diff --git a/lisp/ox-latex.el b/lisp/ox-latex.el
index 4b2e797d0..6507a1c42 100644
--- a/lisp/ox-latex.el
+++ b/lisp/ox-latex.el
@@ -2402,10 +2402,10 @@ holding contextual information."
 				  (string-match-p "\\<local\\>" v)
 				  (format "\\stopcontents[level-%d]" level)))))
 		    info t)))))
-	  (if (and (or (and opt-title (not (equal opt-title full-text)))
+	  (if (and numberedp (or (and opt-title (not (equal opt-title full-text)))
                        ;; Heading contains footnotes.  Add optional title
                        ;; version without footnotes to avoid footnotes in
-                       ;; TOC/footers.
+                       ;; TOC/footers for numbered sections *only*
                        (and (not (equal full-text-no-footnote full-text))
                             (setq opt-title full-text-no-footnote)))
 		   (string-match "\\`\\\\\\(.+?\\){" section-fmt))