diff --git a/datafusion/optimizer/src/optimize_unions.rs b/datafusion/optimizer/src/optimize_unions.rs
index cfabd512b427..23a6fe95e579 100644
--- a/datafusion/optimizer/src/optimize_unions.rs
+++ b/datafusion/optimizer/src/optimize_unions.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use crate::{OptimizerConfig, OptimizerRule};
 use datafusion_common::tree_node::Transformed;
 use datafusion_common::Result;
 use datafusion_expr::expr_rewriter::coerce_plan_expr_for_schema;
-use datafusion_expr::{Distinct, LogicalPlan, Union};
+use datafusion_expr::{Distinct, LogicalPlan, Projection, Union};
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
@@ -105,6 +105,38 @@ fn extract_plans_from_union(plan: Arc<LogicalPlan>) -> Vec<LogicalPlan> {
             .into_iter()
             .map(Arc::unwrap_or_clone)
             .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+        // While unnesting, unwrap a Projection whose input is a nested Union,
+        // flatten the inner Union, and push the same Projection down onto
+        // each of the nested Union’s children.
+        //
+        // Example:
+        //   Union { Projection { Union { plan1, plan2 } }, plan3 }
+        //     => Union { Projection { plan1 }, Projection { plan2 }, plan3 }
+        LogicalPlan::Projection(Projection {
+            expr,
+            input,
+            schema,
+            ..
+        }) => match Arc::unwrap_or_clone(input) {
+            LogicalPlan::Union(Union { inputs, .. }) => inputs
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(Arc::unwrap_or_clone)
+                .map(|plan| {
+                    LogicalPlan::Projection(
+                        Projection::try_new_with_schema(
+                            expr.clone(),
+                            Arc::new(plan),
+                            Arc::clone(&schema),
+                        )
+                        .unwrap(),
+                    )
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+
+            plan => vec![LogicalPlan::Projection(
+                Projection::try_new_with_schema(expr, Arc::new(plan), schema).unwrap(),
+            )],
+        },
         plan => vec![plan],
     }
 }
@@ -331,6 +363,27 @@ mod tests {
         ")
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn eliminate_nested_union_in_projection() -> Result<()> {
+        let plan_builder = table_scan(Some("table"), &schema(), None)?;
+
+        let plan = plan_builder
+            .clone()
+            .union(plan_builder.clone().build()?)?
+            .project(vec![col("id").alias("table_id"), col("key"), col("value")])?
+            .union(plan_builder.build()?)?
+            .build()?;
+
+        assert_optimized_plan_equal!(plan, @r"
+        Union
+          Projection: id AS table_id, key, value
+            TableScan: table
+          Projection: id AS table_id, key, value
+            TableScan: table
+          TableScan: table
+        ")
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn eliminate_nested_union_with_type_cast_projection() -> Result<()> {
         let table_1 = table_scan(