diff --git a/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/common/decorate.queries.ts b/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/common/decorate.queries.ts
index 8609839342..4465dff7da 100644
--- a/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/common/decorate.queries.ts
+++ b/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/common/decorate.queries.ts
@@ -26,10 +26,13 @@ const generateFinalQueries = (queries: {
   const scanKeys: string[] = [];
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(queries)) {
-    const query: Query & { ngMetadataName?: string } = queries[key];
-    final.push([key, query]);
+    const query: Query & { ngMetadataName?: string; isSignal?: boolean } = queries[key];
 
-    if (!query.isViewQuery && !isInternalKey(key)) {
+    if (!query.isSignal) {
+      final.push([key, query]);
+    }
+
+    if (!query.isViewQuery && !query.isSignal && !isInternalKey(key)) {
       scanKeys.push(key);
       final.push([`__ngMocksVcr_${key}`, cloneVcrQuery(query)]);
     }
diff --git a/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/mock-component/render/generate-template.ts b/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/mock-component/render/generate-template.ts
index da227d836e..eb1e2186f1 100644
--- a/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/mock-component/render/generate-template.ts
+++ b/libs/ng-mocks/src/lib/mock-component/render/generate-template.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Query, TemplateRef, ViewChild, ViewContainerRef } from '@angular/core';
 const viewChildArgs: any = { read: ViewContainerRef, static: false };
 
 const viewChildTemplate = (selector: string, key: string): string =>
-  `<div *ngIf="ngMocksRender_${key}_${selector}" data-${key}="${selector}"><ng-template #${key}_${selector}></ng-template></div>`;
+  `@if (ngMocksRender_${key}_${selector}) { <div data-${key}="${selector}"><ng-template #${key}_${selector}></ng-template></div> }`;
 
 const isTemplateRefQuery = (query: Query): boolean => {
   if (query.isViewQuery) {
@@ -27,10 +27,13 @@ export default (queries?: Record<keyof any, any>): string => {
   }
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(queries)) {
-    const query: Query = queries[key];
+    const query: Query & { isSignal?: boolean } = queries[key];
     if (!isTemplateRefQuery(query)) {
       continue;
     }
+    if (query.isSignal) {
+      continue;
+    }
     if (typeof query.selector === 'string') {
       const selector = query.selector.replace(new RegExp('\\W', 'mg'), '_');
       queries[`__mockView_key_${selector}`] = new ViewChild(`key_${selector}`, viewChildArgs);
diff --git a/tests-e2e/src/issue-8634/test.spec.ts b/tests-e2e/src/issue-8634/test.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f37c4da9eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-e2e/src/issue-8634/test.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import {
+  Component,
+  ElementRef,
+  Input,
+  contentChild,
+  input,
+  viewChild,
+} from '@angular/core';
+import { MockBuilder, MockRender } from 'ng-mocks';
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'app-nested',
+  standalone: true,
+  template: `<div #meow>Nested content</div>`,
+})
+class NestedComponent {
+  public readonly meowV = viewChild<ElementRef>('meow');
+  public readonly meowC = contentChild<ElementRef>('meow');
+
+  public readonly name = input.required<string>();
+}
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'app-target',
+  standalone: true,
+  imports: [NestedComponent],
+  template: `
+    <app-nested></app-nested>
+    <div>name: {{ name }}</div>
+  `,
+})
+class TargetComponent {
+  @Input() public readonly name: string = '';
+}
+
+describe('my sandbox', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => MockBuilder(TargetComponent));
+
+  it('should do something', () => {
+    const fixture = MockRender(TargetComponent, {
+      name: 'sandbox',
+    });
+    expect(fixture.nativeElement.innerHTML).toContain(
+      'name: sandbox',
+    );
+  });
+});