diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/pydocstyle/sphinx_directive.py b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/pydocstyle/sphinx_directive.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4a79396323fed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/resources/test/fixtures/pydocstyle/sphinx_directive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""A module-level docstring with a Sphinx directive containing section-like content.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    references:
+      - ref: Bibliographic citation in your favorite format.
+        refType: open literature
+
+This is more text after the directive.
+"""
+
+
+def func():
+    """A function-level docstring with a Sphinx directive.
+
+    Examples:
+        This is an example.
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        returns = "not a section"
+        notes = "also not a section"
+
+    Returns:
+        None
+    """
+
+
+def func2():
+    """A function-level docstring with single-colon directive (invalid RST but still common).
+
+    .. code-block: yaml
+
+        references:
+          - ref: Some reference.
+
+    More text.
+    """
+
+
+def func3():
+    """A function-level docstring with nested directives.
+
+    .. note::
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            warnings = "not a section"
+
+    Returns:
+        None
+    """
+
+
+def func4():
+    """A function-level docstring where a real section follows a directive.
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        example = "code"
+
+    Notes:
+        This IS a real section and should still be detected.
+    """
+# Regression test for nested directive state.
+def func5():
+    """A nested directive whose outer body contains section-like content.
+
+    .. note::
+
+        .. code-block:: yaml
+
+            references:
+              - ref: Some reference.
+
+        references:
+            Still part of the note body, not a section.
+    """
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/docstrings/sections.rs b/crates/ruff_linter/src/docstrings/sections.rs
index a4151c67aa056..85c447410633b 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/docstrings/sections.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/docstrings/sections.rs
@@ -155,11 +155,31 @@ impl<'a> SectionContexts<'a> {
         // Skip the first line, which is the summary.
         let mut previous_line = lines.next();
 
+        // Track only the outermost RST directive. Nested directives remain in its body
+        // until a non-blank line dedents to the outermost indentation.
+        // See: https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff/issues/23562
+        let mut directive_indent = None;
+
         while let Some(line) = lines.next() {
-            if let Some(section_kind) = suspected_as_section(&line, style) {
-                let indent = leading_space(&line);
-                let indent_size = indent.text_len();
+            let indent = leading_space(&line);
+            let indent_size = indent.text_len();
+
+            if let Some(active_indent) = directive_indent
+                && (line.trim().is_empty() || indent_size > active_indent)
+            {
+                previous_line = Some(line);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            directive_indent = None;
 
+            if line.trim_start().starts_with(".. ") {
+                directive_indent = Some(indent_size);
+                previous_line = Some(line);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if let Some(section_kind) = suspected_as_section(&line, style) {
                 let section_name = leading_words(&line);
                 let section_name_size = section_name.text_len();
 
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
index e94315db80b1c..e3490be53234f 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ mod tests {
     #[test_case(Rule::MissingSectionNameColon, Path::new("D.py"))]
     #[test_case(Rule::OverindentedSection, Path::new("sections.py"))]
     #[test_case(Rule::OverindentedSection, Path::new("D214_module.py"))]
+    #[test_case(Rule::OverindentedSection, Path::new("sphinx_directive.py"))]
+    #[test_case(Rule::NonCapitalizedSectionName, Path::new("sphinx_directive.py"))]
+    #[test_case(
+        Rule::MissingBlankLineAfterLastSection,
+        Path::new("sphinx_directive.py")
+    )]
     #[test_case(Rule::OverindentedSectionUnderline, Path::new("D215.py"))]
     #[test_case(Rule::MissingSectionUnderlineAfterName, Path::new("sections.py"))]
     #[test_case(Rule::MismatchedSectionUnderlineLength, Path::new("sections.py"))]
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D214_sphinx_directive.py.snap b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D214_sphinx_directive.py.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..724d6e7d20ae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D214_sphinx_directive.py.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+source: crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
+---
+
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D405_sphinx_directive.py.snap b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D405_sphinx_directive.py.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..724d6e7d20ae3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D405_sphinx_directive.py.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+source: crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
+---
+
diff --git a/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D413_sphinx_directive.py.snap b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D413_sphinx_directive.py.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7c9ba10d96f03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/snapshots/ruff_linter__rules__pydocstyle__tests__D413_sphinx_directive.py.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+---
+source: crates/ruff_linter/src/rules/pydocstyle/mod.rs
+---
+D413 [*] Missing blank line after last section ("Returns")
+  --> sphinx_directive.py:24:5
+   |
+22 |         notes = "also not a section"
+23 |
+24 |     Returns:
+   |     ^^^^^^^
+25 |         None
+26 |     """
+   |
+help: Add blank line after "Returns"
+   |
+25 |         None
+26 +
+27 |     """
+   |
+
+D413 [*] Missing blank line after last section ("Returns")
+  --> sphinx_directive.py:50:5
+   |
+48 |             warnings = "not a section"
+49 |
+50 |     Returns:
+   |     ^^^^^^^
+51 |         None
+52 |     """
+   |
+help: Add blank line after "Returns"
+   |
+51 |         None
+52 +
+53 |     """
+   |
+
+D413 [*] Missing blank line after last section ("Notes")
+  --> sphinx_directive.py:62:5
+   |
+60 |         example = "code"
+61 |
+62 |     Notes:
+   |     ^^^^^
+63 |         This IS a real section and should still be detected.
+64 |     """
+   |
+help: Add blank line after "Notes"
+   |
+63 |         This IS a real section and should still be detected.
+64 +
+65 |     """
+   |