diff --git a/packages/openapi-typescript/src/transform/schema-object.ts b/packages/openapi-typescript/src/transform/schema-object.ts
index 80ec56b51..a41ce0e69 100644
--- a/packages/openapi-typescript/src/transform/schema-object.ts
+++ b/packages/openapi-typescript/src/transform/schema-object.ts
@@ -257,24 +257,20 @@ export function transformSchemaObjectWithComposition(
     }
   }
 
-  // if final type could be generated, return intersection of all members
-  if (finalType) {
-    // deprecated nullable
-    if (schemaObject.nullable && !schemaObject.default) {
-      return tsNullable([finalType]);
+  // When no final type can be generated, fall back to unknown type (or related variants)
+  if (!finalType) {
+    if ("type" in schemaObject) {
+      finalType = tsRecord(STRING, options.ctx.emptyObjectsUnknown ? UNKNOWN : NEVER);
+    } else {
+      finalType = UNKNOWN;
     }
-    return finalType;
   }
-  // otherwise fall back to unknown type (or related variants)
-  else {
-    // fallback: unknown
-    if (!("type" in schemaObject)) {
-      return UNKNOWN;
-    }
 
-    // if no type could be generated, fall back to “empty object” type
-    return tsRecord(STRING, options.ctx.emptyObjectsUnknown ? UNKNOWN : NEVER);
+  if (finalType !== UNKNOWN && schemaObject.nullable && !schemaObject.default) {
+    finalType = tsNullable([finalType]);
   }
+
+  return finalType;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/openapi-typescript/test/index.test.ts b/packages/openapi-typescript/test/index.test.ts
index 46b01c8b8..372c69fbc 100644
--- a/packages/openapi-typescript/test/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/openapi-typescript/test/index.test.ts
@@ -694,6 +694,184 @@ export type operations = Record<string, never>;`,
         },
       },
     ],
+    [
+      "nullable > old syntax",
+      {
+        given: {
+          openapi: "3.1",
+          info: { title: "Test", version: "1.0" },
+          components: {
+            schemas: {
+              NullableEmptyObject: {
+                nullable: true,
+                properties: {},
+                title: "NullableEmptyObject",
+                type: "object",
+              },
+              NullableObject: {
+                nullable: true,
+                properties: {
+                  name: {
+                    type: "string",
+                  },
+                },
+                title: "NullableObject",
+                type: "object",
+              },
+              NullableString: {
+                nullable: true,
+                title: "NullableString",
+                type: "string",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        want: `export type paths = Record<string, never>;
+export type webhooks = Record<string, never>;
+export interface components {
+    schemas: {
+        /** NullableEmptyObject */
+        NullableEmptyObject: Record<string, never> | null;
+        /** NullableObject */
+        NullableObject: {
+            name?: string;
+        } | null;
+        /** NullableString */
+        NullableString: string | null;
+    };
+    responses: never;
+    parameters: never;
+    requestBodies: never;
+    headers: never;
+    pathItems: never;
+}
+export type $defs = Record<string, never>;
+export type operations = Record<string, never>;`,
+      },
+    ],
+    [
+      "nullable > new syntax",
+      {
+        given: {
+          openapi: "3.1",
+          info: { title: "Test", version: "0" },
+          components: {
+            schemas: {
+              obj1: {
+                oneOf: [
+                  {
+                    type: "object",
+                    properties: {
+                      id: { type: "string" },
+                    },
+                  },
+                  { type: "null" },
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        want: `export type paths = Record<string, never>;
+export type webhooks = Record<string, never>;
+export interface components {
+    schemas: {
+        obj1: {
+            id?: string;
+        } | null;
+    };
+    responses: never;
+    parameters: never;
+    requestBodies: never;
+    headers: never;
+    pathItems: never;
+}
+export type $defs = Record<string, never>;
+export type operations = Record<string, never>;`,
+      },
+    ],
+    [
+      "nullable > old syntax and object with ref",
+      {
+        given: {
+          openapi: "3.1",
+          info: { title: "Test", version: "0" },
+          components: {
+            schemas: {
+              obj1Ref: {
+                properties: {
+                  id: { type: "string" },
+                },
+              },
+              obj1: {
+                type: "object",
+                nullable: true,
+                $ref: "#/components/schemas/obj1Ref",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        want: `export type paths = Record<string, never>;
+export type webhooks = Record<string, never>;
+export interface components {
+    schemas: {
+        obj1Ref: {
+            id?: string;
+        };
+        obj1: components["schemas"]["obj1Ref"] | null;
+    };
+    responses: never;
+    parameters: never;
+    requestBodies: never;
+    headers: never;
+    pathItems: never;
+}
+export type $defs = Record<string, never>;
+export type operations = Record<string, never>;`,
+      },
+    ],
+    [
+      "nullable > new syntax and object with ref",
+      {
+        given: {
+          openapi: "3.1",
+          info: { title: "Test", version: "0" },
+          components: {
+            schemas: {
+              obj1Ref: {
+                properties: {
+                  id: { type: "string" },
+                },
+              },
+              obj1: {
+                oneOf: [
+                  {
+                    $ref: "#/components/schemas/obj1Ref",
+                  },
+                  { type: "null" },
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        want: `export type paths = Record<string, never>;
+export type webhooks = Record<string, never>;
+export interface components {
+    schemas: {
+        obj1Ref: {
+            id?: string;
+        };
+        obj1: components["schemas"]["obj1Ref"] | null;
+    };
+    responses: never;
+    parameters: never;
+    requestBodies: never;
+    headers: never;
+    pathItems: never;
+}
+export type $defs = Record<string, never>;
+export type operations = Record<string, never>;`,
+      },
+    ],
   ];
 
   for (const [testName, { given, want, options, ci }] of tests) {