diff --git a/src/services/Elements.php b/src/services/Elements.php
index 4876e3ba6e2..8886c13eafd 100644
--- a/src/services/Elements.php
+++ b/src/services/Elements.php
@@ -779,9 +779,9 @@ public function stopCollectingCacheInfo(): array
         if (!empty($this->_cacheTagBuffers)) {
             $this->_cacheTags = array_merge(array_pop($this->_cacheTagBuffers), $tags);
 
-            // Override the parent duration if ours is shorter
+            // Preserve the shortest duration across nested collections
             $this->_cacheDuration = array_pop($this->_cacheDurationBuffers);
-            if ($duration && $duration < $this->_cacheDuration) {
+            if ($duration && (!$this->_cacheDuration || $duration < $this->_cacheDuration)) {
                 $this->_cacheDuration = $duration;
             }
         } else {
diff --git a/tests/unit/services/ElementsTest.php b/tests/unit/services/ElementsTest.php
index e567e77dd62..a4c41821fcb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/services/ElementsTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/services/ElementsTest.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 use Craft;
 use craft\elements\Entry;
+use craft\helpers\DateTimeHelper;
 use craft\services\Elements;
 use craft\test\TestCase;
 use craft\test\TestSetup;
@@ -83,6 +84,20 @@ public function testParseRefs(): void
         }
     }
 
+    public function testNestedCacheInfoPreservesExpiry(): void
+    {
+        $this->elements->startCollectingCacheInfo();
+        $this->elements->collectCacheTags(['test']);
+        $this->elements->startCollectingCacheInfo();
+        $this->elements->setCacheExpiryDate(DateTimeHelper::now()->modify('+60 seconds'));
+        $this->elements->stopCollectingCacheInfo();
+        [, $duration] = $this->elements->stopCollectingCacheInfo();
+
+        self::assertNotNull($duration);
+        self::assertGreaterThan(0, $duration);
+        self::assertLessThanOrEqual(60, $duration);
+    }
+
     /**
      * @inheritdoc
      */