diff --git a/airflow-core/src/airflow/timetables/_cron.py b/airflow-core/src/airflow/timetables/_cron.py
index ed0b3c76bb786..dc40a9eea5deb 100644
--- a/airflow-core/src/airflow/timetables/_cron.py
+++ b/airflow-core/src/airflow/timetables/_cron.py
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@
     from pendulum.tz.timezone import FixedTimezone, Timezone
 
 
+# croniter accepts ``?`` in the day-of-month and day-of-week fields and expands
+# it to ``*``, so it must not count as a restriction when deciding whether the
+# DOM/DOW pair needs the "or" explanation.
+_UNRESTRICTED_DAY_FIELDS = frozenset({"*", "?"})
+
+
 def _covers_every_hour(cron: croniter) -> bool:
     """
     Check whether the given cron runs at least once an hour.
@@ -97,7 +103,7 @@ def _describe_with_dom_dow_fix(self, expression: str) -> str:
         dom = cron_fields[2]
         dow = cron_fields[4]
 
-        if dom != "*" and dow != "*":
+        if dom not in _UNRESTRICTED_DAY_FIELDS and dow not in _UNRESTRICTED_DAY_FIELDS:
             # Case: conflict → DOM OR DOW
             cron_fields_dom = cron_fields.copy()
             cron_fields_dom[4] = "*"
diff --git a/airflow-core/tests/unit/timetables/test_cron_mixin.py b/airflow-core/tests/unit/timetables/test_cron_mixin.py
index d8d5ff44df30b..06a54f8d332ee 100644
--- a/airflow-core/tests/unit/timetables/test_cron_mixin.py
+++ b/airflow-core/tests/unit/timetables/test_cron_mixin.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 # under the License.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import pytest
+
 from airflow.timetables._cron import CronMixin
 
 SAMPLE_TZ = "UTC"
@@ -39,3 +41,20 @@ def test_dom_and_dow_conflict():
     assert "(or)" in desc
     assert "Every minute, on day 1 of the month" in desc
     assert "Every minute, only on Monday" in desc
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("expression", "equivalent"),
+    [
+        pytest.param("0 0 ? * MON", "0 0 * * MON", id="question-mark-day-of-month"),
+        pytest.param("0 0 1 * ?", "0 0 1 * *", id="question-mark-day-of-week"),
+        pytest.param("0 0 ? * ?", "0 0 * * *", id="question-mark-both"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_question_mark_is_not_a_dom_dow_conflict(expression, equivalent):
+    # croniter expands "?" to "*", so it must describe the same as the "*" form
+    # instead of being reported as a day-of-month/day-of-week conflict.
+    desc = CronMixin(expression, SAMPLE_TZ).description
+
+    assert "(or)" not in desc
+    assert desc == CronMixin(equivalent, SAMPLE_TZ).description