diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/gestures/sheet.ts b/core/src/components/modal/gestures/sheet.ts
index 42a739ff558..19fb7fa7602 100644
--- a/core/src/components/modal/gestures/sheet.ts
+++ b/core/src/components/modal/gestures/sheet.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,23 @@ import { getBackdropValueForSheet } from '../utils';
 
 import { calculateSpringStep, canSwipeOnContent, handleCanDismiss } from './utils';
 
+/** Gesture velocity arrives in pixels per millisecond; the thresholds below are per second. */
+const MILLISECONDS_PER_SECOND = 1000;
+
+/**
+ * Flick speeds fast enough to decide the outcome on their own, in pixels per
+ * second. Both are magnitudes. Y grows downwards, so the upward threshold is
+ * negated where it is compared.
+ */
+const DISMISS_VELOCITY = 500;
+const KEEP_OPEN_VELOCITY = 400;
+
+/**
+ * How far below its starting breakpoint a slow drag has to end to dismiss the
+ * sheet. 0.4 means the user dragged 40% of the way down from where they started.
+ */
+const DISMISS_PROGRESS_RATIO = 0.4;
+
 export interface MoveSheetToBreakpointOptions {
   /**
    * The breakpoint value to move the sheet to.
@@ -85,6 +102,11 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
   const contentEl = baseEl.querySelector('ion-content');
   // Cache the initial value so the gesture restores it instead of forcing scrolling on.
   const initialContentScrollY = contentEl?.scrollY ?? true;
+  /**
+   * The height of the sheet the user actually sees. This comes from the wrapper
+   * rather than the host element, which is stretched to the full viewport no
+   * matter how tall the sheet itself is.
+   */
   const height = wrapperEl.clientHeight;
   let currentBreakpoint = initialBreakpoint;
   let offset = 0;
@@ -420,15 +442,13 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
     offset = clamp(0.0001, processedStep, maxStep);
     animation.progressStep(offset);
 
-    const snapBreakpoint = usePhysicsBasedGesture
-      ? calculateVelocitySnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY, detail.velocityY, detail.currentY)
-      : calculatePositionSnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY);
+    const snapBreakpoint = calculateSnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY, detail.velocityY);
 
     const eventDetail: ModalDragEventDetail = {
       currentY: detail.currentY,
       deltaY: detail.deltaY,
       velocityY: detail.velocityY,
-      progress: calculateProgress(detail.currentY),
+      progress: calculateProgress(detail.deltaY),
       snapBreakpoint: snapBreakpoint,
     };
 
@@ -436,9 +456,7 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
   };
 
   const onEnd = (detail: GestureDetail) => {
-    const snapBreakpoint = usePhysicsBasedGesture
-      ? calculateVelocitySnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY, detail.velocityY, detail.currentY)
-      : calculatePositionSnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY);
+    const snapBreakpoint = calculateSnapBreakpoint(detail.deltaY, detail.velocityY);
 
     /**
      * `snapBreakpoint === 0` is not enough on its own. `canDismiss: false`
@@ -454,7 +472,7 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
       currentY: detail.currentY,
       deltaY: detail.deltaY,
       velocityY: detail.velocityY,
-      progress: calculateProgress(detail.currentY),
+      progress: calculateProgress(detail.deltaY),
       snapBreakpoint,
       isDismissing,
     };
@@ -671,6 +689,39 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
     });
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Decides which breakpoint the sheet should settle on for the current drag.
+   *
+   * A sheet whose only breakpoints are 0 and 1 has nowhere to go on a downward
+   * drag except closed, so any drag the gesture recognizes closes it. Sheets
+   * with breakpoints in between snap to the nearest one instead, because
+   * dragging is how the user resizes them.
+   *
+   * Two cases opt back out of that shortcut and use the normal thresholds:
+   * - An upward flick, so a drag that wanders downwards before flicking back up
+   *   reopens the sheet rather than closing it.
+   * - `canDismiss`, which asks the application whether closing is allowed. Going
+   *   through the usual thresholds means a few stray pixels cannot trigger that
+   *   callback.
+   *
+   * @param deltaY The change in Y position since the gesture started
+   * @param velocityY The velocity in pixels per millisecond
+   * @returns The snap breakpoint value
+   */
+  const calculateSnapBreakpoint = (deltaY: number, velocityY: number): number => {
+    const isDraggingDown = deltaY > 0;
+    const isFlickingUp = velocityY * MILLISECONDS_PER_SECOND < -KEEP_OPEN_VELOCITY;
+    const canOnlyOpenOrClose = minBreakpoint === 0 && breakpoints.length === 2;
+
+    if (isDraggingDown && canOnlyOpenOrClose && !isFlickingUp && !canDismissBlocksGesture) {
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    return usePhysicsBasedGesture
+      ? calculateVelocitySnapBreakpoint(deltaY, velocityY)
+      : calculatePositionSnapBreakpoint(deltaY);
+  };
+
   /**
    * Calculates the breakpoint based on the current deltaY.
    * This determines where the sheet should snap to when the user releases the
@@ -680,16 +731,7 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
    * @returns The snap breakpoint value.
    */
   const calculatePositionSnapBreakpoint = (deltaY: number): number => {
-    /**
-     * Calculates the real-time vertical position of the modal.
-     * We combine the wrapper's current bounding box position with the
-     * gesture's deltaY to account for the physical movement during the drag.
-     */
-    const currentY = wrapperEl.getBoundingClientRect().top + deltaY;
-    /**
-     * Convert that pixel position back into a 0 to 1 progress value.
-     */
-    const currentProgress = calculateProgress(currentY);
+    const currentProgress = calculateProgress(deltaY);
 
