diff --git a/components/layout/__tests__/navigation-rail-badge-name.test.tsx b/components/layout/__tests__/navigation-rail-badge-name.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a3a18fd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/layout/__tests__/navigation-rail-badge-name.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+// The Mail entry shows the Inbox's unread count as a badge. On the collapsed
+// rail the entry has no visible text, so the badge digits used to become the
+// link's whole accessible name ("2" instead of "Mail").
+
+vi.mock('../account-switcher', () => ({ AccountSwitcher: () => null }));
+vi.mock('@/components/plugins/plugin-slot', () => ({ PluginSlot: () => null }));
+vi.mock('@/components/keyboard-shortcuts-modal', () => ({ KeyboardShortcutsModal: () => null }));
+vi.mock('@/components/search/search-box', () => ({ SearchBox: () => null }));
+vi.mock('@/hooks/use-config', () => ({ useConfig: () => ({ appName: 'Mail' }) }));
+vi.mock('@/hooks/use-stalwart-admin', () => ({ useStalwartAdmin: () => false }));
+vi.mock('@/i18n/navigation', () => ({
+  useRouter: () => ({ push: vi.fn(), back: vi.fn(), replace: vi.fn() }),
+  usePathname: () => '/files',
+  Link: ({ children, href, ...rest }: { children: React.ReactNode; href: string }) => <a href={href} {...rest}>{children}</a>,
+}));
+
+const { NavigationRail } = await import('../navigation-rail');
+const { useUpdateStore } = await import('@/stores/update-store');
+const { useEmailStore } = await import('@/stores/email-store');
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  useUpdateStore.setState({ startPolling: vi.fn() } as never);
+  useEmailStore.setState({ mailboxes: [{ id: 'a', role: 'inbox', unreadEmails: 2 }] } as never);
+});
+
+describe.each([
+  ['collapsed rail', { orientation: 'vertical', collapsed: true }],
+  ['expanded rail', { orientation: 'vertical', collapsed: false }],
+  ['bottom bar', { orientation: 'horizontal', collapsed: false }],
+] as const)('%s', (_name, props) => {
+  it('names the Mail entry by its label, not by its unread count', () => {
+    render(<NavigationRail {...props} />);
+    expect(screen.getAllByRole('link', { name: 'mail' }).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('link', { name: '2' })).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx b/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
index a661d5c5e..e31d65ec5 100644
--- a/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
+++ b/components/layout/navigation-rail.tsx
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ export function NavigationRail({
               )}>
                 <Icon className="w-5 h-5" />
                 {item.badge != null && item.badge > 0 && (
-                  <span className="absolute -top-1.5 -right-2.5 flex items-center justify-center min-w-[16px] h-4 text-[10px] font-bold rounded-full bg-red-500 text-white px-1">
+                  <span aria-hidden="true" className="absolute -top-1.5 -right-2.5 flex items-center justify-center min-w-[16px] h-4 text-[10px] font-bold rounded-full bg-red-500 text-white px-1">
                     {item.badge > 99 ? "99+" : item.badge}
                   </span>
                 )}
@@ -588,13 +588,14 @@ export function NavigationRail({
                   : "text-muted-foreground hover:bg-muted hover:text-foreground"
               )}
               aria-current={isActive ? "page" : undefined}
+              aria-label={t(item.labelKey)}
               title={collapsed ? t(item.labelKey) : undefined}
               style={collapsed ? undefined : { paddingBlock: 'var(--density-sidebar-py)' }}
             >
               <Icon className={cn("w-[18px] h-[18px] flex-shrink-0", isActive && "text-primary")} />
               {!collapsed && <span className="truncate">{t(item.labelKey)}</span>}
               {item.badge != null && item.badge > 0 && (
-                <span className={cn(
+                <span aria-hidden="true" className={cn(
                   "absolute flex items-center justify-center min-w-[16px] h-4 text-[10px] font-bold rounded-full bg-red-500 text-white px-1",
                   collapsed ? "-top-0.5 -right-0.5" : "right-1.5"
                 )}>