diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/return-await.mdx b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/return-await.mdx
index 34173fae9265..db4f2f5fe5b7 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/return-await.mdx
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/docs/rules/return-await.mdx
@@ -9,15 +9,24 @@ import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
 >
 > See **https://typescript-eslint.io/rules/return-await** for documentation.
 
-This rule builds on top of the [`eslint/no-return-await`](https://eslint.org/docs/rules/no-return-await) rule.
-It expands upon the base rule to add support for optionally requiring `return await` in certain cases.
-
-The extended rule is named `return-await` instead of `no-return-await` because the extended rule can enforce the positive or the negative. Additionally, while the core rule is now deprecated, the extended rule is still useful in many contexts:
+In `async` functions, it is valid to return a promise-wrapped value or a value directly, both of which ultimately produce a promise with the same fulfillment value. Returning a value rather than a promise-wrapped value can have several subtle benefits:
 
 - Returning an awaited promise [improves stack trace information](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/await#improving_stack_trace).
-- When the `return` statement is in `try...catch`, awaiting the promise also allows the promise's rejection to be caught instead of leaving the error to the caller.
+- When the `return` statement is in `try...catch`, awaiting the promise allows the promise's rejection to be caught instead of leaving the error to the caller.
 - Contrary to popular belief, `return await promise;` is [at least as fast as directly returning the promise](https://github.com/tc39/proposal-faster-promise-adoption).
 
+This rule enforces consistent handling of whether to await promises before returning them.
+
+:::info
+
+This rule used to be considered an extension of the (now-deprecated) ESLint core rule [`no-return-await`](https://eslint.org/docs/latest/rules/no-return-await#options).
+Without type information, the only situations that could be flagged by `no-return-await` were of neutral-to-negative value, which eventually led to its deprecation.
+In contrast, with access to type information, `@typescript-eslint/return-await` delivers enough positive value to earn it a spot in our strict preset.
+
+If you previously used `no-return-await`, this rule's `in-try-catch` option has the closest behavior to the `no-return-await` rule.
+
+:::
+
 ## Options
 
 ```ts
@@ -326,3 +335,5 @@ async function validNever3() {
 
 </TabItem>
 </Tabs>
+
+{/* Intentionally Omitted: When Not To Use It */}
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
index 061df20cdd65..95efeca0cd5b 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import type { ClassicConfig } from '@typescript-eslint/utils/ts-eslint';
 
 export = {
-  parserOptions: { project: false, program: null, projectService: false },
+  parserOptions: { program: null, project: false, projectService: false },
   rules: {
     '@typescript-eslint/await-thenable': 'off',
     '@typescript-eslint/consistent-return': 'off',
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
index c235c02e7b81..e5be4357f195 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ export = {
       {
         allowAny: false,
         allowBoolean: false,
+        allowNever: false,
         allowNullish: false,
         allowNumber: false,
         allowRegExp: false,
-        allowNever: false,
       },
     ],
     'no-return-await': 'off',
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/return-await.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/return-await.ts
index 18cc6e9e420a..a040bbb9463e 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/return-await.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/return-await.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ export default createRule({
     type: 'problem',
     docs: {
       description: 'Enforce consistent awaiting of returned promises',
-      extendsBaseRule: 'no-return-await',
       recommended: {
         strict: ['error-handling-correctness-only'],
       },
diff --git a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
index eeb80399882c..8ab7a8df71f6 100644
--- a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
+++ b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/disable-type-checked.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,6 @@ export default (
     '@typescript-eslint/use-unknown-in-catch-callback-variable': 'off',
   },
   languageOptions: {
-    parserOptions: { project: false, program: null, projectService: false },
+    parserOptions: { program: null, project: false, projectService: false },
   },
 });
diff --git a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
index c9efc88da6c3..ef29e1006bc4 100644
--- a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
+++ b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked-only.ts
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ export default (
         {
           allowAny: false,
           allowBoolean: false,
+          allowNever: false,
           allowNullish: false,
           allowNumber: false,
           allowRegExp: false,
-          allowNever: false,
         },
       ],
       'no-return-await': 'off',
diff --git a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked.ts b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked.ts
index 4f354baf7e40..e5c7c4c22062 100644
--- a/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked.ts
+++ b/packages/typescript-eslint/src/configs/strict-type-checked.ts
@@ -107,10 +107,10 @@ export default (
         {
           allowAny: false,
           allowBoolean: false,
+          allowNever: false,
           allowNullish: false,
           allowNumber: false,
           allowRegExp: false,
-          allowNever: false,
         },
       ],
       'no-return-await': 'off',
diff --git a/tools/scripts/generate-configs.mts b/tools/scripts/generate-configs.mts
index f7887774df0b..010227cefc92 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/generate-configs.mts
+++ b/tools/scripts/generate-configs.mts
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
       ),
   );
 
+  // special case - return-await used to be an extension, but no longer is.
+  // See https://github.com/typescript-eslint/typescript-eslint/issues/9517
+  BASE_RULES_TO_BE_OVERRIDDEN.set('return-await', 'no-return-await');
+
   type RuleEntry = [string, ESLintPluginRuleModule];
 
   const allRuleEntries: RuleEntry[] = Object.entries(eslintPlugin.rules).sort(