     /**
      * Find and return the defined breakpoint that is closest to the
@@ -714,23 +756,22 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
    *
    * @param deltaY The change in Y position since gesture started
    * @param velocityY The velocity in pixels per millisecond
-   * @param currentY The current Y position of the gesture
    * @returns The snap breakpoint value
    */
-  const calculateVelocitySnapBreakpoint = (deltaY: number, velocityY: number, currentY: number): number => {
+  const calculateVelocitySnapBreakpoint = (deltaY: number, velocityY: number): number => {
     // Convert velocity from px/ms to px/s for easier threshold comparison
-    const velocityYPerSecond = velocityY * 1000;
+    const velocityYPerSecond = velocityY * MILLISECONDS_PER_SECOND;
 
     // Calculate current progress (0 = fully closed, 1 = fully expanded)
-    const currentProgress = calculateProgress(currentY);
+    const currentProgress = calculateProgress(deltaY);
 
     // Rule 1: Fast downward flick always dismisses
-    if (velocityYPerSecond > 500) {
+    if (velocityYPerSecond > DISMISS_VELOCITY) {
       return minBreakpoint;
     }
 
     // Rule 2: Fast upward flick moves to next breakpoint above
-    if (velocityYPerSecond < -400) {
+    if (velocityYPerSecond < -KEEP_OPEN_VELOCITY) {
       // Find next breakpoint above current position
       const nextBreakpoint = breakpoints.find((bp) => bp > currentProgress);
       // If no breakpoint above, stay at max breakpoint
@@ -743,8 +784,13 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
       const distanceBelowSnap = currentBreakpoint - currentProgress;
       const percentageBelowSnap = distanceBelowSnap / currentBreakpoint;
 
-      // If dragged more than 40% below and not flicking up, dismiss
-      if (percentageBelowSnap > 0.4 && velocityYPerSecond <= 400) {
+      /**
+       * The velocity check reads as "not flicking up", but upward flicks are
+       * negative and already satisfy it. What it excludes in practice is a
+       * downward drag faster than 400 px/s but not fast enough to trip the
+       * dismissal above, which falls through to the nearest breakpoint instead.
+       */
+      if (percentageBelowSnap > DISMISS_PROGRESS_RATIO && velocityYPerSecond <= 400) {
         return 0;
       }
     }
@@ -754,78 +800,27 @@ export const createSheetGesture = (
   };
 
