diff --git a/.changeset/stupid-deers-wonder.md b/.changeset/stupid-deers-wonder.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e65e01dd5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/stupid-deers-wonder.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-compat-api': minor
+---
+
+The `collectLegacyRoutes` has been removed and is replaced by `convertLegacyApp` now being able to convert a `FlatRoutes` element directly.
diff --git a/packages/core-compat-api/api-report.md b/packages/core-compat-api/api-report.md
index 58d5a2f094..a764d8c091 100644
--- a/packages/core-compat-api/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/core-compat-api/api-report.md
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 > Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
 
 ```ts
-/// <reference types="react" />
-
 import { AnyRouteRefParams } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import { BackstagePlugin } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
 import { ExtensionOverrides } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
@@ -17,11 +15,6 @@ import { RouteRef as RouteRef_2 } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
 import { SubRouteRef } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import { SubRouteRef as SubRouteRef_2 } from '@backstage/frontend-plugin-api';
 
-// @public (undocumented)
-export function collectLegacyRoutes(
-  flatRoutesElement: JSX.Element,
-): BackstagePlugin[];
-
 // @public
 export function compatWrapper(element: ReactNode): React_2.JSX.Element;
 
diff --git a/packages/core-compat-api/src/collectLegacyRoutes.tsx b/packages/core-compat-api/src/collectLegacyRoutes.tsx
index 729ead2786..b4af6ac01a 100644
--- a/packages/core-compat-api/src/collectLegacyRoutes.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-compat-api/src/collectLegacyRoutes.tsx
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ function visitRouteChildren(options: {
   });
 }
 
-/** @public */
+/** @internal */
 export function collectLegacyRoutes(
   flatRoutesElement: JSX.Element,
 ): BackstagePlugin[] {
diff --git a/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.test.tsx b/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.test.tsx
index 9fae0128b0..a8d6cb2dbc 100644
--- a/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.test.tsx
@@ -126,4 +126,37 @@ describe('convertLegacyApp', () => {
       },
     ]);
   });
+
+  it('should find and extract just routes', () => {
+    const collected = convertLegacyApp(
+      <FlatRoutes>
+        <Route path="/score-board" element={<ScoreBoardPage />} />
+        <Route path="/stackstorm" element={<StackstormPage />} />
+        <Route path="/puppetdb" element={<PuppetDbPage />} />
+        <Route path="/puppetdb" element={<PuppetDbPage />} />
+      </FlatRoutes>,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      collected.map((p: any /* TODO */) => ({
+        id: p.id,
+        extensions: p.extensions.map((e: any) => ({
+          id: e.id,
+          attachTo: e.attachTo,
+          disabled: e.disabled,
+          defaultConfig: e.configSchema?.parse({}),
+        })),
+      })),
+    ).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        id: 'score-card',
+      }),
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        id: 'stackstorm',
+      }),
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        id: 'puppetDb',
+      }),
+    ]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.ts b/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.ts
index 9fe07cc783..8055a7b72e 100644
--- a/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.ts
+++ b/packages/core-compat-api/src/convertLegacyApp.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ function selectChildren(
 export function convertLegacyApp(
   rootElement: React.JSX.Element,
 ): (ExtensionOverrides | BackstagePlugin)[] {
+  if (getComponentData(rootElement, 'core.type') === 'FlatRoutes') {
+    return collectLegacyRoutes(rootElement);
+  }
+
   const appRouterEls = selectChildren(
     rootElement,
     el => getComponentData(el, 'core.type') === 'AppRouter',
diff --git a/packages/core-compat-api/src/index.ts b/packages/core-compat-api/src/index.ts
index cb62654684..68e5d9cf19 100644
--- a/packages/core-compat-api/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core-compat-api/src/index.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,5 @@
  */
 export * from './compatWrapper';
 
-export { collectLegacyRoutes } from './collectLegacyRoutes';
 export { convertLegacyApp } from './convertLegacyApp';
 export { convertLegacyRouteRef } from './convertLegacyRouteRef';