diff --git a/packages/router-core/src/new-process-route-tree.ts b/packages/router-core/src/new-process-route-tree.ts
index 2d3b41cc111..21b1eddc62b 100644
--- a/packages/router-core/src/new-process-route-tree.ts
+++ b/packages/router-core/src/new-process-route-tree.ts
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ function parseSegments<TRouteLike extends RouteLike>(
           nextNode = next
           next.parent = node
           next.depth = depth
+          next.isIndex = true
           node.wildcard ??= []
           node.wildcard.push(next)
         }
@@ -856,7 +857,6 @@ function getNodeMatch<T extends RouteLike>(
     },
   ]
 
-  let wildcardMatch: Frame | null = null
   let bestFuzzy: Frame | null = null
   let bestMatch: Frame | null = null
 
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ function getNodeMatch<T extends RouteLike>(
     let lowerPart: string
 
     // 5. Try wildcard match
-    if (node.wildcard && isFrameMoreSpecific(wildcardMatch, frame)) {
+    if (node.wildcard) {
       for (const segment of node.wildcard) {
         const { prefix, suffix } = segment
         if (prefix) {
@@ -905,15 +905,15 @@ function getNodeMatch<T extends RouteLike>(
           if (casePart !== suffix) continue
         }
         // the first wildcard match is the highest priority one
-        wildcardMatch = {
+        stack.push({
           node: segment,
-          index,
+          index: partsLength,
           skipped,
-          depth,
+          depth: depth + 1,
           statics,
           dynamics,
           optionals,
-        }
+        })
         break
       }
     }
@@ -1020,8 +1020,6 @@ function getNodeMatch<T extends RouteLike>(
 
   if (bestMatch) return bestMatch
 
-  if (wildcardMatch) return wildcardMatch
-
   if (fuzzy && bestFuzzy) {
     let sliceIndex = bestFuzzy.index
     for (let i = 0; i < bestFuzzy.index; i++) {
diff --git a/packages/router-core/tests/new-process-route-tree.test.ts b/packages/router-core/tests/new-process-route-tree.test.ts
index ced5ac1b8b0..ea1dc0db045 100644
--- a/packages/router-core/tests/new-process-route-tree.test.ts
+++ b/packages/router-core/tests/new-process-route-tree.test.ts
@@ -546,6 +546,23 @@ describe('findRouteMatch', () => {
       expect(res?.route.id).toBe('/a/b/$')
       expect(res?.params).toEqual({ _splat: 'foo', '*': 'foo' })
     })
+    describe('edge-case #5969: trailing empty wildcard should match', () => {
+      it('basic', () => {
+        const tree = makeTree(['/a/$'])
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a/', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/$')
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/$')
+      })
+      it('with layout route', () => {
+        const tree = makeTree(['/a', '/a/$'])
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a/', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/$')
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/$')
+      })
+      it('with index route (should not match)', () => {
+        const tree = makeTree(['/a/', '/a/$'])
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a/', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/')
+        expect(findRouteMatch('/a', tree)?.route.id).toBe('/a/')
+      })
+    })
   })
 
   describe('nested routes', () => {