diff --git a/.changeset/twenty-maps-cough.md b/.changeset/twenty-maps-cough.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1de5a22268
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/twenty-maps-cough.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@directus/api': patch
+---
+
+Preserved minimal app permissions/validations when merging
diff --git a/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.test.ts b/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.test.ts
index 1b697b2e99..ecad6ddb34 100644
--- a/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.test.ts
+++ b/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.test.ts
@@ -76,24 +76,34 @@ describe('merging permissions', () => {
 		});
 	});
 
-	test('{} supersedes conditional permissions in _or', () => {
+	test('{} is removed from conditional permissions in _or', () => {
 		const mergedPermission = mergePermission(
 			'or',
 			{ ...permissionTemplate, permissions: fullFilter },
 			{ ...permissionTemplate, permissions: conditionalFilter }
 		);
 
-		expect(mergedPermission).toStrictEqual({ ...permissionTemplate, permissions: fullFilter });
+		expect(mergedPermission).toStrictEqual({
+			...permissionTemplate,
+			permissions: {
+				_or: [conditionalFilter],
+			},
+		});
 	});
 
-	test('{} supersedes conditional validations in _or', () => {
+	test('{} is removed from conditional validations in _or', () => {
 		const mergedPermission = mergePermission(
 			'or',
 			{ ...permissionTemplate, validation: fullFilter },
 			{ ...permissionTemplate, validation: conditionalFilter }
 		);
 
-		expect(mergedPermission).toStrictEqual({ ...permissionTemplate, validation: fullFilter });
+		expect(mergedPermission).toStrictEqual({
+			...permissionTemplate,
+			validation: {
+				_or: [conditionalFilter],
+			},
+		});
 	});
 
 	test('{} does not supersede conditional permissions in _and', () => {
diff --git a/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.ts b/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.ts
index 55a587590f..86b4353801 100644
--- a/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.ts
+++ b/api/src/utils/merge-permissions.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { LogicalFilterAND, LogicalFilterOR, Permission } from '@directus/types';
-import { flatten, intersection, isEqual, merge, omit } from 'lodash-es';
+import { flatten, intersection, isEmpty, merge, omit } from 'lodash-es';
 
 export function mergePermissions(strategy: 'and' | 'or', ...permissions: Permission[][]): Permission[] {
 	const allPermissions = flatten(permissions);
@@ -37,14 +37,12 @@ export function mergePermission(
 				],
 			} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
 		} else if (currentPerm.permissions) {
-			// Empty {} supersedes other permissions in _OR merge
-			if (strategy === 'or' && (isEqual(currentPerm.permissions, {}) || isEqual(newPerm.permissions, {}))) {
-				permissions = {};
-			} else {
-				permissions = {
-					[logicalKey]: [currentPerm.permissions, newPerm.permissions],
-				} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
-			}
+			permissions = {
+				[logicalKey]:
+					strategy === 'or'
+						? [currentPerm.permissions, newPerm.permissions].filter((p) => !isEmpty(p))
+						: [currentPerm.permissions, newPerm.permissions],
+			} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
 		} else {
 			permissions = {
 				[logicalKey]: [newPerm.permissions],
@@ -61,14 +59,12 @@ export function mergePermission(
 				],
 			} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
 		} else if (currentPerm.validation) {
-			// Empty {} supersedes other validations in _OR merge
-			if (strategy === 'or' && (isEqual(currentPerm.validation, {}) || isEqual(newPerm.validation, {}))) {
-				validation = {};
-			} else {
-				validation = {
-					[logicalKey]: [currentPerm.validation, newPerm.validation],
-				} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
-			}
+			validation = {
+				[logicalKey]:
+					strategy === 'or'
+						? [currentPerm.validation, newPerm.validation].filter((p) => !isEmpty(p))
+						: [currentPerm.validation, newPerm.validation],
+			} as LogicalFilterAND | LogicalFilterOR;
 		} else {
 			validation = {
 				[logicalKey]: [newPerm.validation],