diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
index 88fb0433601c..3fb1a48e0a71 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ exports[`simple website content 5`] = `
 Object {
   "pluginName": Object {
     "pluginId": Object {
-      "breadcrumbs": "nested",
+      "breadcrumbs": true,
       "path": "/docs",
       "versions": Array [
         Object {
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ exports[`simple website content: global data 1`] = `
 Object {
   "pluginName": Object {
     "pluginId": Object {
-      "breadcrumbs": "nested",
+      "breadcrumbs": true,
       "path": "/docs",
       "versions": Array [
         Object {
@@ -2413,7 +2413,7 @@ exports[`versioned website (community) content: global data 1`] = `
 Object {
   "pluginName": Object {
     "pluginId": Object {
-      "breadcrumbs": "nested",
+      "breadcrumbs": true,
       "path": "/community",
       "versions": Array [
         Object {
@@ -3453,7 +3453,7 @@ exports[`versioned website content: global data 1`] = `
 Object {
   "pluginName": Object {
     "pluginId": Object {
-      "breadcrumbs": "nested",
+      "breadcrumbs": true,
       "path": "/docs",
       "versions": Array [
         Object {
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/options.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/options.test.ts
index 5ef88f9e26ba..95fb65e38c9f 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/options.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/options.test.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ describe('normalizeDocsPluginOptions', () => {
       rehypePlugins: [markdownPluginsFunctionStub],
       beforeDefaultRehypePlugins: [],
       beforeDefaultRemarkPlugins: [],
-      breadcrumbs: 'nested',
+      breadcrumbs: true,
       showLastUpdateTime: true,
       showLastUpdateAuthor: true,
       admonitions: {},
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/options.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/options.ts
index 520652578c2b..3e5e9f5a7a97 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/options.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/options.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_OPTIONS: Omit<PluginOptions, 'id' | 'sidebarPath'> = {
   editLocalizedFiles: false,
   sidebarCollapsible: true,
   sidebarCollapsed: true,
-  breadcrumbs: 'nested',
+  breadcrumbs: true,
 };
 
 const VersionOptionsSchema = Joi.object({
@@ -140,10 +140,7 @@ export const OptionsSchema = Joi.object({
   disableVersioning: Joi.bool().default(DEFAULT_OPTIONS.disableVersioning),
   lastVersion: Joi.string().optional(),
   versions: VersionsOptionsSchema,
-  breadcrumbs: Joi.alternatives(
-    Joi.bool(),
-    Joi.string().valid('nested'),
-  ).default(DEFAULT_OPTIONS.breadcrumbs),
+  breadcrumbs: Joi.bool().default(DEFAULT_OPTIONS.breadcrumbs),
 });
 
 export function validateOptions({
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
index d205affe712c..00c4e8fda250 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ declare module '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs' {
     showLastUpdateTime?: boolean;
     showLastUpdateAuthor?: boolean;
     numberPrefixParser: NumberPrefixParser;
-    breadcrumbs: boolean | 'nested';
+    breadcrumbs: boolean;
   };
 
   export type PathOptions = {
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ declare module '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs/client' {
   export type GlobalPluginData = {
     path: string;
     versions: GlobalVersion[];
-    breadcrumbs: boolean | 'nested';
+    breadcrumbs: boolean;
   };
   export type DocVersionSuggestions = {
     // suggest the latest version
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-common/src/utils/docsUtils.tsx b/packages/docusaurus-theme-common/src/utils/docsUtils.tsx
index dcf8f0d9fe4a..f02b213c32dd 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-common/src/utils/docsUtils.tsx
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-common/src/utils/docsUtils.tsx
@@ -220,17 +220,11 @@ export function getBreadcrumbs({
 export function useSidebarBreadcrumbs(): PropSidebarBreadcrumbsItem[] | null {
   const sidebar = useDocsSidebar();
   const {pathname} = useLocation();
-  const breadcrumbsOption = useActivePlugin()?.pluginData?.breadcrumbs;
+  const breadcrumbsOption = useActivePlugin()?.pluginData.breadcrumbs;
 
-  if (!sidebar || breadcrumbsOption === false) {
+  if (breadcrumbsOption === false || !sidebar) {
     return null;
   }
 
-  const breadcrumbs = getBreadcrumbs({sidebar, pathname});
-
-  if (breadcrumbsOption === 'nested' && breadcrumbs.length < 2) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  return breadcrumbs;
+  return getBreadcrumbs({sidebar, pathname});
 }