diff --git a/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/__tests__/unit/LexicalTabNode.test.ts b/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/__tests__/unit/LexicalTabNode.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c63f0592cf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/__tests__/unit/LexicalTabNode.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ */
+
+import {registerRichText} from '@lexical/rich-text';
+import {
+  $createParagraphNode,
+  $getRoot,
+  $getSelection,
+  $isRangeSelection,
+  $isTabNode,
+  $isTextNode,
+  FORMAT_TEXT_COMMAND,
+  INSERT_TAB_COMMAND,
+} from 'lexical';
+import {initializeUnitTest, invariant} from 'lexical/src/__tests__/utils';
+import {describe, expect, test} from 'vitest';
+
+describe('LexicalTabNode tests', () => {
+  initializeUnitTest((testEnv) => {
+    test('INSERT_TAB_COMMAND applies selection format and style to TabNode', async () => {
+      const {editor} = testEnv;
+      registerRichText(editor);
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const paragraph = $createParagraphNode();
+        root.append(paragraph);
+        paragraph.select();
+      });
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const selection = $getSelection();
+        invariant($isRangeSelection(selection));
+        selection.insertText('ab');
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const textNode = root.getFirstDescendant();
+        invariant(textNode !== null && $isTextNode(textNode));
+        textNode.select(0, 2);
+      });
+
+      await editor.dispatchCommand(FORMAT_TEXT_COMMAND, 'bold');
+      await editor.dispatchCommand(INSERT_TAB_COMMAND, undefined);
+
+      await editor.read(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const nodes = root.getAllTextNodes();
+        const tabNode = nodes.find((n) => n.getType() === 'tab');
+        invariant(tabNode !== undefined && $isTabNode(tabNode));
+        expect(tabNode.getFormat()).toBe(1);
+      });
+    });
+
+    test('format preserved when typing between tabs inserted in bold text', async () => {
+      const {editor} = testEnv;
+      registerRichText(editor);
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const paragraph = $createParagraphNode();
+        root.append(paragraph);
+        paragraph.select();
+      });
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const selection = $getSelection();
+        invariant($isRangeSelection(selection));
+        selection.insertText('ab');
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const textNode = root.getFirstDescendant();
+        invariant(textNode !== null && $isTextNode(textNode));
+        textNode.select(0, 2);
+      });
+
+      await editor.dispatchCommand(FORMAT_TEXT_COMMAND, 'bold');
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const textNode = root.getFirstDescendant();
+        invariant(textNode !== null && $isTextNode(textNode));
+        textNode.select(1, 1);
+      });
+
+      await editor.dispatchCommand(INSERT_TAB_COMMAND, undefined);
+      await editor.dispatchCommand(INSERT_TAB_COMMAND, undefined);
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const tabNodes = root
+          .getAllTextNodes()
+          .filter((n) => n.getType() === 'tab');
+        expect(tabNodes.length).toBe(2);
+        tabNodes[1].selectStart();
+      });
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        const selection = $getSelection();
+        invariant($isRangeSelection(selection));
+        selection.insertText('x');
+      });
+
+      await editor.read(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+        const nodes = root.getAllTextNodes();
+        const xNode = nodes.find((n) => n.getTextContent() === 'x');
+        invariant(xNode !== undefined && $isTextNode(xNode));
+        expect(xNode.getFormat()).toBe(1);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/index.ts b/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/index.ts
index 3f270a26062..cc1e072bf58 100644
--- a/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/lexical-rich-text/src/index.ts
@@ -714,7 +714,13 @@ export function registerRichText(editor: LexicalEditor): () => void {
     editor.registerCommand(
       INSERT_TAB_COMMAND,
       () => {
-        $insertNodes([$createTabNode()]);
+        const tabNode = $createTabNode();
+        const selection = $getSelection();
+        if ($isRangeSelection(selection)) {
+          tabNode.setFormat(selection.format);
+          tabNode.setStyle(selection.style);
+        }
+        $insertNodes([tabNode]);
         return true;
       },
       COMMAND_PRIORITY_EDITOR,