diff --git a/docs/guide/headers.md b/docs/guide/headers.md
index 54167acb23..622fd831e8 100644
--- a/docs/guide/headers.md
+++ b/docs/guide/headers.md
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ There are a few properties on `header` objects that are only useful if the heade
 - `isPlaceholder`: A boolean flag that is true if the header is a placeholder header. Placeholder headers fill the rows above a shallow leaf column's real header so that every header row accounts for every visible column. Render them as empty cells to keep the header grid aligned, or use `header.rowSpan` to merge each placeholder chain into one vertically spanning header cell.
 - `placeholderId`: The unique identifier for the placeholder header.
 - `subHeaders`: The array of sub/child headers that belong to this header. Will be empty if the header is a leaf header.
+- `getLeafHeaders()`: The leaf headers nested under this header, in left-to-right order. Group and placeholder headers are excluded, so a leaf header returns just itself. Use `table.getFlatHeaders()` if you need every header, group headers included.
 
 > [!NOTE]
 > `header.index` refers to its index within the header group (row of headers), i.e. its position from left to right. It is not the same as `header.depth`, which refers to the header group "row index".
diff --git a/packages/table-core/src/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.ts b/packages/table-core/src/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.ts
index 2bf5f108e6..8f07bae4c4 100644
--- a/packages/table-core/src/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.ts
+++ b/packages/table-core/src/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.ts
@@ -19,18 +19,21 @@ function collectLeafHeaders<
   header: Header_Header<TFeatures, TData, TValue>,
   leafHeaders: Array<Header<TFeatures, TData, TValue>>,
 ): void {
+  if (!header.subHeaders.length) {
+    leafHeaders.push(header as Header<TFeatures, TData, TValue>)
+    return
+  }
+
   for (let i = 0; i < header.subHeaders.length; i++) {
     collectLeafHeaders(header.subHeaders[i]!, leafHeaders)
   }
-
-  leafHeaders.push(header as Header<TFeatures, TData, TValue>)
 }
 
 /**
  * Walks a header tree and collects all descendant leaf headers.
  *
- * The header itself is included after its descendants, matching the recursive
- * shape used by nested header groups.
+ * Parent/group headers are skipped, so the result is one header per leaf column
+ * in left-to-right order. A header that is itself a leaf returns just itself.
  *
  * @example
  * ```ts
diff --git a/packages/table-core/tests/unit/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.test.ts b/packages/table-core/tests/unit/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.test.ts
index 394c0dae1d..4400925657 100644
--- a/packages/table-core/tests/unit/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/table-core/tests/unit/core/headers/coreHeadersFeature.utils.test.ts
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ describe('header rowSpan for uneven column trees', () => {
 })
 
 describe('header_getLeafHeaders', () => {
-  it('should collect descendant leaf headers before the header itself', () => {
+  it('should collect descendant leaf headers without the group header itself', () => {
     const table = makeTable()
     const groupHeader = table_getHeaderGroups(table)[0]!.headers.find(
       (header) => header.column.id === 'group',
@@ -308,11 +308,7 @@ describe('header_getLeafHeaders', () => {
 
     const leafHeaders = header_getLeafHeaders(groupHeader)
 
-    expect(leafHeaders.map((header) => header.column.id)).toEqual([
-      'a',
-      'b',
-      'group',
-    ])
+    expect(leafHeaders.map((header) => header.column.id)).toEqual(['a', 'b'])
   })
 
   it('should return only itself for a leaf header', () => {
@@ -324,7 +320,7 @@ describe('header_getLeafHeaders', () => {
     expect(header_getLeafHeaders(leafHeader)).toEqual([leafHeader])
   })
 
-  it('should preserve descendant-first identity across three levels', () => {
+  it('should skip intermediate group headers across three levels', () => {
     const deepColumns: Array<ColumnDef<typeof features, Item, any>> = [
       {
         id: 'outer',
@@ -346,18 +342,12 @@ describe('header_getLeafHeaders', () => {
     })
     const headerGroups = table_getHeaderGroups(table)
     const outer = headerGroups[0]!.headers[0]!
-    const inner = headerGroups[1]!.headers[0]!
     const [a, b] = headerGroups[2]!.headers
 
     const leafHeaders = header_getLeafHeaders(outer)
 
-    expect(leafHeaders.map((header) => header.column.id)).toEqual([
-      'a',
-      'b',
-      'inner',
-      'outer',
-    ])
-    expect(leafHeaders).toEqual([a, b, inner, outer])
+    expect(leafHeaders.map((header) => header.column.id)).toEqual(['a', 'b'])
+    expect(leafHeaders).toEqual([a, b])
   })
 })
 
@@ -379,6 +369,15 @@ describe('table_getLeafHeaders', () => {
     const table = makeTable()
     const ids = table_getLeafHeaders(table).map((header) => header.column.id)
 
-    expect(ids).toEqual(expect.arrayContaining(['a', 'b', 'c']))
+    expect(ids).toEqual(['a', 'b', 'c'])
+  })
+
+  it('should return the real leaf header instead of its placeholder chain', () => {
+    const table = makeTable()
+    const leafHeaders = table_getLeafHeaders(table)
+
+    expect(leafHeaders.every((header) => !header.isPlaceholder)).toBe(true)
+    // Real leaf headers keep the plain column id; placeholders do not.
+    expect(leafHeaders.map((header) => header.id)).toEqual(['a', 'b', 'c'])
   })
 })