diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/navigation/index.php b/packages/block-library/src/navigation/index.php
index e497646e1c5bb5..08a09f9184b511 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/navigation/index.php
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/navigation/index.php
@@ -423,6 +423,9 @@ function( $carry, $block ) use ( $allowed_blocks ) {
 			if ( isset( $block['blockName'] ) && in_array( $block['blockName'], $allowed_blocks, true ) ) {
 				if ( $block['innerBlocks'] ) {
 					$block['innerBlocks'] = block_core_navigation_filter_out_invalid_blocks( $block['innerBlocks'] );
+					if ( empty( $block['innerBlocks'] ) ) {
+						$block['innerContent'] = array( implode( $block['innerContent'] ) );
+					}
 				}
 				$carry[] = $block;
 			}