diff --git a/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/index.ts
index 3632f970..f0d8cef8 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/index.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ export default defineTrigger({
       label: 'Folder',
       key: 'folderId',
       type: 'dropdown' as const,
-      required: true,
+      required: false,
+      description:
+        'Check a specific folder for new files. Please note: new files added to subfolders inside the folder you choose here will NOT trigger this flow. Defaults to the top-level folder if none is picked.',
       variables: false,
       source: {
         type: 'query',
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/new-files-in-folder.ts b/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/new-files-in-folder.ts
index 185e413e..aa7db214 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/new-files-in-folder.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/apps/google-drive/triggers/new-files-in-folder/new-files-in-folder.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 import { IGlobalVariable } from '@automatisch/types';
 
 const newFilesInFolder = async ($: IGlobalVariable) => {
+  let q = "mimeType!='application/vnd.google-apps.folder'";
+  if ($.step.parameters.folderId) {
+    q += ` and '${$.step.parameters.folderId}' in parents`;
+  } else {
+    q += ` and parents in 'root'`;
+  }
   const params = {
     pageToken: undefined as unknown as string,
     orderBy: 'createdTime desc',
-    q: `mimeType!='application/vnd.google-apps.folder' and '${$.step.parameters.folderId}' in parents`,
     fields: '*',
     pageSize: 1000,
+    q,
   };
 
   do {