diff --git a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
index 7ae8f838..bfc06e94 100644
--- a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
+++ b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document.go
@@ -483,6 +483,11 @@ func extractPaths(ctx context.Context, root *yaml.Node, nodes documentTopLevelNo
 }
 
 func extractWebhooks(ctx context.Context, root *yaml.Node, nodes documentTopLevelNodes, doc *Document, idx *index.SpecIndex) error {
+	// without a genuine top-level key, ExtractMap can match a same-named scalar
+	// (e.g. "webhooks" in an extension value) and create an empty webhooks map.
+	if nodes.webhooks.value == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	hooks, hooksL, hooksN, err := low.ExtractMap[*PathItem](ctx, WebhooksLabel, root, idx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document_test.go b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document_test.go
index 9eec996d..873a1eff 100644
--- a/datamodel/low/v3/create_document_test.go
+++ b/datamodel/low/v3/create_document_test.go
@@ -496,6 +496,28 @@ webhooks:
 	assert.Len(t, utils.UnwrapErrors(err), 1)
 }
 
+// a "webhooks" scalar value (here in an extension) must not create a webhooks map.
+func TestCreateDocument_WebHooks_NoFalsePositive(t *testing.T) {
+	yml := `openapi: 3.0.3
+info:
+  title: t
+  version: "1.0.0"
+x-foo:
+  service: webhooks
+paths:
+  /a:
+    get:
+      responses:
+        '200':
+          description: OK`
+
+	info, _ := datamodel.ExtractSpecInfo([]byte(yml))
+	d, err := CreateDocumentFromConfig(info, &datamodel.DocumentConfiguration{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Nil(t, d.Webhooks.Value)
+	assert.Nil(t, d.Webhooks.KeyNode)
+}
+
 func TestCreateDocument_Servers(t *testing.T) {
 	initTest()
 	assert.Len(t, doc.Servers.Value, 2)