diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/bottom-nav/bottom-nav.component.spec.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/bottom-nav/bottom-nav.component.spec.ts
index 1a65f4d3977..1cafe94ba32 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/bottom-nav/bottom-nav.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/bottom-nav/bottom-nav.component.spec.ts
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ describe('IgxBottomNav', () => {
         });
 
         describe('', () => {
-            it('should not navigate to an URL blocked by activate guard', fakeAsync(() => {
+            it('should allow tab selection for routing tabs regardless of router guard', fakeAsync(() => {
                 fixture = TestBed.createComponent(BottomNavRoutingGuardTestComponent);
                 fixture.detectChanges();
 
@@ -269,15 +269,18 @@ describe('IgxBottomNav', () => {
                 expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(true);
                 expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
 
+                // Even when router guard blocks navigation, tab should still be selected
                 fixture.ngZone.run(() => {
                     UIInteractions.simulateClickAndSelectEvent(headers[1]);
                 });
                 tick();
+                // Navigation blocked by guard, so URL stays the same
                 expect(location.path()).toBe('/view1');
                 fixture.detectChanges();
-                expect(bottomNav.selectedIndex).toBe(0);
-                expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(true);
-                expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
+                // But tab selection should still work
+                expect(bottomNav.selectedIndex).toBe(1);
+                expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(false);
+                expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(true);
             }));
         });
     });
@@ -388,7 +391,7 @@ describe('IgxBottomNav', () => {
                 indexChangingSpy = spyOn(bottomNav.selectedIndexChanging, 'emit');
             }));
 
-            it('Validate the events are not fired on clicking tab headers before pressing enter/space key.', fakeAsync(() => {
+            it('Validate the events are fired on clicking tab headers for routing tabs.', fakeAsync(() => {
                 fixture.ngZone.run(() => router.initialNavigation());
                 tick();
                 expect(location.path()).toBe('/');
@@ -398,21 +401,8 @@ describe('IgxBottomNav', () => {
                 });
                 tick();
                 expect(location.path()).toBe('/view2');
-                expect(bottomNav.selectedIndex).toBe(-1);
-
-                expect(indexChangingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-                expect(indexChangeSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-                expect(itemChangeSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-
-                headers[1].dispatchEvent(KEY_ENTER_EVENT);
-                tick(200);
-                fixture.detectChanges();
+                expect(bottomNav.selectedIndex).toBe(1);
 
-                expect(itemChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
-                    owner: bottomNav,
-                    oldItem: undefined,
-                    newItem: tabItems[1]
-                });
                 expect(indexChangingSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
                     owner: bottomNav,
                     cancel: false,
@@ -420,6 +410,11 @@ describe('IgxBottomNav', () => {
                     newIndex: 1
                 });
                 expect(indexChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+                expect(itemChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+                    owner: bottomNav,
+                    oldItem: undefined,
+                    newItem: tabItems[1]
+                });
             }));
         });
     });
diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.directive.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.directive.ts
index 772a5918609..965c00248b2 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.directive.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.directive.ts
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ export abstract class IgxTabHeaderDirective implements IgxTabHeaderBase {
     /** @hidden */
     @HostListener('click')
     public onClick() {
-        if (this.tab.panelComponent) {
-            this.tabs.selectTab(this.tab, true);
-        }
+        this.tabs.selectTab(this.tab, true);
     }
 
     /** @hidden */
diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tabs/tabs.component.spec.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tabs/tabs.component.spec.ts
index 6abb3ebd87a..a462004737f 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tabs/tabs.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/tabs/tabs/tabs.component.spec.ts
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ describe('IgxTabs', () => {
             expect(document.activeElement).toBe(headerElements[3]);
         }));
 
-        it('should not navigate to an URL blocked by activate guard', fakeAsync(() => {
+        it('should allow tab selection for routing tabs regardless of router guard', fakeAsync(() => {
             fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TabsRoutingGuardTestComponent);
             tabsComp = fixture.componentInstance.tabs;
             fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -729,15 +729,18 @@ describe('IgxTabs', () => {
             expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(true);
             expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
 
