diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/Category/index.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/Category/index.tsx
index 8890a8043d2b..06dad7c76a32 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/Category/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/DocSidebarItem/Category/index.tsx
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ function CollapseButton({
               {label: categoryLabel},
             )
       }
+      aria-expanded={!collapsed}
       type="button"
       className="clean-btn menu__caret"
       onClick={onClick}
@@ -193,7 +194,8 @@ export default function DocSidebarItemCategory({
                 }
           }
           aria-current={isCurrentPage ? 'page' : undefined}
-          aria-expanded={collapsible ? !collapsed : undefined}
+          role={collapsible && !href ? 'button' : undefined}
+          aria-expanded={collapsible && !href ? !collapsed : undefined}
           href={collapsible ? hrefWithSSRFallback ?? '#' : hrefWithSSRFallback}
           {...props}>
           {label}