diff --git a/core/src/api/locations.rs b/core/src/api/locations.rs
index cdd30762d36a..0c81355362b9 100644
--- a/core/src/api/locations.rs
+++ b/core/src/api/locations.rs
@@ -40,19 +40,22 @@ pub type ThumbnailKey = Vec<String>;
 pub enum ExplorerItem {
 	Path {
 		thumbnail: Option<ThumbnailKey>,
+		has_created_thumbnail: bool, // this is important
 		item: file_path_with_object::Data,
 	},
 	Object {
 		thumbnail: Option<ThumbnailKey>,
+		has_created_thumbnail: bool,
 		item: object_with_file_paths::Data,
 	},
-	Location {
-		item: location::Data,
-	},
 	NonIndexedPath {
 		thumbnail: Option<ThumbnailKey>,
+		has_created_thumbnail: bool,
 		item: NonIndexedPathItem,
 	},
+	Location {
+		item: location::Data,
+	},
 	SpacedropPeer {
 		item: PeerMetadata,
 	},
diff --git a/core/src/api/search/mod.rs b/core/src/api/search/mod.rs
index 2f90ea7d6ea1..9eb1d8a828f2 100644
--- a/core/src/api/search/mod.rs
+++ b/core/src/api/search/mod.rs
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ pub fn mount() -> AlphaRouter<Ctx> {
 										} else {
 											ExplorerItem::NonIndexedPath {
 												thumbnail,
+												// TODO: Actually check fs for existence of thumb
+												has_created_thumbnail: false,
 												item,
 											}
 										});
@@ -321,7 +323,7 @@ pub fn mount() -> AlphaRouter<Ctx> {
 					let mut items = Vec::with_capacity(file_paths.len());
 
 					for file_path in file_paths {
-						let thumbnail_exists_locally = if let Some(cas_id) = &file_path.cas_id {
+						let has_created_thumbnail = if let Some(cas_id) = &file_path.cas_id {
 							library
 								.thumbnail_exists(&node, cas_id)
 								.await
@@ -334,8 +336,9 @@ pub fn mount() -> AlphaRouter<Ctx> {
 							thumbnail: file_path
 								.cas_id
 								.as_ref()
-								.filter(|_| thumbnail_exists_locally)
+								// .filter(|_| thumbnail_exists_locally)
 								.map(|i| get_indexed_thumb_key(i, library.id)),
+							has_created_thumbnail,
 							item: file_path,
 						})
 					}
@@ -440,7 +443,7 @@ pub fn mount() -> AlphaRouter<Ctx> {
 							.map(|fp| fp.cas_id.as_ref())
 							.find_map(|c| c);
 
-						let thumbnail_exists_locally = if let Some(cas_id) = cas_id {
+						let has_created_thumbnail = if let Some(cas_id) = cas_id {
 							library.thumbnail_exists(&node, cas_id).await.map_err(|e| {
 								rspc::Error::with_cause(
 									ErrorCode::InternalServerError,
@@ -454,8 +457,8 @@ pub fn mount() -> AlphaRouter<Ctx> {
 
 						items.push(ExplorerItem::Object {
 							thumbnail: cas_id
-								.filter(|_| thumbnail_exists_locally)
 								.map(|cas_id| get_indexed_thumb_key(cas_id, library.id)),
+							has_created_thumbnail,
 							item: object,
 						});
 					}
diff --git a/interface/app/$libraryId/Explorer/util.ts b/interface/app/$libraryId/Explorer/util.ts
index eeef7d99d5e3..7b108cf37f21 100644
--- a/interface/app/$libraryId/Explorer/util.ts
+++ b/interface/app/$libraryId/Explorer/util.ts
@@ -11,12 +11,14 @@ export function useExplorerSearchParams() {
 
 export function useExplorerItemData(explorerItem: ExplorerItem) {
 	const newThumbnail = useSelector(explorerStore, (s) => {
-		const firstThumbnail =
+		const thumbnailKey =
 			explorerItem.type === 'Label'
-				? explorerItem.thumbnails?.[0]
-				: 'thumbnail' in explorerItem && explorerItem.thumbnail;
+				? // labels have .thumbnails, plural
+					explorerItem.thumbnails?.[0]
+				: // all other explorer items have .thumbnail singular
+					'thumbnail' in explorerItem && explorerItem.thumbnail;
 
-		return !!(firstThumbnail && s.newThumbnails.has(flattenThumbnailKey(firstThumbnail)));
+		return !!(thumbnailKey && s.newThumbnails.has(flattenThumbnailKey(thumbnailKey)));
 	});
 
 	return useMemo(() => {
diff --git a/packages/client/src/core.ts b/packages/client/src/core.ts
index c38ecdade4c2..f9dcc3f02762 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/core.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/core.ts
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ export type EphemeralRenameMany = { from_pattern: FromPattern; to_pattern: strin
 
 export type EphemeralRenameOne = { from_path: string; to: string }
 
-export type ExplorerItem = { type: "Path"; thumbnail: string[] | null; item: FilePathWithObject } | { type: "Object"; thumbnail: string[] | null; item: ObjectWithFilePaths } | { type: "Location"; item: Location } | { type: "NonIndexedPath"; thumbnail: string[] | null; item: NonIndexedPathItem } | { type: "SpacedropPeer"; item: PeerMetadata } | { type: "Label"; thumbnails: string[][]; item: LabelWithObjects }
+export type ExplorerItem = { type: "Path"; thumbnail: string[] | null; has_created_thumbnail: boolean; item: FilePathWithObject } | { type: "Object"; thumbnail: string[] | null; has_created_thumbnail: boolean; item: ObjectWithFilePaths } | { type: "NonIndexedPath"; thumbnail: string[] | null; has_created_thumbnail: boolean; item: NonIndexedPathItem } | { type: "Location"; item: Location } | { type: "SpacedropPeer"; item: PeerMetadata } | { type: "Label"; thumbnails: string[][]; item: LabelWithObjects }
 
 export type ExplorerLayout = "grid" | "list" | "media"
 
diff --git a/packages/client/src/lib/explorerItem.ts b/packages/client/src/lib/explorerItem.ts
index ad93fea2abb5..ed3f682bfe3c 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/lib/explorerItem.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/lib/explorerItem.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export function getExplorerItemData(data?: ExplorerItem | null): ItemData {
 				itemData.thumbnailKeys = [data.thumbnail];
 			}
 
-			itemData.hasLocalThumbnail = !!data.thumbnail;
+			itemData.hasLocalThumbnail = data.has_created_thumbnail;
 			// handle file path
 			const filePath = getItemFilePath(data);
 			if (filePath) {
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export function getExplorerItemData(data?: ExplorerItem | null): ItemData {
 				itemData.thumbnailKeys = [data.thumbnail];
 			}
 
-			itemData.hasLocalThumbnail = !!data.thumbnail;
+			itemData.hasLocalThumbnail = data.has_created_thumbnail;
 			// handle file path
 			const filePath = getItemFilePath(data);
 			if (filePath) {