diff --git a/tcl/modfind.tcl.in b/tcl/modfind.tcl.in
index ec54eb4d2..9cddd8400 100644
--- a/tcl/modfind.tcl.in
+++ b/tcl/modfind.tcl.in
@@ -2955,7 +2955,7 @@ proc findModulesInMemCache {searchid} {
 # Walk through provided list of directories and files to find modules
 proc findModulesFromDirsAndFiles {dir full_list depthlvl fetch_mtime\
    res_arrname {indir_arrname {}} {hidden_listname {}} {fknown_arrname {}}\
-   {dknown_arrname {}}} {
+   {dknown_arrname {}} {prunespec {}}} {
    # link to variables/arrays from upper context
    upvar $res_arrname mod_list
    if {$indir_arrname ne {}} {
@@ -2971,6 +2971,15 @@ proc findModulesFromDirsAndFiles {dir full_list depthlvl fetch_mtime\
       upvar $dknown_arrname dknown_arr
    }
 
+   # build pruning path components from spec (e.g. tools/cat15/pkg10/3.0 ->
+   # {tools cat15 pkg10 3.0}) to skip non-matching directories during walk
+   if {$prunespec ne {}} {
+      set pruneparts [file split $prunespec]
+      set prunedepth [llength $pruneparts]
+   } else {
+      set prunedepth 0
+   }
+
    foreach igndir [getConf ignored_dirs] {
       set ignored_dirs($igndir) 1
    }
@@ -2986,6 +2995,23 @@ proc findModulesFromDirsAndFiles {dir full_list depthlvl fetch_mtime\
       if {[info exists dknown_arr($modulename)] || (![info exists\
          fknown_arr($modulename)] && [file isdirectory $element])} {
          if {![info exists ignored_dirs($tail)]} {
+            # prune directories that cannot match the query path: read
+            # dir for .modulerc/.version but skip subdirs and files
+            if {$prunedepth > 0 && $moddepthlvl <= $prunedepth && [lindex\
+               $pruneparts [expr {$moddepthlvl - 1}]] ne $tail} {
+               if {![catch {
+                  set elt_list [getFilesInDirectory $element 1]
+               }]} {
+                  foreach {fpelt hid} $elt_list {
+                     set fptail [file tail $fpelt]
+                     if {$fptail eq {.modulerc} || $fptail eq\
+                        {.version}} {
+                        lappend full_list $fpelt
+                     }
+                  }
+               }
+               continue
+            }
             if {[catch {
                set elt_list [getFilesInDirectory $element 1]
             } errMsg]} {
@@ -3051,12 +3077,12 @@ proc findModulesFromDirsAndFiles {dir full_list depthlvl fetch_mtime\
 }
 
 # finds all module-related files matching mod in the module path dir
-proc findModules {dir mod depthlvl fetch_mtime} {
+proc findModules {dir mod depthlvl fetch_mtime {prunespec {}}} {
    reportDebug "finding '$mod' in $dir (depthlvl=$depthlvl,\
       fetch_mtime=$fetch_mtime)"
 
    # generated search id (for cache search/save) by compacting given args
-   set searchid $dir:$mod:$depthlvl:$fetch_mtime
+   set searchid $dir:$mod:$depthlvl:$fetch_mtime:$prunespec
 
    # look at memory cache for a compatible result
    lassign [findModulesInMemCache $searchid] cache_searchid cache_list
@@ -3095,7 +3121,8 @@ proc findModules {dir mod depthlvl fetch_mtime} {
    }
 
    # walk through list of dirs and files to find modules
-   findModulesFromDirsAndFiles $dir $full_list $depthlvl $fetch_mtime mod_list
+   findModulesFromDirsAndFiles $dir $full_list $depthlvl $fetch_mtime \
+      mod_list {} {} {} {} $prunespec
 
    reportDebug "found [array names mod_list]"
 
@@ -3201,7 +3228,29 @@ proc getModules {dir {mod {}} {fetch_mtime 0} {search {}} {filter {}}} {
       # unless EMS need to be performed (findModules should fetch everything)
       set depthlvl [expr {$indepth || $ems_required ? 0 : $querydepth + 1}]
 
