diff --git a/routes/email_routes.py b/routes/email_routes.py
index f811b881e..56c3d6913 100644
--- a/routes/email_routes.py
+++ b/routes/email_routes.py
@@ -3860,14 +3860,24 @@ def setup_email_routes():
         """List IMAP folders."""
         if _fixture_email_enabled():
             return {"folders": ["INBOX", "Archive", "Sent"], "sync": {"source": "fixture"}}
-        cached = None if refresh else _folder_cache_get(account_id, owner)
+        try:
+            cached_only_enabled = bool(int(cached_only or 0))
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            cached_only_enabled = False
+        if isinstance(refresh, str):
+            refresh_enabled = refresh.strip().lower() in {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
+        elif isinstance(refresh, (bool, int)):
+            refresh_enabled = bool(refresh)
+        else:
+            refresh_enabled = False
+        cached = None if refresh_enabled else _folder_cache_get(account_id, owner)
         if cached is not None:
             payload = dict(cached)
             sync_meta = dict(payload.get("sync") or {})
             sync_meta["source"] = "folder_cache"
             payload["sync"] = sync_meta
             return payload
-        if cached_only:
+        if cached_only_enabled:
             stale = _folder_cache_get_stale(account_id, owner)
             if stale:
                 payload = dict(stale)
diff --git a/tests/test_email_archive_fallback.py b/tests/test_email_archive_fallback.py
index 8e51b8f10..adf7cd08b 100644
--- a/tests/test_email_archive_fallback.py
+++ b/tests/test_email_archive_fallback.py
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ async def test_list_folders_refresh_bypasses_stale_folder_cache(monkeypatch):
 def test_email_library_handles_archive_folder_setup_flow():
     src = Path("static/js/emailLibrary.js").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
-    assert "import { folderDisplayName, isArchiveFolder, sortedFolders } from './emailInbox.js';" in src
+    assert "import { folderDisplayName, isArchiveFolder, sortedFolders } from './emailInbox.js" in src
     assert "_archiveEmailWithFallback" in src
     assert "needs_archive_folder" in src
     assert "No Archive folder was found for this account. Create one named" in src
@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@ def test_email_library_handles_archive_folder_setup_flow():
     assert "const result = await _archiveEmailWithFallback(em.uid)" in src
     assert "actions.findIndex(a => a.label === 'Move to Archive')" in src
     assert "const isArchiveCurrentFolder = isArchiveFolder(state._libFolder)" in src
-    assert "emailApiUrl('/api/email/folders', { refresh: refresh ? 1 : undefined })" in src
+    assert "cached_only: (live || refresh) ? undefined : 1" in src
+    assert "refresh: refresh ? 1 : undefined" in src
     assert "_loadFolders({ refresh: true })" in src
     assert "_loadFolders({ resetMissing: true, refresh: true })" in src