];
+	} );
+
+	const { updateSettings } = useDispatch( blockEditorStore );
+
+	const setLastSelectedTab = useCallback(
+		( tabName ) => {
+			if ( TAB_LIST_VIEW.name === tabName ) {
+				return;
+			}
+			updateSettings( {
+				[ SETTINGS_KEY ]: tabName,
+			} );
+		},
+		[ updateSettings ]
+	);
+
+	const selectedBlockHasTab = !! tabs?.find(
+		( { name } ) => lastTab === name
+	);
+
+	return [ selectedBlockHasTab ? lastTab : undefined, setLastSelectedTab ];
+}