-      array set found_list [findModules $dir $findmod $depthlvl $fetch_mtime]
+      # enable directory pruning when query is a specific deep path without
+      # wildcards (e.g. tools/cat15/pkg10/3.0) to avoid scanning sibling
+      # directories that cannot match; verify every path component exists
+      # on disk so virtual names (symbols/aliases) do not trigger pruning
+      set prunespec {}
+      if {$hasmoddir && !$find_all && !$contains && $modqe eq\
+         [string map {* {} ? {}} $modqe]} {
+         set _canprune 1
+         set _checkpath $dir
+         foreach _qp [file split $modqe] {
+            set _checkpath [file join $_checkpath $_qp]
+            if {![file isdirectory $_checkpath]} {
+               set _canprune 0
+               break
+            }
+         }
+         if {$_canprune} {
+            set prunespec $modqe
+         }
+      }
+
+      array set found_list [findModules $dir $findmod $depthlvl $fetch_mtime\
+         $prunespec]
    }
 
    # Phase #1: consolidate every kind of entries (directory, modulefile,
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/.modulerc b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/.modulerc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59548db53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/.modulerc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-alias prunetest/shortcut prunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/2.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/2.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/2.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/2.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/2.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg1/2.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/1.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/1.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/1.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0 b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b909bf08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.deep/prunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#%Module1.0
+module-whatis "prunetest/$d/$v"
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.80-deep/026-pruning-deep.exp b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/026-pruning-deep.exp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9c9c12db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/modules.80-deep/026-pruning-deep.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+##############################################################################
+#   Modules Revision 3.0
+#   Providing a flexible user environment
+#
+#   Description:  Directory pruning for deep module queries
+#   Command:      avail, load
+#   Modulefiles:  prunetest/cat{1,2}/pkg{1,2}/{1.0,2.0}
+#
+#   Test that specific deep queries correctly return matching modules
+#   when directory pruning skips non-matching sibling directories.
+#   Ensures pruning does not omit valid results and broad queries
+#   still return everything.
+#
+##############################################################################
+
+# use deep modulefiles path for these tests
+set deepmodpath "$env(TESTSUITEDIR)/modulefiles.deep"
+setenv_path_var MODULEPATH $deepmodpath
+
+# ensure auto symbolic versions are not set for these tests
+setenv_var MODULES_ADVANCED_VERSION_SPEC 0
+
+# avail on specific 3-level deep path should return only that pkg
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0"
+testouterr_cmd "sh" "avail -t prunetest/cat1/pkg1" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+# avail on 2-level deep path returns all pkgs under that category
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg2/2.0"
+testouterr_cmd "sh" "avail -t prunetest/cat1" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+skip_if_quick_mode
+
+# avail on the top level returns all modules (no pruning)
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg2/2.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg1/2.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg2/1.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0"
+testouterr_cmd "sh" "avail -t prunetest" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+# avail on exact version path
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0"
+testouterr_cmd "sh" "avail -t prunetest/cat2/pkg2/2.0" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+# load a specific deep module
+set ans [list]
+lappend ans [list set _LMFILES_ \
+   "$deepmodpath/prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0"]
+lappend ans [list set LOADEDMODULES "prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0"]
+test_cmd_re "sh" "load prunetest/cat1/pkg2/1.0" $ans
+
+# wildcard query should not be pruned and return all matches
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat1/pkg1/2.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg1/1.0\nprunetest/cat2/pkg1/2.0"
+testouterr_cmd_re "sh" "avail -t prunetest/*/pkg1" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+# cross-directory alias: cat1/.modulerc defines prunetest/shortcut
+# pointing to cat2/pkg1/1.0; pruning cat1 must still find the alias
+set ts_sh "$deepmodpath:\nprunetest/shortcut"
+testouterr_cmd "sh" "avail -t prunetest/shortcut" "OK" $ts_sh
+
+# cleanup
+setenv_path_var MODULEPATH $modpath
+unsetenv_var MODULES_ADVANCED_VERSION_SPEC
+unset ts_sh ans deepmodpath