diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js b/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
index 30fdb76bdbe78..5780b2afe2a67 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/store/selectors.js
@@ -2926,6 +2926,7 @@ export const getBlockEditingMode = createRegistrySelector(
 			if ( clientId === null ) {
 				clientId = '';
 			}
+
 			// In zoom-out mode, override the behavior set by
 			// __unstableSetBlockEditingMode to only allow editing the top-level
 			// sections.
@@ -2943,9 +2944,13 @@ export const getBlockEditingMode = createRegistrySelector(
 					state,
 					sectionRootClientId
 				);
-				if ( ! sectionsClientIds?.includes( clientId ) ) {
-					return 'disabled';
+
+				// Sections are always contentOnly.
+				if ( sectionsClientIds?.includes( clientId ) ) {
+					return 'contentOnly';
 				}
+
+				return 'disabled';
 			}
 
 			const blockEditingMode = state.blockEditingModes.get( clientId );