diff --git a/.changeset/popular-cups-study.md b/.changeset/popular-cups-study.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d84efdfb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/popular-cups-study.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@qwik-ui/headless': patch
+---
+
+fix: select uses correct types and does not execute focus on server side
diff --git a/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-inline.tsx b/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-inline.tsx
index 84e6b725b..7370193bf 100644
--- a/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-inline.tsx
+++ b/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-inline.tsx
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ export const HSelectRoot: Component<SelectProps & InlineCompProps> = (
         // distinct value, or the display value is the same as the value
         const value = (givenItemValue !== null ? givenItemValue : displayValue) as string;
 
-        itemsMap.set(currItemIndex, { value, displayValue, disabled: isItemDisabled });
+        itemsMap.set(currItemIndex, {
+          value,
+          displayValue,
+          disabled: isItemDisabled,
+        });
 
         if (props.value && props.multiple) {
           throw new Error(
@@ -99,7 +103,9 @@ export const HSelectRoot: Component<SelectProps & InlineCompProps> = (
           valuePropIndex = currItemIndex;
         }
 
-        const isString = typeof child.props.children === 'string';
+        const isString =
+          typeof child.props.children === 'string' ||
+          typeof child.props.children === 'object';
 
         if (!isString) {
           throw new Error(
diff --git a/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-item.tsx b/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-item.tsx
index b880ae1f6..c88d02ee5 100644
--- a/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-item.tsx
+++ b/packages/kit-headless/src/components/select/select-item.tsx
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ export const HSelectItem = component$<SelectItemProps>((props) => {
     if (disabled) return;
 
     if (context.highlightedIndexSig.value === _index) {
-      itemRef.value?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      if (!isServer) {
+        itemRef.value?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
+      }
       return true;
     } else {
       return false;