diff --git a/packages/react/src/components/navigation/IonTabs.tsx b/packages/react/src/components/navigation/IonTabs.tsx
index 6de93bd6a8e..c23de222b5d 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/components/navigation/IonTabs.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/components/navigation/IonTabs.tsx
@@ -165,9 +165,6 @@ export const IonTabs = /*@__PURE__*/ (() =>
       if (outlet && hasTab) {
         throw new Error('IonTabs cannot contain an IonRouterOutlet and an IonTab at the same time');
       }
-      if (!tabBar) {
-        throw new Error('IonTabs needs a IonTabBar');
-      }
 
       if (hasTab) {
         return <IonTabsInner {...this.props}></IonTabsInner>;
@@ -223,11 +220,11 @@ export const IonTabs = /*@__PURE__*/ (() =>
             </PageManager>
           ) : (
             <div className={className ? `${className}` : 'ion-tabs'} {...props} style={hostStyles}>
-              {tabBar.props.slot === 'top' ? tabBar : null}
+              {tabBar?.props.slot === 'top' ? tabBar : null}
               <div style={tabsInner} className="tabs-inner">
                 {outlet}
               </div>
-              {tabBar.props.slot === 'bottom' ? tabBar : null}
+              {tabBar?.props.slot === 'bottom' ? tabBar : null}
             </div>
           )}
         </IonTabsContext.Provider>