diff --git a/core/api.txt b/core/api.txt
index 76027636bb8..a10fdade340 100644
--- a/core/api.txt
+++ b/core/api.txt
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ ion-picker,css-prop,--min-width
 ion-picker,css-prop,--width
 
 ion-popover,shadow
-ion-popover,prop,alignment,"center" | "end" | "start",'center',false,false
+ion-popover,prop,alignment,"center" | "end" | "start",'start',false,false
 ion-popover,prop,animated,boolean,true,false,false
 ion-popover,prop,arrow,boolean,true,false,false
 ion-popover,prop,backdropDismiss,boolean,true,false,false
diff --git a/core/src/components/popover/popover.tsx b/core/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
index f52a676c4f0..b286814a1ca 100644
--- a/core/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
+++ b/core/src/components/popover/popover.tsx
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export class Popover implements ComponentInterface, OverlayInterface {
   /**
    * Describes how to align the popover content with the `reference` point.
    */
-  @Prop() alignment: PositionAlign = 'center';
+  @Prop() alignment: PositionAlign = 'start';
 
   /**
    * If `true`, the popover will display an arrow
@@ -437,7 +437,14 @@ export class Popover implements ComponentInterface, OverlayInterface {
         destroyDismissInteraction();
         this.destroyDismissInteraction = undefined;
       }
-      await detachComponent(this.delegate, this.usersElement);
+
+      /**
+       * If using popover inline
+       * we potentially need to use the coreDelegate
+       * so that this works in vanilla JS apps
+       */
+      const delegate = (this.inline) ? this.delegate || this.coreDelegate : this.delegate;
+      await detachComponent(delegate, this.usersElement);
     }
 
     this.currentTransition = undefined;
diff --git a/core/src/components/popover/readme.md b/core/src/components/popover/readme.md
index 63b2b189e50..27b0dd37b77 100644
--- a/core/src/components/popover/readme.md
+++ b/core/src/components/popover/readme.md
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
 
 | Property          | Attribute           | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Type                                                         | Default     |
 | ----------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- |
-| `alignment`       | `alignment`         | Describes how to align the popover content with the `reference` point.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | `"center" \| "end" \| "start"`                               | `'center'`  |
+| `alignment`       | `alignment`         | Describes how to align the popover content with the `reference` point.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | `"center" \| "end" \| "start"`                               | `'start'`   |
 | `animated`        | `animated`          | If `true`, the popover will animate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | `boolean`                                                    | `true`      |
 | `arrow`           | `arrow`             | If `true`, the popover will display an arrow that points at the `reference` when running in `ios` mode on mobile. Does not apply in `md` mode or on desktop.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | `boolean`                                                    | `true`      |
 | `backdropDismiss` | `backdrop-dismiss`  | If `true`, the popover will be dismissed when the backdrop is clicked.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | `boolean`                                                    | `true`      |