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 00263ad5907d..5d8b30a0cc74 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
@@ -568,13 +568,28 @@ describe('useSidebarBreadcrumbs', () => {
 
   it('returns first level link', () => {
     const pathname = '/somePathName';
-    const sidebar = [testCategory(), testLink({href: pathname})];
+    const sidebar = [testCategory(), testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'})];
 
     expect(createUseSidebarBreadcrumbsMock(sidebar)(pathname)).toEqual([
       sidebar[1],
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('returns doc links only', () => {
+    const pathname = '/somePathName';
+
+    // A link that is not a doc link should not appear in the breadcrumbs
+    // See https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/pull/11616
+    const nonDocLink = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const docLink = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'});
+
+    const sidebar = [testCategory(), nonDocLink, docLink];
+
+    expect(createUseSidebarBreadcrumbsMock(sidebar)(pathname)).toEqual([
+      docLink,
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('returns nested category', () => {
     const pathname = '/somePathName';
 
@@ -613,7 +628,7 @@ describe('useSidebarBreadcrumbs', () => {
   it('returns nested link', () => {
     const pathname = '/somePathName';
 
-    const link = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const link = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'docNested'});
 
     const categoryLevel3 = testCategory({
       items: [testLink(), link, testLink()],
@@ -657,6 +672,35 @@ 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', () => {
@@ -708,12 +752,16 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
     expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/cat2')).toEqual(category2);
   });
 
-  it('works for category link item', () => {
-    const link = testLink({href: '/my/link/path'});
+  it('works for category doc link item', () => {
+    const pathname = '/my/link/path';
+    const nonDocLink = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const docLink = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'});
+
     const category: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat1',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), link, testCategory()],
+      items: [testLink(), testLink(), nonDocLink, docLink, testCategory()],
     });
+
     const sidebar: PropSidebar = [
       testLink(),
       testLink(),
@@ -724,18 +772,28 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
     const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
       createUseCurrentSidebarCategoryMock(sidebar);
 
-    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/my/link/path')).toEqual(category);
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory(pathname)).toEqual(category);
   });
 
   it('works for nested category link item', () => {
-    const link = testLink({href: '/my/link/path'});
+    const pathname = '/my/link/path';
+    const nonDocLink = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const docLink = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'});
+
     const category2: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat2',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), link, testCategory()],
+      items: [
+        testLink(),
+        testLink(),
+        testCategory({items: [nonDocLink]}),
+        nonDocLink,
+        docLink,
+        testCategory(),
+      ],
     });
     const category1: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat1',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), category2, testCategory()],
+      items: [testLink(), nonDocLink, testLink(), category2, testCategory()],
     });
     const sidebar: PropSidebar = [
       testLink(),
@@ -780,6 +838,38 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarCategory', () => {
       `"Unexpected: cant find current sidebar in context"`,
     );
   });
+
+  // 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];
+
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
+      createUseCurrentSidebarCategoryMock(sidebar);
+
+    // When visiting /category-b, we should get Category B (the owner),
+    // not Category A (which just has a link to it)
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/category-b')).toEqual(categoryB);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
@@ -805,10 +895,10 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
       testCategory(),
     ];
 
-    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings =
       createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock(sidebar);
 
-    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/cat')).toEqual(category.items);
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings('/cat')).toEqual(category.items);
   });
 
   it('works for sidebar root', () => {
@@ -823,10 +913,10 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
       testCategory(),
     ];
 
-    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings =
       createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock(sidebar);
 
-    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/rootLink')).toEqual(sidebar);
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings('/rootLink')).toEqual(sidebar);
   });
 
   it('works for nested sidebar category', () => {
@@ -852,10 +942,13 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
   });
 
   it('works for category link item', () => {
-    const link = testLink({href: '/my/link/path'});
+    const pathname = '/my/link/path';
+    const nonDocLink = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const docLink = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'});
+
     const category: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat1',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), link, testCategory()],
+      items: [testLink(), testLink(), nonDocLink, docLink, testCategory()],
     });
     const sidebar: PropSidebar = [
       testLink(),
@@ -864,23 +957,24 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
       testCategory(),
     ];
 
-    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings =
       createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock(sidebar);
 
-    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/my/link/path')).toEqual(
-      category.items,
-    );
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings(pathname)).toEqual(category.items);
   });
 
   it('works for nested category link item', () => {
-    const link = testLink({href: '/my/link/path'});
+    const pathname = '/my/link/path';
+    const nonDocLink = testLink({href: pathname});
+    const docLink = testLink({href: pathname, docId: 'doc1'});
+
     const category2: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat2',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), link, testCategory()],
+      items: [testLink(), testLink(), nonDocLink, testCategory()],
     });
     const category1: PropSidebarItemCategory = testCategory({
       href: '/cat1',
-      items: [testLink(), testLink(), category2, testCategory()],
+      items: [testLink(), testLink(), category2, docLink, testCategory()],
     });
     const sidebar: PropSidebar = [
       testLink(),
@@ -889,18 +983,16 @@ describe('useCurrentSidebarSiblings', () => {
       testCategory(),
     ];
 
-    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory =
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings =
       createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock(sidebar);
 
-    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/my/link/path')).toEqual(
-      category2.items,
-    );
+    expect(mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings(pathname)).toEqual(category1.items);
   });
 
   it('throws when sidebar is missing', () => {
-    const mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory = createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock();
+    const mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings = createUseCurrentSidebarSiblingsMock();
     expect(() =>
-      mockUseCurrentSidebarCategory('/cat'),
+      mockUseCurrentSidebarSiblings('/cat'),
     ).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(
       `"Unexpected: cant find current sidebar in context"`,
     );
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
index aa00df851034..474a58895ade 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/client/docsUtils.tsx
@@ -234,15 +234,22 @@ function getSidebarBreadcrumbs({
 }): PropSidebarBreadcrumbsItem[] {
   const breadcrumbs: PropSidebarBreadcrumbsItem[] = [];
 
-  function extract(items: PropSidebarItem[]) {
+  function extract(items: PropSidebarItem[]): boolean {
     for (const item of items) {
-      if (
-        (item.type === 'category' &&
-          (isSamePath(item.href, pathname) || extract(item.items))) ||
-        (item.type === 'link' && isSamePath(item.href, pathname))
+      // Extract category item
+      if (item.type === 'category') {
+        if (isSamePath(item.href, pathname) || extract(item.items)) {
+          breadcrumbs.unshift(item);
+          return true;
+        }
+      }
+      // Extract doc item
+      else if (
+        item.type === 'link' &&
+        item.docId &&
+        isSamePath(item.href, pathname)
       ) {
-        const filtered = onlyCategories && item.type !== 'category';
-        if (!filtered) {
+        if (!onlyCategories) {
           breadcrumbs.unshift(item);
         }
         return true;