diff --git a/src/interactive_gate.py b/src/interactive_gate.py
index c0f5907fc..38c684fa2 100644
--- a/src/interactive_gate.py
+++ b/src/interactive_gate.py
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ _PASSIVE_EXACT_PATHS = {
     "/api/tasks/notifications",
     "/api/research/active",
     "/api/email/urgency-state",
+    # UI idle poll sibling of urgency-state; must not pre-empt background tasks.
+    "/api/email/unread-state",
 }
 
 _PASSIVE_PREFIXES = (
diff --git a/tests/test_interactive_gate_passive_paths.py b/tests/test_interactive_gate_passive_paths.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e811c839b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_interactive_gate_passive_paths.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""Regression for idle UI polls that must not count as foreground activity."""
+
+from src.interactive_gate import should_track_interactive_request
+
+
+def test_email_unread_state_is_passive_like_urgency_state():
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/email/urgency-state") is False
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/email/unread-state") is False
+
+
+def test_real_interactive_paths_still_tracked():
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/chat_stream") is True
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/email/messages") is True
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/tasks", method="POST") is True
+
+
+def test_options_never_tracked():
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/email/unread-state", method="OPTIONS") is False
+    assert should_track_interactive_request("/api/chat_stream", method="OPTIONS") is False