   /**
-   * Calculates the progress of the swipe gesture.
+   * Calculates how open the sheet is part way through a gesture, on the same
+   * 0 to 1 scale as the breakpoints: 1 is fully open and 0 is fully closed.
    *
-   * The progress is a value between 0 and 1 that represents how far
-   * the swipe has progressed towards closing the modal.
-   *
-   * A value closer to 1 means the modal is closer to being opened,
-   * while a value closer to 0 means the modal is closer to being closed.
-   *
-   * @param currentY The current Y position of the gesture
+   * @param deltaY The change in Y position since the gesture started
    * @returns The progress of the sheet gesture
    */
-  const calculateProgress = (currentY: number): number => {
-    const minBreakpoint = breakpoints[0];
-    const maxBreakpoint = breakpoints[breakpoints.length - 1];
-
-    /**
-     * The lowest point the sheet can be dragged to aka the point at which
-     * the sheet is fully closed.
-     */
-    const maxY = convertBreakpointToY(minBreakpoint);
+  const calculateProgress = (deltaY: number): number => {
     /**
-     * The highest point the sheet can be dragged to aka the point at which
-     * the sheet is fully open.
-     */
-    const minY = convertBreakpointToY(maxBreakpoint);
-    // The total distance between the fully open and fully closed positions.
-    const totalDistance = maxY - minY;
-    // The distance from the current position to the fully closed position.
-    const distanceFromBottom = maxY - currentY;
-    /**
-     * The progress represents how far the sheet is from the bottom relative
-     * to the total distance. When the user starts swiping up, the progress
-     * should be close to 1, and when the user has swiped all the way down,
-     * the progress should be close to 0.
+     * Start from how open the sheet was when the gesture began, then subtract
+     * the fraction of the sheet's height the user has dragged. Dragging down is
+     * positive, so it lowers the progress.
+     *
+     * This is the inverse of the step applied to the animation in onMove, which
+     * keeps the breakpoint the sheet snaps to in agreement with the position it
+     * is drawn at.
      */
-    const progress = distanceFromBottom / totalDistance;
+    const progress = currentBreakpoint - deltaY / height;
     // Round to the nearest thousandth to avoid returning very small decimal
     const roundedProgress = Math.round(progress * 1000) / 1000;
 
-    return Math.max(0, Math.min(1, roundedProgress));
-  };
-
-  /**
-   * Converts a breakpoint value (0 to 1) into a pixel Y coordinate
-   * on the screen.
-   *
-   * @param breakpoint The breakpoint value (e.g., 0.5 for half-open)
-   * @returns The pixel Y coordinate on the screen
-   */
-  const convertBreakpointToY = (breakpoint: number): number => {
-    const rect = baseEl.getBoundingClientRect();
-    const modalHeight = rect.height;
-    // The bottom of the screen.
-    const viewportBottom = window.innerHeight;
-    /**
-     * The active height is how much of the modal is actually showing
-     * on the screen for this specific breakpoint.
-     */
-    const activeHeight = modalHeight * breakpoint;
-
-    /**
-     * To find the Y coordinate, start at the bottom of the screen
-     * and move up by the active height of the modal.
-     *
-     * A breakpoint of 1.0 means the active height is the full modal height
-     * (fully open). A breakpoint of 0.0 means the active height is 0
-     * (fully closed).
-     *
-     * Since screen Y coordinates get smaller as you go up, we subtract the
-     * active height from the viewport bottom.
-     */
-    return viewportBottom - activeHeight;
+    return clamp(0, roundedProgress, 1);
   };
 
   const gesture = createGesture({
diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/can-dismiss/modal-sheet.e2e.ts b/core/src/components/modal/test/can-dismiss/modal-sheet.e2e.ts
index 865b5b5a8de..2be21e2c03b 100644
--- a/core/src/components/modal/test/can-dismiss/modal-sheet.e2e.ts
+++ b/core/src/components/modal/test/can-dismiss/modal-sheet.e2e.ts
@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@ configs({ modes: ['ios'], directions: ['ltr'] }).forEach(({ title, config }) =>
 
         await ionHandlerDone.next();
 
-        const modal = page.locator('ion-modal');
-        expect(modal).not.toBe(null);
+        await expect(page.locator('ion-modal')).toBeVisible();
       });
       test('should not dismiss on swipe when not attempting to close', async ({ page }) => {
         const ionModalDidPresent = await page.spyOnEvent('ionModalDidPresent');
+        const ionDragEnd = await page.spyOnEvent('ionDragEnd');
 
         await page.click('#sheet-can-dismiss-promise-true');
 
@@ -125,8 +125,14 @@ configs({ modes: ['ios'], directions: ['ltr'] }).forEach(({ title, config }) =>
         const modalHeader = page.locator('#modal-header');
         await dragElementBy(modalHeader, page, 0, 30);
 
