diff --git a/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.test.tsx b/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.test.tsx
index 4d6b38be6..6013794a7 100644
--- a/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { render, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { act, render, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react'
 import React, { Fragment, createElement, useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 import {
   ComboboxMode,
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import {
   ComboboxInput,
   ComboboxOption,
   ComboboxOptions,
+  type ComboboxHandle,
 } from './combobox'
 
 let NOOP = () => {}
@@ -5910,3 +5911,67 @@ describe('transitions', () => {
     })
   )
 })
+
+describe('Imperative API', () => {
+  it(
+    'should be possible to close the Combobox via ref.close()',
+    suppressConsoleLogs(async () => {
+      let closeHandler = jest.fn()
+      let comboboxRef: React.RefObject<ComboboxHandle | null> = { current: null }
+
+      render(
+        <Combobox ref={comboboxRef} onClose={closeHandler}>
+          <ComboboxInput />
+          <ComboboxButton>Toggle</ComboboxButton>
+          <ComboboxOptions>
+            <ComboboxOption value="alice">Alice</ComboboxOption>
+            <ComboboxOption value="bob">Bob</ComboboxOption>
+          </ComboboxOptions>
+        </Combobox>
+      )
+
+      // Open the combobox
+      await click(getComboboxButton())
+
+      // Verify it is open
+      assertComboboxList({ state: ComboboxState.Visible })
+
+      // Close via ref
+      expect(closeHandler).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
+      act(() => comboboxRef.current?.close())
+      expect(closeHandler).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+      // Verify it is closed
+      assertComboboxList({ state: ComboboxState.InvisibleUnmounted })
+    })
+  )
+
+  it(
+    'should call onClose when calling close() on an already closed Combobox',
+    suppressConsoleLogs(async () => {
+      let closeHandler = jest.fn()
+      let comboboxRef: React.RefObject<ComboboxHandle | null> = { current: null }
+
+      render(
+        <Combobox ref={comboboxRef} onClose={closeHandler}>
+          <ComboboxInput />
+          <ComboboxButton>Toggle</ComboboxButton>
+          <ComboboxOptions>
+            <ComboboxOption value="alice">Alice</ComboboxOption>
+          </ComboboxOptions>
+        </Combobox>
+      )
+
+      // Verify it is closed
+      assertComboboxList({ state: ComboboxState.InvisibleUnmounted })
+
+      // Try to close via ref - this calls onClose even if already closed
+      // (matching existing behavior in the machine)
+      act(() => comboboxRef.current?.close())
+      expect(closeHandler).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+      // Should still be closed
+      assertComboboxList({ state: ComboboxState.InvisibleUnmounted })
+    })
+  )
+})
diff --git a/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.tsx b/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.tsx
index eb8b52fb1..e444fadd9 100644
--- a/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.tsx
+++ b/packages/@headlessui-react/src/components/combobox/combobox.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import React, {
   createContext,
   useCallback,
   useContext,
+  useImperativeHandle,
   useMemo,
   useRef,
   useState,
@@ -95,6 +96,10 @@ import {
   useComboboxMachineContext,
 } from './combobox-machine-glue'
 
+export type ComboboxHandle = {
+  close: () => void
+}
+
 let ComboboxDataContext = createContext<{
   value: unknown
   defaultValue: unknown
@@ -319,6 +324,8 @@ function ComboboxFn<TValue, TTag extends ElementType = typeof DEFAULT_COMBOBOX_T
 
   let machine = useComboboxMachine({ id, virtual, __demoMode })
 
+  useImperativeHandle(ref, () => ({ close: () => machine.actions.closeCombobox() }), [machine])
+
   let optionsPropsRef = useRef<_Data['optionsPropsRef']['current']>({ static: false, hold: false })
 
   type TActualValue = true extends typeof multiple ? EnsureArray<TValue>[number] : TValue
@@ -431,7 +438,7 @@ function ComboboxFn<TValue, TTag extends ElementType = typeof DEFAULT_COMBOBOX_T
 
   let [labelledby, LabelProvider] = useLabels()
 
-  let ourProps = ref === null ? {} : { ref }
+  let ourProps = {}
 
   let reset = useCallback(() => {
     if (defaultValue === undefined) return
@@ -1617,7 +1624,7 @@ export interface _internal_ComponentCombobox extends HasDisplayName {
     TMultiple extends boolean | undefined = false,
     TTag extends ElementType = typeof DEFAULT_COMBOBOX_TAG,
   >(
-    props: ComboboxProps<TValue, TMultiple, TTag> & RefProp<typeof ComboboxFn>
+    props: ComboboxProps<TValue, TMultiple, TTag> & { ref?: Ref<ComboboxHandle> }
   ): React.JSX.Element
 }