diff --git a/src/expandable-section/__tests__/interactions.test.tsx b/src/expandable-section/__tests__/interactions.test.tsx
index eeec3a7eba..62cfc4ad4e 100644
--- a/src/expandable-section/__tests__/interactions.test.tsx
+++ b/src/expandable-section/__tests__/interactions.test.tsx
@@ -188,4 +188,42 @@ describe('Expandable Section - Interactions', () => {
       expect(onButtonClickSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Navigation variant header wrapper', () => {
+    let onChangeSpy: jest.Mock;
+    let onLinkClickSpy: jest.Mock;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      onChangeSpy = jest.fn();
+      onLinkClickSpy = jest.fn();
+    });
+
+    function renderNavigationSection(): ExpandableSectionWrapper {
+      return renderExpandableSection({
+        onChange: onChangeSpy,
+        headerText: <Link onFollow={onLinkClickSpy}>Header link</Link>,
+        variant: 'navigation',
+      });
+    }
+
+    test('toggles when the inert space around the expand button is clicked', () => {
+      const wrapper = renderNavigationSection();
+      wrapper.findHeader().click();
+      expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ detail: { expanded: true } }));
+    });
+
+    test('toggles exactly once when the expand button is clicked', () => {
+      const wrapper = renderNavigationSection();
+      wrapper.findExpandButton().click();
+      expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    test('does not toggle when a link in the header text is clicked', () => {
+      const wrapper = renderNavigationSection();
+      wrapper.findHeader().findLink()!.click();
+      expect(onChangeSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(onLinkClickSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/expandable-section/expandable-section-header.tsx b/src/expandable-section/expandable-section-header.tsx
index c14266309c..b0c91cdb4d 100644
--- a/src/expandable-section/expandable-section-header.tsx
+++ b/src/expandable-section/expandable-section-header.tsx
@@ -187,6 +187,14 @@ const ExpandableNavigationHeader = ({
   icon,
   expandIconPosition,
 }: ExpandableNavigationHeaderProps) => {
+  // Let clicks on the inert space around the expand button also toggle the section to provide
+  // a sufficiently large pointer target, deferring to interactive descendants like the expand button and links.
+  const onWrapperClick: MouseEventHandler = event => {
+    const interactiveElement = (event.target as HTMLElement).closest('a, button');
+    if (!interactiveElement || !event.currentTarget.contains(interactiveElement)) {
+      onClick(event);
+    }
+  };
   const expandButton = (
     <ExpandIconButton
       icon={icon}
@@ -207,6 +215,7 @@ const ExpandableNavigationHeader = ({
         analyticsSelectors['header-label'],
         expandIconPosition === 'end' && styles['header-icon-end']
       )}
+      onClick={onWrapperClick}
     >
       {expandIconPosition === 'end' ? (
         <>