diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip-target.directive.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip-target.directive.ts
index 93faf786554..41a53e4e99b 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip-target.directive.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip-target.directive.ts
@@ -559,8 +559,6 @@ export class IgxTooltipTargetDirective extends IgxToggleActionDirective implemen
 
     /**
      * Used when a single tooltip is used for multiple targets.
-     * If the tooltip is shown for one target and the user interacts with another target,
-     * the tooltip is instantly hidden for the first target.
      */
     private _checkTooltipForMultipleTargets(): void {
         if (!this.target.tooltipTarget) {
@@ -573,8 +571,10 @@ export class IgxTooltipTargetDirective extends IgxToggleActionDirective implemen
                 this.target.tooltipTarget._removeCloseButtonFromTooltip();
             }
 
+            // If the tooltip is shown for one target and the user interacts with another target,
+            // the tooltip is instantly hidden for the first target.
             clearTimeout(this.target.timeoutId);
-            this.target.stopAnimations(true);
+            this.target.forceClose(this._mergedOverlaySettings);
 
             this.target.tooltipTarget = this;
             this._isForceClosed = true;
diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.spec.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.spec.ts
index 0f78506dfbd..e9f39d07c02 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.spec.ts
@@ -558,6 +558,31 @@ describe('IgxTooltip', () => {
             flush();
         }));
 
+        it('Should position relative to its target when having no close animation - #16288', fakeAsync(() => {
+            targetOne.positionSettings = targetTwo.positionSettings = {
+                openAnimation: undefined,
+                closeAnimation: undefined
+            };
+            fix.detectChanges();
+
+            hoverElement(buttonOne);
+            tick(targetOne.showDelay);
+
+            verifyTooltipVisibility(tooltipNativeElement, targetOne, true);
+            verifyTooltipPosition(tooltipNativeElement, buttonOne, true);
+
+            unhoverElement(buttonOne);
+
+            hoverElement(buttonTwo);
+            tick(targetTwo.showDelay);
+
+            // Tooltip is visible and positioned relative to buttonTwo
+            verifyTooltipVisibility(tooltipNativeElement, targetTwo, true);
+            verifyTooltipPosition(tooltipNativeElement, buttonTwo);
+            // Tooltip is NOT visible and positioned relative to buttonOne
+            verifyTooltipPosition(tooltipNativeElement, buttonOne, false);
+        }));
+
         it('Hovering first target briefly and then hovering second target leads to tooltip showing for second target', fakeAsync(() => {
             targetOne.showDelay = 600;
             fix.detectChanges();
diff --git a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.ts b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.ts
index 92bef088822..60f47c4d759 100644
--- a/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.ts
+++ b/projects/igniteui-angular/src/lib/directives/tooltip/tooltip.directive.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
     OnDestroy, inject, DOCUMENT, HostListener,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import { IgxOverlayService } from '../../services/overlay/overlay';
+import { OverlaySettings } from '../../services/overlay/utilities';
 import { IgxNavigationService } from '../../core/navigation';
 import { IgxToggleDirective } from '../toggle/toggle.directive';
 import { IgxTooltipTargetDirective } from './tooltip-target.directive';
@@ -165,29 +166,44 @@ export class IgxTooltipDirective extends IgxToggleDirective implements OnDestroy
 
     /**
      * If there is an animation in progress, this method will reset it to its initial state.
-     * Optional `force` parameter that ends the animation.
+     * Allows hovering over the tooltip while an open/close animation is running.
+     * Stops the animation and immediately shows the tooltip.
      *
      * @hidden
-     * @param force if set to `true`, the animation will be ended.
      */
-    public stopAnimations(force: boolean = false): void {
+    public stopAnimations(): void {
         const info = this.overlayService.getOverlayById(this._overlayId);
 
         if (!info) return;
 
         if (info.openAnimationPlayer) {
             info.openAnimationPlayer.reset();
-            if (force) {
-                info.openAnimationPlayer.finish();
-                info.openAnimationPlayer = null;
-            }
         }
         if (info.closeAnimationPlayer) {
             info.closeAnimationPlayer.reset();
-            if (force) {
-                info.closeAnimationPlayer.finish();
-                info.closeAnimationPlayer = null;
-            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * If there is a close animation in progress, this method will end it.
+     * If there is no close animation in progress, this method will close the tooltip with no animation.
+     *
+     * @param overlaySettings settings to use for closing the tooltip
+     * @hidden
+     */
+    public forceClose(overlaySettings: OverlaySettings) {
+        const info = this.overlayService.getOverlayById(this._overlayId);
+        const hasCloseAnimation = info ? info.closeAnimationPlayer : false;
+
+        if (hasCloseAnimation) {
+            info.closeAnimationPlayer.finish();
+            info.closeAnimationPlayer.reset();
+            info.closeAnimationPlayer = null;
+        } else if (!this.collapsed) {
+            const animation = overlaySettings.positionStrategy.settings.closeAnimation;
+            overlaySettings.positionStrategy.settings.closeAnimation = null;
+            this.close();
+            overlaySettings.positionStrategy.settings.closeAnimation = animation;
         }
     }