-        const modal = page.locator('ion-modal');
-        expect(modal).not.toBe(null);
+        /**
+         * A drag this small snaps the sheet back open, so canDismiss is never
+         * consulted and the sheet stays where it was.
+         */
+        const dragEndEvent = await ionDragEnd.next();
+
+        expect(dragEndEvent.detail.isDismissing).toBe(false);
+        await expect(page.locator('ion-modal')).toBeVisible();
       });
       test('should hit the dismiss threshold when swiping', async ({ page }) => {
         const ionModalDidPresent = await page.spyOnEvent('ionModalDidPresent');
diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/index.html b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/index.html
index 4a8d3f5b666..f78a4a93108 100644
--- a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/index.html
+++ b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/index.html
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@
         --height: 50%;
       }
 
+      /**
+       * Shorter than the midpoint of the viewport, which is where the sheet
+       * position and the drag distance disagree the most.
+       */
+      .short-sheet {
+        --height: 40%;
+      }
+
       .custom-handle::part(handle) {
         top: -16px;
         background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.53);
@@ -131,6 +139,12 @@
           <button id="custom-height-modal" onclick="presentModal({ cssClass: 'custom-height' })">
             Present Sheet Modal (Custom Height)
           </button>
+          <button
+            id="short-sheet"
+            onclick="presentModal({ cssClass: 'short-sheet', initialBreakpoint: 1, breakpoints: [0, 1] })"
+          >
+            Present Sheet Modal (Short, No Intermediate Breakpoints)
+          </button>
           <button
             id="handle-behavior-cycle-modal"
             onclick="presentModal({ handleBehavior: 'cycle', initialBreakpoint: 0.25, breakpoints: [0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1] })"
diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts
index c7d8992a8d2..7b82bc291df 100644
--- a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts
+++ b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts
@@ -623,6 +623,54 @@ configs({ modes: ['ios', 'ionic-ios'], directions: ['ltr'] }).forEach(({ title,
     });
   });
 
+  test.describe(title('sheet modal: no intermediate breakpoints'), () => {
+    test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+      await page.goto('/src/components/modal/test/sheet', config);
+
+      const ionModalDidPresent = await page.spyOnEvent('ionModalDidPresent');
+
+      await page.click('#short-sheet');
+      await ionModalDidPresent.next();
+    });
+
+    test('should not dismiss when dragged upwards', async ({ page }) => {
+      const ionDragEnd = await page.spyOnEvent('ionDragEnd');
+
+      const header = page.locator('.modal-sheet ion-header');
+
+      /**
+       * The sheet is already fully open, so dragging up cannot take it anywhere.
+       * It has to stay open no matter how fast the drag was.
+       */
+      await dragElementBy(header, page, 0, -50);
+
+      const dragEndEvent = await ionDragEnd.next();
+
+      expect(dragEndEvent.detail.isDismissing).toBe(false);
+      await expect(page.locator('ion-modal')).toBeVisible();
+    });
+
+    test('should dismiss when dragged downwards', async ({ page }) => {
+      const ionDragEnd = await page.spyOnEvent('ionDragEnd');
+      const ionModalDidDismiss = await page.spyOnEvent('ionModalDidDismiss');
+
+      const header = page.locator('.modal-sheet ion-header');
+
+      /**
+       * This drag covers well under half the sheet, so snapping to the nearest
+       * breakpoint would reopen it. A sheet that only opens and closes has
+       * nowhere else to go, so it dismisses instead.
+       */
+      await dragElementBy(header, page, 0, 30);
+
+      const dragEndEvent = await ionDragEnd.next();
+
+      expect(dragEndEvent.detail.isDismissing).toBe(true);
+
+      await ionModalDidDismiss.next();
+    });
+  });
+
   test.describe(title('sheet modal: late breakpoints binding'), () => {
     test('should not crash when swiped after breakpoints are set after the modal loads', async ({ page }) => {
       const pageErrors: string[] = [];
diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-backdrop-hidden-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Chrome-linux.png b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-backdrop-hidden-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Chrome-linux.png
index 14e1d7b3b31..0d2b92247a3 100644
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diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-backdrop-hidden-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Firefox-linux.png b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-backdrop-hidden-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Firefox-linux.png
index 12c31eec87b..a1bf7939759 100644
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diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-half-sheet-present-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Chrome-linux.png b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-half-sheet-present-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Chrome-linux.png
index b89a952b8ef..81fd5711a97 100644
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diff --git a/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-half-sheet-present-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Firefox-linux.png b/core/src/components/modal/test/sheet/modal.e2e.ts-snapshots/modal-half-sheet-present-ionic-md-ltr-light-Mobile-Firefox-linux.png
index 99578187747..d7ea0a83c6c 100644
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