diff --git a/.changeset/menu-role-in-popover.md b/.changeset/menu-role-in-popover.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a845151cc84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/menu-role-in-popover.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+---
diff --git a/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu-root.tsx b/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu-root.tsx
index f8ac956d40c..36daf0cf5d8 100644
--- a/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu-root.tsx
+++ b/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu-root.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ function MenuInner(props: MenuProps) {
   const tree = useFloatingTree();
   const nodeId = useFloatingNodeId();
   const parentId = useFloatingParentNodeId();
-  const isNested = parentId != null;
+  // A submenu, not merely a menu inside some other floating element. A menu rendered in a popover
+  // has a parent node id too, and treating that as nesting makes it hover-open, side-placed, and
+  // unclickable by mouse.
+  const isNested = parentId != null && parentContext != null;
 
   const [open, setOpen] = useControllableState(props.open, props.defaultOpen ?? false, props.onOpenChange);
 
@@ -97,7 +100,17 @@ function MenuInner(props: MenuProps) {
     toggle: !isNested,
     ignoreMouse: isNested,
   });
-  const role = useRole(floatingContext, { role: 'menu' });
+  const baseRole = useRole(floatingContext, { role: 'menu' });
+  // `useRole` decides submenu-ness from the floating tree alone, so a menu inside a popover gets
+  // `role="menuitem"` on its trigger with no parent menu to be an item of. `isNested` is the real answer.
+  const role = useMemo(() => {
+    if (isNested) {
+      return baseRole;
+    }
+    const reference = { ...baseRole.reference };
+    delete reference.role;
+    return { ...baseRole, reference };
+  }, [baseRole, isNested]);
   const dismiss = useDismiss(floatingContext, { bubbles: true });
   const listNavigation = useListNavigation(floatingContext, {
     listRef: elementsRef,
diff --git a/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu.test.tsx b/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu.test.tsx
index dbc19745c69..324d9145d4f 100644
--- a/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/headless/src/primitives/menu/menu.test.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 import { axe } from '../../test-utils/axe';
+import { Popover } from '../popover';
 import { Menu } from './index';
 
 afterEach(() => cleanup());
@@ -559,6 +560,34 @@ describe('Menu', () => {
       expect(shareTrigger).toHaveAttribute('role', 'menuitem');
     });
 
+    it('leaves a trigger inside a popover as a plain button', async () => {
+      const user = userEvent.setup();
+      render(
+        <Popover.Root>
+          <Popover.Trigger>Account</Popover.Trigger>
+          <Popover.Positioner>
+            <Popover.Popup>
+              <Menu.Root>
+                <Menu.Trigger>Actions</Menu.Trigger>
+                <Menu.Positioner>
+                  <Menu.Popup>
+                    <Menu.Item label='Sign out'>Sign out</Menu.Item>
+                  </Menu.Popup>
+                </Menu.Positioner>
+              </Menu.Root>
+            </Popover.Popup>
+          </Popover.Positioner>
+        </Popover.Root>,
+      );
+
+      await user.click(screen.getByText('Account'));
+
+      // A popover is not a menu, so its children are not menu items. Only the floating tree is
+      // shared, and that is dismissal plumbing rather than menu hierarchy.
+      expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Actions' })).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText('Actions')).not.toHaveAttribute('role');
+    });
+
     it('opens submenu via controlled open prop', () => {
       render(
         <Menu.Root defaultOpen>