diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/if_elseif_else.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/if_elseif_else.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f2a926d295
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/if_elseif_else.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\If_\RemoveAlwaysElseRector\Fixture;
+
+final class IfElseIfElse
+{
+    public function run($value, $formatForEmail, $time_context, $direction)
+    {
+        if ($value == 0) {
+            return $value;
+        } elseif ($formatForEmail) {
+            $value .= '|' . 1;
+
+            return $time_context . '&nbsp;&nbsp;//&nbsp;&nbsp;' . $direction . $value . ' minute(s)';
+        } else {
+            return $value;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+?>
+-----
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\EarlyReturn\Rector\If_\RemoveAlwaysElseRector\Fixture;
+
+final class IfElseIfElse
+{
+    public function run($value, $formatForEmail, $time_context, $direction)
+    {
+        if ($value == 0) {
+            return $value;
+        }
+        if ($formatForEmail) {
+            $value .= '|' . 1;
+            return $time_context . '&nbsp;&nbsp;//&nbsp;&nbsp;' . $direction . $value . ' minute(s)';
+        }
+        return $value;
+    }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/nested_if_with_terminating_elseif_and_else.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/nested_if_with_terminating_elseif_and_else.php.inc
index ad03daa7cb3..be7b8010571 100644
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/nested_if_with_terminating_elseif_and_else.php.inc
+++ b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/nested_if_with_terminating_elseif_and_else.php.inc
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ class NestedIfWithTerminatingElseIfAndElse
             if ($cond3) {
                 return 'bar';
             }
-            else {
-                return 'baz';
-            }
+            return 'baz';
         }
         foo();
     }
diff --git a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/process_empty_return_last.php.inc b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/process_empty_return_last.php.inc
index ca6d518b0b9..d3989cd29e5 100644
--- a/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/process_empty_return_last.php.inc
+++ b/rules-tests/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector/Fixture/process_empty_return_last.php.inc
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ class ProcessEmptyReturnLast
             $value = 55;
             return 10;
         }
-        else {
-            return;
-        }
+        return;
     }
 
     public function secondRun($value)
diff --git a/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector.php b/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector.php
index 44da436638c..b977853751e 100644
--- a/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector.php
+++ b/rules/EarlyReturn/Rector/If_/RemoveAlwaysElseRector.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
      */
     public function refactor(Node $node): ?array
     {
-        if ($this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($node)) {
+        if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($node)) {
             return null;
         }
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ private function handleElseIfs(If_ $if): array
             $currentElseIf = array_shift($if->elseifs);
 
             // If the last statement in the `elseif` breaks flow, merge it into the original `if` and stop processing
-            if ($this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($currentElseIf)) {
+            if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($currentElseIf)) {
                 $this->updateIfWithElseIf($if, $currentElseIf);
                 $nodesToReturn = [...$nodesToReturn, $if, ...$this->getStatementsElseIfs($if)];
 
@@ -130,7 +130,18 @@ private function handleElseIfs(If_ $if): array
         }
 
         if ($originalIf->else instanceof Else_) {
-            $nodesToReturn[] = $originalIf->else;
+            $mergeStmts = true;
+            foreach ($nodesToReturn as $nodeToReturn) {
+                if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($nodeToReturn)) {
+                    $nodesToReturn[] = $originalIf->else;
+                    $mergeStmts = false;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            if ($mergeStmts) {
+                $nodesToReturn = array_merge($nodesToReturn, $originalIf->else->stmts);
+            }
         }
 
         return $nodesToReturn;
@@ -143,7 +154,7 @@ private function getStatementsElseIfs(If_ $if): array
     {
         $statements = [];
         foreach ($if->elseifs as $key => $elseif) {
-            if ($this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($elseif) && $elseif->stmts !== []) {
+            if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($elseif) && $elseif->stmts !== []) {
                 continue;
             }
 
@@ -154,17 +165,17 @@ private function getStatementsElseIfs(If_ $if): array
         return $statements;
     }
 
-    private function doesLastStatementBreakFlow(If_ | ElseIf_ | Else_ $node): bool
+    private function doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow(If_ | ElseIf_ | Else_ $node): bool
     {
         $lastStmt = end($node->stmts);
 
         if ($lastStmt instanceof If_ && $lastStmt->else instanceof Else_) {
-            if ($this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($lastStmt) || $this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($lastStmt->else)) {
+            if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($lastStmt) || $this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($lastStmt->else)) {
                 return true;
             }
 
             foreach ($lastStmt->elseifs as $elseIf) {
-                if ($this->doesLastStatementBreakFlow($elseIf)) {
+                if ($this->doesNotLastStatementBreakFlow($elseIf)) {
                     return true;
                 }
             }