diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.css b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.css
index 117c5a6cb2a..583a1e2b5f7 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.css
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.css
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 	padding: 5px 6px;
 }
 
-/* Remove focus ring around the list */
+/* Remove list-level focus ring — individual rows show their own focus indicators */
 .monaco-select-box-dropdown-container > .select-box-dropdown-list-container .monaco-list:focus::before {
 	outline: 0 !important;
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.ts
index ec6ce9a51bb..ec1ac45cc05 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/selectBox/selectBoxCustom.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ class SelectListRenderer implements IListRenderer<ISelectOptionItem, ISelectList
 		// Separator option - show a CSS border instead of text characters
 		if (element.isSeparator) {
 			data.root.classList.add('option-separator');
+			data.root.classList.add('option-disabled');
 		} else {
 			data.root.classList.remove('option-separator');
 		}
@@ -738,6 +739,10 @@ export class SelectBoxList extends Disposable implements ISelectBoxDelegate, ILi
 			mouseSupport: false,
 			accessibilityProvider: {
 				getAriaLabel: element => {
+					if (element.isSeparator) {
+						return localize('selectBoxSeparator', "separator");
+					}
+
 					let label = element.text;
 					if (element.detail) {
 						label += `. ${element.detail}`;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugActionViewItems.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugActionViewItems.ts
index 4b74c19bf58..1028ec8992e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugActionViewItems.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugActionViewItems.ts
@@ -198,12 +198,14 @@ export class StartDebugActionViewItem extends BaseActionViewItem {
 		const inWorkspace = this.contextService.getWorkbenchState() === WorkbenchState.WORKSPACE;
 		let lastGroup: string | undefined;
 		const disabledIdxs: number[] = [];
+		const separatorIdxs: number[] = [];
 		manager.getAllConfigurations().forEach(({ launch, name, presentation }) => {
 			if (lastGroup !== presentation?.group) {
 				lastGroup = presentation?.group;
 				if (this.debugOptions.length) {
 					this.debugOptions.push({ label: SeparatorSelectOption.text, handler: () => Promise.resolve(false) });
 					disabledIdxs.push(this.debugOptions.length - 1);
+					separatorIdxs.push(this.debugOptions.length - 1);
 				}
 			}
 			if (name === manager.selectedConfiguration.name && launch === manager.selectedConfiguration.launch) {
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ export class StartDebugActionViewItem extends BaseActionViewItem {
 
 		this.debugOptions.push({ label: SeparatorSelectOption.text, handler: () => Promise.resolve(false) });
 		disabledIdxs.push(this.debugOptions.length - 1);
+		separatorIdxs.push(this.debugOptions.length - 1);
 
 		this.providers.forEach(p => {
 
@@ -268,7 +271,7 @@ export class StartDebugActionViewItem extends BaseActionViewItem {
 		this.selectBox.setOptions(this.debugOptions.map((data, index): ISelectOptionItem => ({
 			text: data.label,
 			isDisabled: disabledIdxs.indexOf(index) !== -1,
-			isSeparator: data.label === SeparatorSelectOption.text,
+			isSeparator: separatorIdxs.indexOf(index) !== -1,
 		})), this.selected);
 	}