diff --git a/backend/src/openapi.rs b/backend/src/openapi.rs
index 3bfeb72..b31f422 100644
--- a/backend/src/openapi.rs
+++ b/backend/src/openapi.rs
@@ -502,7 +502,10 @@ mod doc {
         post,
         path = "/api/folders",
         request_body = CreateFolderRequest,
-        responses((status = 200, description = "Folder created", body = FolderResponse)),
+        responses(
+            (status = 201, description = "Folder created", body = FolderResponse),
+            (status = 200, description = "Folder already existed", body = FolderResponse)
+        ),
         tag = "Folders"
     )]
     pub(super) fn create_folder() {}
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/folders.rs b/backend/src/routes/folders.rs
index 3ea7c02..be691e2 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/folders.rs
+++ b/backend/src/routes/folders.rs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ pub async fn create_folder(
         ..
     }: TenantScopedConn,
     Json(payload): Json<CreateFolderRequest>,
-) -> AppResult<Json<FolderResponse>> {
+) -> AppResult<(StatusCode, Json<FolderResponse>)> {
     if payload.name.trim().is_empty() {
         return Err(AppError::bad_request("name must not be empty"));
     }
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ pub async fn create_folder(
             .optional()?
     };
 
-    let folder: Folder = if let Some(folder) = existing {
-        folder
+    let (folder, created): (Folder, bool) = if let Some(folder) = existing {
+        (folder, false)
     } else {
         let new_folder = NewFolder {
             id: Uuid::new_v4(),
@@ -220,28 +220,43 @@ pub async fn create_folder(
             .optional()?;
 
         if let Some(id) = inserted_id {
-            folders::table
-                .find(id)
-                .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
-                .first(&mut conn)?
+            (
+                folders::table
+                    .find(id)
+                    .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
+                    .first(&mut conn)?,
+                true,
+            )
         } else if let Some(parent_id) = payload.parent_id {
-            folders::table
-                .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
-                .filter(folders::parent_id.eq(Some(parent_id)))
-                .filter(folders::name.eq(name))
-                .first(&mut conn)?
+            (
+                folders::table
+                    .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
+                    .filter(folders::parent_id.eq(Some(parent_id)))
+                    .filter(folders::name.eq(name))
+                    .first(&mut conn)?,
+                false,
+            )
         } else {
-            folders::table
-                .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
-                .filter(folders::parent_id.is_null())
-                .filter(folders::name.eq(name))
-                .first(&mut conn)?
+            (
+                folders::table
+                    .filter(folders::tenant_id.eq(tenant_id))
+                    .filter(folders::parent_id.is_null())
+                    .filter(folders::name.eq(name))
+                    .first(&mut conn)?,
+                false,
+            )
         }
     };
 
-    Ok(Json(FolderResponse {
+    let response = Json(FolderResponse {
         folder: folder_to_info(folder),
-    }))
+    });
+
+    if created {
+        Ok((StatusCode::CREATED, response))
+    } else {
+        Ok((StatusCode::OK, response))
+    }
 }
 
 pub async fn list_folder_contents(
diff --git a/backend/tests/folders_flow.rs b/backend/tests/folders_flow.rs
index 7e74630..12d487b 100644
--- a/backend/tests/folders_flow.rs
+++ b/backend/tests/folders_flow.rs
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ async fn folder_move_and_delete_flow() -> Result<()> {
             Some(&token),
         )
         .await?;
-    assert_eq!(folder_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(folder_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let folder_body = body_to_vec(folder_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let folder: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&folder_body)?;
 
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ async fn update_folder_parent_to_root() -> Result<()> {
             Some(&token),
         )
         .await?;
-    assert_eq!(parent_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(parent_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let parent_body = body_to_vec(parent_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let parent: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&parent_body)?;
 
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ async fn update_folder_parent_to_root() -> Result<()> {
             Some(&token),
         )
         .await?;
-    assert_eq!(child_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(child_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let child_body = body_to_vec(child_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let child: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&child_body)?;
 
@@ -310,14 +310,14 @@ async fn create_folder_is_idempotent() -> Result<()> {
     let first_resp = app
         .post_json("/api/folders", &payload, Some(&token))
         .await?;
-    assert!(first_resp.status().is_success());
+    assert_eq!(first_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let first_body = body_to_vec(first_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let first_folder: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&first_body)?;
 
     let second_resp = app
         .post_json("/api/folders", &payload, Some(&token))
         .await?;
-    assert!(second_resp.status().is_success());
+    assert_eq!(second_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
     let second_body = body_to_vec(second_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let second_folder: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&second_body)?;
 
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ async fn folder_rename_updates_name_and_child_paths() -> Result<()> {
             Some(&token),
         )
         .await?;
-    assert_eq!(parent_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(parent_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let parent_body = body_to_vec(parent_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let parent: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&parent_body)?;
 
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ async fn folder_rename_updates_name_and_child_paths() -> Result<()> {
             Some(&token),
         )
         .await?;
-    assert_eq!(child_resp.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(child_resp.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
     let child_body = body_to_vec(child_resp.into_body()).await?;
     let child: FolderResponse = serde_json::from_slice(&child_body)?;