diff --git a/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_rule_field_selection_merging.go b/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_rule_field_selection_merging.go
index fd35b08abd..c8b8a079cf 100644
--- a/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_rule_field_selection_merging.go
+++ b/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_rule_field_selection_merging.go
@@ -241,14 +241,20 @@ func (f *fieldSelectionMergingVisitor) EnterField(ref int) {
 // to the same runtime object. This determines whether field merging must enforce
 // strict type equality (including nullability) or may relax it.
 //
-//   - If either type is an interface, returns true (conservative: any concrete
-//     type might implement that interface).
+//   - If one type is an interface and the other is an object, returns true only
+//     when the object type implements the interface (otherwise they cannot overlap).
+//   - If both types are interfaces, returns true (conservative: some concrete
+//     type might implement both).
 //   - Two object types overlap only when they share the same name.
 //   - All other combinations return false.
 func (f *fieldSelectionMergingVisitor) potentiallySameObject(left, right ast.Node) bool {
 	switch {
-	case left.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition || right.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition:
+	case left.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition && right.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition:
 		return true
+	case left.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition && right.Kind == ast.NodeKindObjectTypeDefinition:
+		return f.definition.NodeImplementsInterfaceNode(right, left)
+	case left.Kind == ast.NodeKindObjectTypeDefinition && right.Kind == ast.NodeKindInterfaceTypeDefinition:
+		return f.definition.NodeImplementsInterfaceNode(left, right)
 	case left.Kind == ast.NodeKindObjectTypeDefinition && right.Kind == ast.NodeKindObjectTypeDefinition:
 		return bytes.Equal(f.definition.ObjectTypeDefinitionNameBytes(left.Ref), f.definition.ObjectTypeDefinitionNameBytes(right.Ref))
 	default:
diff --git a/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_validation_test.go b/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_validation_test.go
index 6691f12114..cd4fe494a9 100644
--- a/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_validation_test.go
+++ b/v2/pkg/astvalidation/operation_validation_test.go
@@ -1116,6 +1116,33 @@ func TestExecutionValidation(t *testing.T) {
 								}`, FieldSelectionMerging(), Invalid,
 							withValidationErrors(`fields 'scalar' conflict because they return conflicting types 'String!' and 'String'`))
 					})
+					t.Run("allows differing return type nullability on interface vs non implementing type with relaxation", func(t *testing.T) {
+						runWithDefinition(t, boxDefinition, `
+								{
+									someBox {
+										... on NonNullStringBox1 {
+										scalar
+										}
+										... on StringBox {
+										scalar
+										}
+									}
+								}`, FieldSelectionMerging(true), Valid)
+					})
+					t.Run("rejects differing return type nullability on interface vs implementing type even with relaxation", func(t *testing.T) {
+						runWithDefinition(t, boxDefinition, `
+								{
+									someBox {
+										... on SomeBox {
+										scalar
+										}
+										... on NonNullStringBox1Impl {
+										scalar
+										}
+									}
+								}`, FieldSelectionMerging(true), Invalid,
+							withValidationErrors(`fields 'scalar' conflict because they return conflicting types 'String' and 'String!'`))
+					})
 					t.Run("same wrapped scalar return types", func(t *testing.T) {
 						runWithDefinition(t, boxDefinition, `
 							{