+            // Even when router guard blocks navigation, tab should still be selected
             fixture.ngZone.run(() => {
                 UIInteractions.simulateClickAndSelectEvent(headerElements[1]);
             });
             tick();
+            // Navigation blocked by guard, so URL stays the same
             expect(location.path()).toBe('/view1');
             fixture.detectChanges();
-            expect(tabsComp.selectedIndex).toBe(0);
-            expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(true);
-            expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
+            // But tab selection should still work
+            expect(tabsComp.selectedIndex).toBe(1);
+            expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(false);
+            expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(true);
         }));
 
         it('should set auto activation mode by default and change selectedIndex on arrow keys', fakeAsync(() => {
@@ -865,6 +868,36 @@ describe('IgxTabs', () => {
             fixture.detectChanges();
             expect(tabsComp.selectedIndicator.nativeElement.style.visibility).toBe('hidden');
         });
+
+        it('should allow tab selection by clicking on tabs without content', fakeAsync(() => {
+            // Initially tab 1 (index 1) is selected
+            expect(tabsComp.selectedIndex).toBe(1);
+            expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(true);
+            expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(false);
+            expect(tabItems[2].selected).toBe(false);
+
+            // Click on tab 0 (no content)
+            headerElements[0].dispatchEvent(new Event('click', { bubbles: true }));
+            tick(200);
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+
+            // Should now be selected
+            expect(tabsComp.selectedIndex).toBe(0);
+            expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(true);
+            expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
+            expect(tabItems[2].selected).toBe(false);
+
+            // Click on tab 2 (no content)
+            headerElements[2].dispatchEvent(new Event('click', { bubbles: true }));
+            tick(200);
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+
+            // Should now be selected
+            expect(tabsComp.selectedIndex).toBe(2);
+            expect(tabItems[2].selected).toBe(true);
+            expect(tabItems[0].selected).toBe(false);
+            expect(tabItems[1].selected).toBe(false);
+        }));
     });
 
     describe('Tabs-only Mode With Initial Selection Set on Tabs Component Tests', () => {
@@ -1059,7 +1092,7 @@ describe('IgxTabs', () => {
                 indexChangingSpy = spyOn(tabs.selectedIndexChanging, 'emit');
             }));
 
-            it('Validate the events are not fired on clicking tab headers before pressing enter/space key.', fakeAsync(() => {
+            it('Validate the events are fired on clicking tab headers for routing tabs.', fakeAsync(() => {
                 fixture.ngZone.run(() => router.initialNavigation());
                 tick();
                 expect(location.path()).toBe('/');
@@ -1069,15 +1102,7 @@ describe('IgxTabs', () => {
                 });
                 tick();
                 expect(location.path()).toBe('/view2');
-                expect(tabs.selectedIndex).toBe(-1);
-
-                expect(indexChangingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-                expect(indexChangeSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-                expect(itemChangeSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-
-                headers[1].dispatchEvent(KEY_ENTER_EVENT);
-                tick(200);
-                fixture.detectChanges();
+                expect(tabs.selectedIndex).toBe(1);
 
                 expect(indexChangingSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
                     owner: tabs,
diff --git a/src/app/tabs-showcase/tabs-showcase.sample.html b/src/app/tabs-showcase/tabs-showcase.sample.html
index f90f445539c..a66eda03f89 100644
--- a/src/app/tabs-showcase/tabs-showcase.sample.html
+++ b/src/app/tabs-showcase/tabs-showcase.sample.html
@@ -42,6 +42,35 @@
             }
         </igc-tabs>
     </div>
+
+    <div class="sample-wrapper">
+        <strong>Tabs without content (test for fix)</strong>
+        <p>These tabs have headers but no content - clicking should still allow selection</p>
+        <igx-tabs>
+            <igx-tab-item>
+                <igx-tab-header>
+                    <igx-icon igxTabHeaderIcon>info</igx-icon>
+                    <span igxTabHeaderLabel>View 1</span>
+                </igx-tab-header>
+                <!-- No igx-tab-content -->
+            </igx-tab-item>
+            <igx-tab-item [selected]="true">
+                <igx-tab-header>
+                    <igx-icon igxTabHeaderIcon>settings</igx-icon>
+                    <span igxTabHeaderLabel>View 2</span>
+                </igx-tab-header>
+                <!-- No igx-tab-content -->
+            </igx-tab-item>
+            <igx-tab-item>
+                <igx-tab-header>
+                    <igx-icon igxTabHeaderIcon>help</igx-icon>
+                    <span igxTabHeaderLabel>View 3</span>
+                </igx-tab-header>
+                <!-- No igx-tab-content -->
+            </igx-tab-item>
+        </igx-tabs>
+        <p><small>✅ After the fix, clicking any tab header should select it even without content</small></p>
+    </div>
 </div>
 
 <ng-template #customControlsTemplate>