diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme-classic.d.ts b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme-classic.d.ts
index a16f02a0933a..e5ce93a5c023 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme-classic.d.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme-classic.d.ts
@@ -1061,6 +1061,19 @@ declare module '@theme/TOCItems' {
   export default function TOCItems(props: Props): JSX.Element;
 }
 
+declare module '@theme/TOCItems/Tree' {
+  import type {TOCTreeNode} from '@docusaurus/theme-common';
+
+  export interface Props {
+    readonly toc: readonly TOCTreeNode[];
+    readonly className: string;
+    readonly linkClassName: string | null;
+    readonly isChild?: boolean;
+  }
+
+  export default function TOCItems(props: Props): JSX.Element;
+}
+
 declare module '@theme/TOC' {
   import type {TOCItem} from '@docusaurus/types';
 
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/Tree.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/Tree.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..85786b907977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/Tree.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ */
+
+import React from 'react';
+import type {Props} from '@theme/TOCItems/Tree';
+
+// Recursive component rendering the toc tree
+/* eslint-disable jsx-a11y/control-has-associated-label */
+function TOCItemTree({
+  toc,
+  className,
+  linkClassName,
+  isChild,
+}: Props): JSX.Element | null {
+  if (!toc.length) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return (
+    <ul className={isChild ? undefined : className}>
+      {toc.map((heading) => (
+        <li key={heading.id}>
+          <a
+            href={`#${heading.id}`}
+            className={linkClassName ?? undefined}
+            // Developer provided the HTML, so assume it's safe.
+            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-danger
+            dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html: heading.value}}
+          />
+          <TOCItemTree
+            isChild
+            toc={heading.children}
+            className={className}
+            linkClassName={linkClassName}
+          />
+        </li>
+      ))}
+    </ul>
+  );
+}
+
+// Memo only the tree root is enough
+export default React.memo(TOCItemTree);
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/index.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/index.tsx
index b0bed7c2bd00..544df3db72b6 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/theme/TOCItems/index.tsx
@@ -7,53 +7,14 @@
 
 import React, {useMemo} from 'react';
 import type {Props} from '@theme/TOCItems';
+import TOCItemTree from '@theme/TOCItems/Tree';
 import {
   type TOCHighlightConfig,
-  type TOCTreeNode,
   useThemeConfig,
   useTOCHighlight,
   useFilteredAndTreeifiedTOC,
 } from '@docusaurus/theme-common';
 
-// Recursive component rendering the toc tree
-/* eslint-disable jsx-a11y/control-has-associated-label */
-function TOCItemList({
-  toc,
-  className,
-  linkClassName,
-  isChild,
-}: {
-  readonly toc: readonly TOCTreeNode[];
-  readonly className: string;
-  readonly linkClassName: string | null;
-  readonly isChild?: boolean;
-}): JSX.Element | null {
-  if (!toc.length) {
-    return null;
-  }
-  return (
-    <ul className={isChild ? undefined : className}>
-      {toc.map((heading) => (
-        <li key={heading.id}>
-          <a
-            href={`#${heading.id}`}
-            className={linkClassName ?? undefined}
-            // Developer provided the HTML, so assume it's safe.
-            // eslint-disable-next-line react/no-danger
-            dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html: heading.value}}
-          />
-          <TOCItemList
-            isChild
-            toc={heading.children}
-            className={className}
-            linkClassName={linkClassName}
-          />
-        </li>
-      ))}
-    </ul>
-  );
-}
-
 export default function TOCItems({
   toc,
   className = 'table-of-contents table-of-contents__left-border',
@@ -90,7 +51,7 @@ export default function TOCItems({
   useTOCHighlight(tocHighlightConfig);
 
   return (
-    <TOCItemList
+    <TOCItemTree
       toc={tocTree}
       className={className}
       linkClassName={linkClassName}