diff --git a/server/pkg/controller/file.go b/server/pkg/controller/file.go
index 7e772084435..48c69caf651 100644
--- a/server/pkg/controller/file.go
+++ b/server/pkg/controller/file.go
@@ -210,12 +210,28 @@ func (c *FileController) Create(ctx *gin.Context, userID int64, file ente.File,
 		}
 		return file, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "")
 	}
-	if usage == fileSize+thumbnailSize {
-		go c.EmailNotificationCtrl.OnFirstFileUpload(file.OwnerID, userAgent)
+	if usage == fileSize+thumbnailSize && app == ente.Photos {
+		go c.maybeSendFirstUploadEmail(file.OwnerID, userAgent)
 	}
 	return file, nil
 }
 
+func (c *FileController) maybeSendFirstUploadEmail(userID int64, userAgent string) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	hasTrashItems, err := c.TrashRepository.HasItems(ctx, userID)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"user_id": userID,
+		}).WithError(err).Error("Failed to determine trash state before sending first upload email")
+		return
+	}
+	if !hasTrashItems {
+		c.EmailNotificationCtrl.OnFirstFileUpload(userID, userAgent)
+		return
+	}
+	log.WithField("user_id", userID).Debug("Skipping first upload email because trash is not empty")
+}
+
 // Update verifies permissions and updates the specified file
 func (c *FileController) Update(ctx context.Context, userID int64, file ente.File, app ente.App) (ente.UpdateFileResponse, error) {
 	var response ente.UpdateFileResponse
diff --git a/server/pkg/repo/trash.go b/server/pkg/repo/trash.go
index 897520682b3..826ee554cd4 100644
--- a/server/pkg/repo/trash.go
+++ b/server/pkg/repo/trash.go
@@ -344,6 +344,21 @@ func (t *TrashRepository) GetTimeStampForLatestNonDeletedEntry(userID int64) (*i
 	return updatedAt, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "")
 }
 
+// HasItems returns true if the user has any entries in trash.
+func (t *TrashRepository) HasItems(ctx context.Context, userID int64) (bool, error) {
+	row := t.DB.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+		SELECT exists(
+			SELECT 1 FROM trash
+			WHERE user_id = $1
+		)`, userID)
+	var hasItems bool
+	err := row.Scan(&hasItems)
+	if errors.Is(err, sql.ErrNoRows) {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	return hasItems, stacktrace.Propagate(err, "")
+}
+
 // GetUserIDToFileIDsMapForDeletion returns map of userID to fileIds, where the file ids which should be deleted by now
 func (t *TrashRepository) GetUserIDToFileIDsMapForDeletion() (map[int64][]int64, error) {
 	rows, err := t.DB.Query(`SELECT user_id, file_id FROM trash