diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/missing_doc.rs b/clippy_lints/src/missing_doc.rs
index a5d8a500cca..74592918bfc 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/missing_doc.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/missing_doc.rs
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ fn check_missing_docs_attrs(
 
         if self.crate_items_only && def_id != CRATE_DEF_ID {
             let vis = cx.tcx.visibility(def_id);
-            if vis != Visibility::Public && vis != Visibility::Restricted(CRATE_DEF_ID.into()) {
+            if vis == Visibility::Public || vis != Visibility::Restricted(CRATE_DEF_ID.into()) {
                 return;
             }
         }
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/utils/conf.rs b/clippy_lints/src/utils/conf.rs
index ae35ceebc55..c3c73ac6e37 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/utils/conf.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/utils/conf.rs
@@ -456,7 +456,8 @@ pub(crate) fn get_configuration_metadata() -> Vec<ClippyConfiguration> {
     (suppress_restriction_lint_in_const: bool = false),
     /// Lint: MISSING_DOCS_IN_PRIVATE_ITEMS.
     ///
-    /// Whether to **only** check for missing documentation in `pub(crate)` items.
+    /// Whether to **only** check for missing documentation in items visible within the current
+    /// crate. For example, `pub(crate)` items.
     (missing_docs_in_crate_items: bool = false),
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs b/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs
index f2edb737d59..830d71f61dd 100644
--- a/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs
+++ b/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 //! this is crate
+#![allow(missing_docs)]
 #![warn(clippy::missing_docs_in_private_items)]
 
 /// this is mod
@@ -45,6 +46,13 @@ pub(crate) struct CrateStructNoDocs {
     }
 }
 
+/// some docs
+type CrateTypedefWithDocs = String;
+type CrateTypedefNoDocs = String;
+/// some docs
+pub type PubTypedefWithDocs = String;
+pub type PubTypedefNoDocs = String;
+
 fn main() {
     my_mod::crate_with_docs();
     my_mod::crate_no_docs();
diff --git a/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.stderr b/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.stderr
index 89927abd87b..a474187050c 100644
--- a/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui-toml/pub_crate_missing_docs/pub_crate_missing_doc.stderr
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 error: missing documentation for a function
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:11:5
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:12:5
    |
 LL |     pub(crate) fn crate_no_docs() {}
    |     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
@@ -7,25 +7,25 @@ LL |     pub(crate) fn crate_no_docs() {}
    = note: `-D clippy::missing-docs-in-private-items` implied by `-D warnings`
 
 error: missing documentation for a function
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:14:5
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:15:5
    |
 LL |     pub(super) fn super_no_docs() {}
    |     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 error: missing documentation for a function
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:22:9
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:23:9
    |
 LL |         pub(crate) fn sub_crate_no_docs() {}
    |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 error: missing documentation for a struct field
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:32:9
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:33:9
    |
 LL |         pub(crate) crate_field_no_docs: (),
    |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 error: missing documentation for a struct
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:38:5
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:39:5
    |
 LL | /     pub(crate) struct CrateStructNoDocs {
 LL | |         /// some docs
@@ -37,10 +37,16 @@ LL | |     }
    | |_____^
 
 error: missing documentation for a struct field
-  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:41:9
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:42:9
    |
 LL |         pub(crate) crate_field_no_docs: (),
    |         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-error: aborting due to 6 previous errors
+error: missing documentation for a type alias
+  --> $DIR/pub_crate_missing_doc.rs:51:1
+   |
+LL | type CrateTypedefNoDocs = String;
+   | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+error: aborting due to 7 previous errors