diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/__tests__/docsUtils.test.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/__tests__/docsUtils.test.tsx
index 11b836b758..ce381c5d0a 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/__tests__/docsUtils.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/__tests__/docsUtils.test.tsx
@@ -657,6 +657,35 @@ describe('useSidebarBreadcrumbs', () => {
       createUseSidebarBreadcrumbsMock(undefined, false)('/foo'),
     ).toBeNull();
   });
+
+  // Regression test for https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/issues/11612
+  it('returns the category that owns the URL, not a category with a link pointing to it', () => {
+    const categoryA: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
+      label: 'Category A',
+      href: '/category-a',
+      items: [
+        testLink({href: '/category-a/doc1', label: 'Doc 1'}),
+        testLink({href: '/category-a/doc2', label: 'Doc 2'}),
+        // This link points to Category B's generated-index
+        testLink({href: '/category-b', label: 'Go to Category B'}),
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const categoryB: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
+      label: 'Category B',
+      href: '/category-b',
+      items: [
+        testLink({href: '/category-b/item1', label: 'Item 1'}),
+        testLink({href: '/category-b/item2', label: 'Item 2'}),
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const sidebar: PropSidebar = [categoryA, categoryB];
+
+    expect(createUseSidebarBreadcrumbsMock(sidebar)('/category-b')).toEqual([
+      categoryB,
+    ]);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
@@ -782,21 +811,7 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
   });
 
   // Regression test for https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/issues/11612
-  // When a link in Category A points to a generated-index URL owned by
-  // Category B, useCurrentSidebarCategory should return Category B (the owner),
-  // not Category A (which merely has a link pointing to it).
   it('returns the category that owns the URL, not a category with a link pointing to it', () => {
-    // Category B is the actual owner of /category-b (its generated-index href)
-    const categoryB: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
-      label: 'Category B',
-      href: '/category-b',
-      items: [
-        testLink({href: '/category-b/item1', label: 'Item 1'}),
-        testLink({href: '/category-b/item2', label: 'Item 2'}),
-      ],
-    });
-
-    // Category A contains a link that points to Category B's URL
     const categoryA: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       label: 'Category A',
       href: '/category-a',
@@ -808,6 +823,15 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
       ],
     });
 
+    const categoryB: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
+      label: 'Category B',
+      href: '/category-b',
+      items: [
+        testLink({href: '/category-b/item1', label: 'Item 1'}),
+        testLink({href: '/category-b/item2', label: 'Item 2'}),
+      ],
+    });
+
     const sidebar: PropSidebar = [categoryA, categoryB];
 
     const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
index 1ff2f339ee..725eaee60f 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
@@ -234,27 +234,14 @@ function getSidebarBreadcrumbs({
 }): PropSidebarBreadcrumbsItem[] {
   const breadcrumbs: PropSidebarBreadcrumbsItem[] = [];
 
-  // When onlyCategories is true (e.g., for useCurrentSidebarCategory), we need
-  // to distinguish between:
-  // 1. A category that directly owns this URL (category.href === pathname)
-  // 2. A link that happens to point to this URL
-  //
-  // We should prefer (1) over (2) to fix the bug where a generated-index page
-  // shows items from the wrong category when another category has a link
-  // pointing to it. See https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/issues/11612
-  //
-  // We use a two-pass approach:
-  // - First pass: Only look for categories that directly own the URL
-  // - Second pass: If not found, look for links (to support doc pages)
-
-  function extractCategoryOnly(items: PropSidebarItem[]): boolean {
+  function extractCategory(items: PropSidebarItem[]): boolean {
     for (const item of items) {
       if (item.type === 'category') {
         if (isSamePath(item.href, pathname)) {
           breadcrumbs.unshift(item);
           return true;
         }
-        if (extractCategoryOnly(item.items)) {
+        if (extractCategory(item.items)) {
           breadcrumbs.unshift(item);
           return true;
         }
@@ -263,11 +250,11 @@ function getSidebarBreadcrumbs({
     return false;
   }
 
-  function extractWithLinks(items: PropSidebarItem[]): boolean {
+  function extract(items: PropSidebarItem[]): boolean {
     for (const item of items) {
       if (
         (item.type === 'category' &&
-          (isSamePath(item.href, pathname) || extractWithLinks(item.items))) ||
+          (isSamePath(item.href, pathname) || extract(item.items))) ||
         (item.type === 'link' && isSamePath(item.href, pathname))
       ) {
         const filtered = onlyCategories && item.type !== 'category';
@@ -280,16 +267,11 @@ function getSidebarBreadcrumbs({
     return false;
   }
 
-  if (onlyCategories) {
-    // First try to find a category that directly owns this URL
-    if (!extractCategoryOnly(sidebarItems)) {
-      // Fall back to finding via links (for doc pages in a category)
-      extractWithLinks(sidebarItems);
-    }
-  } else {
-    // For breadcrumbs, use the original behavior (links included)
-    extractWithLinks(sidebarItems);
-  }
+  // We use a two-pass approach:
+  // - First pass: Only look for categories that directly own the URL
+  // - Second pass: If not found, look for links (to support doc pages)
+  // See why here: https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/issues/11612
+  extractCategory(sidebarItems) || extract(sidebarItems);
 
   return breadcrumbs;
 }