diff --git a/airflow/utils/cli.py b/airflow/utils/cli.py
index 3b9674e5aa362..bd9f59402763d 100644
--- a/airflow/utils/cli.py
+++ b/airflow/utils/cli.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def get_dag_by_file_location(dag_id: str):
     return dagbag.dags[dag_id]
 
 
-def _try_to_find_path(val: str | None):
+def _search_for_dag_file(fileloc: str | None) -> str | None:
     """
     Try to correct the path to the dag file in question.
 
@@ -197,11 +197,10 @@ def _try_to_find_path(val: str | None):
     parsed the dags folder).  If we can't find such a file, or if we find more than one, we
     just parse the dags folder as a fallback.
     """
-    if val and Path(val).suffix in ('.zip', '.py'):
-        matches = list(Path(settings.DAGS_FOLDER).rglob(Path(val).name))
+    if fileloc and Path(fileloc).suffix in ('.zip', '.py'):
+        matches = list(Path(settings.DAGS_FOLDER).rglob(Path(fileloc).name))
         if len(matches) == 1:
             return matches[0].as_posix()
-    return settings.DAGS_FOLDER
 
 
 def get_dag(subdir: str | None, dag_id: str) -> DAG:
@@ -217,7 +216,7 @@ def get_dag(subdir: str | None, dag_id: str) -> DAG:
     first_path = process_subdir(subdir)
     dagbag = DagBag(first_path)
     if dag_id not in dagbag.dags:
-        fallback_path = _try_to_find_path(subdir)
+        fallback_path = _search_for_dag_file(subdir) or settings.DAGS_FOLDER
         logger.warning("Dag %r not found in path %s; trying path %s", dag_id, first_path, fallback_path)
         dagbag = DagBag(dag_folder=fallback_path)
         if dag_id not in dagbag.dags:
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_cli_util.py b/tests/utils/test_cli_util.py
index a2614778e4613..ecabcacfb1c27 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_cli_util.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_cli_util.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 from airflow.exceptions import AirflowException
 from airflow.models.log import Log
 from airflow.utils import cli, cli_action_loggers, timezone
-from airflow.utils.cli import _try_to_find_path
+from airflow.utils.cli import _search_for_dag_file
 
 repo_root = Path(airflow.__file__).parent.parent
 
@@ -196,15 +196,17 @@ def success_func(_):
     pass
 
 
-def test__try_to_find_path():
+def test__search_for_dags_file():
     dags_folder = settings.DAGS_FOLDER
-    assert _try_to_find_path('') == dags_folder
-    assert _try_to_find_path(None) == dags_folder
+    assert _search_for_dag_file('') == None
+    assert _search_for_dag_file(None) == None
     # if it's a file, and one can be find in subdir, should return full path
-    assert _try_to_find_path('any/hi/test_dags_folder.py') == str(Path(dags_folder) / 'test_dags_folder.py')
+    assert _search_for_dag_file('any/hi/test_dags_folder.py') == str(
+        Path(dags_folder) / 'test_dags_folder.py'
+    )
     # if a folder, even if exists, should return dags folder
     existing_folder = Path(settings.DAGS_FOLDER, 'subdir1')
     assert existing_folder.exists()
-    assert _try_to_find_path(existing_folder.as_posix()) == dags_folder
+    assert _search_for_dag_file(existing_folder.as_posix()) == None
     # when multiple files found, default to the dags folder
-    assert _try_to_find_path('any/hi/__init__.py') == dags_folder
+    assert _search_for_dag_file('any/hi/__init__.py') == None