diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/FolderPicker.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/FolderPicker.svelte
index 341b2c741a..f9e2e629f7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/FolderPicker.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/FolderPicker.svelte
@@ -7,7 +7,11 @@
 	import Select from './select/Select.svelte'
 	import TextInput from './text_input/TextInput.svelte'
 	import Label from './Label.svelte'
+	import InputError from './InputError.svelte'
 	import { tick } from 'svelte'
+	import { sendUserToast } from '$lib/toast'
+
+	const VALID_FOLDER_NAME = /^[a-zA-Z_0-9]+$/
 
 	let folders: { name: string; write: boolean }[] = $state([])
 	let filterText: string = $state('')
@@ -17,6 +21,8 @@
 	let viewFolder: Drawer | null = $state(null)
 	let newFolderName: string = $state('')
 	let folderCreated: string | undefined = $state(undefined)
+	let creating: boolean = $state(false)
+	let loadingFolders: boolean = $state(true)
 
 	type Props = {
 		folderName: string
@@ -37,30 +43,37 @@
 	}: Props = $props()
 
 	async function loadFolders(): Promise<void> {
-		let initialFolders: { name: string; write: boolean }[] = []
-		let initialFolder = ''
-		if (initialPath?.split('/')?.[0] == 'f') {
-			initialFolder = initialPath?.split('/')?.[1]
-			initialFolders.push({ name: initialFolder, write: true })
-		}
+		loadingFolders = true
+		try {
+			let initialFolders: { name: string; write: boolean }[] = []
+			let initialFolder = ''
+			if (initialPath?.split('/')?.[0] == 'f') {
+				initialFolder = initialPath?.split('/')?.[1]
+				initialFolders.push({ name: initialFolder, write: true })
+			}
 
-		const excludedFolders = [initialFolder, 'app_groups', 'app_custom', 'app_themes']
+			const excludedFolders = [initialFolder, 'app_groups', 'app_custom', 'app_themes']
 
-		folders = initialFolders.concat(
-			(
-				await FolderService.listFolderNames({
-					workspace: $workspaceStore!
-				})
+			folders = initialFolders.concat(
+				(
+					await FolderService.listFolderNames({
+						workspace: $workspaceStore!
+					})
+				)
+					.filter((x) => !excludedFolders.includes(x))
+					.map((x) => ({
+						name: x,
+						write:
+							$userStore?.folders?.includes(x) == true ||
+							($userStore?.is_admin ?? false) ||
+							($userStore?.is_super_admin ?? false)
+					}))
 			)
-				.filter((x) => !excludedFolders.includes(x))
-				.map((x) => ({
-					name: x,
-					write:
-						$userStore?.folders?.includes(x) == true ||
-						($userStore?.is_admin ?? false) ||
-						($userStore?.is_super_admin ?? false)
-				}))
-		)
+		} catch (e) {
+			sendUserToast(`Could not load folders: ${e}`, true)
+		} finally {
+			loadingFolders = false
+		}
 	}
 
 	async function openCreateFolder() {
@@ -72,14 +85,24 @@
 	}
 
 	async function addFolder() {
-		await FolderService.createFolder({
-			workspace: $workspaceStore ?? '',
-			requestBody: { name: newFolderName }
-		})
-		folderCreated = newFolderName
-		$userStore?.folders?.push(newFolderName)
-		folderName = newFolderName
-		loadFolders()
+		if (nameError || !newFolderName || creating) return
+		creating = true
+		try {
+			await FolderService.createFolder({
+				workspace: $workspaceStore ?? '',
+				requestBody: { name: newFolderName }
+			})
+			folderCreated = newFolderName
+			if ($userStore) {
+				$userStore.folders = [...($userStore.folders ?? []), newFolderName]
+			}
+			folderName = newFolderName
+			loadFolders()
+		} catch (e) {
+			sendUserToast(`Could not create folder: ${e}`, true)
+		} finally {
+			creating = false
+		}
 	}
 
 	let selectItems = $derived(
@@ -90,6 +113,16 @@
 		}))
 	)
 
+	let nameError = $derived(
+		!newFolderName
+			? ''
+			: !VALID_FOLDER_NAME.test(newFolderName)
+				? 'Folder name can only contain alphanumeric characters and underscores'
+				: folders.some((f) => f.name === newFolderName)
+					? 'A folder with this name already exists'
+					: ''
+	)
+
 	let noMatchingItems = $derived(
 		filterText &&
 			!selectItems.some((item) => item.label.toLowerCase().includes(filterText.toLowerCase()))
@@ -120,20 +153,29 @@
 			<div class="flex flex-col gap-4">
 				<Label label="Folder name">
 					<TextInput
-					bind:this={nameInput}
-					bind:value={newFolderName}
-					inputProps={{
-						placeholder: 'folder_name',
-						onkeydown: (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
-							if (e.key === 'Enter' && newFolderName) {
-								e.preventDefault()
-								addFolder()
+						bind:this={nameInput}
+						bind:value={newFolderName}
+						error={!!nameError}
+						inputProps={{
+							placeholder: 'folder_name',
+							onkeydown: (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+								if (e.key === 'Enter' && newFolderName) {
+									e.preventDefault()
+									addFolder()
+								}
 							}
-						}
-					}}
-				/>
+						}}
+					/>
+					<InputError error={nameError} />
 				</Label>
-				<Button variant="accent" disabled={!newFolderName} on:click={addFolder}>Create</Button>
+				<Button
+					variant="accent"
+					disabled={!newFolderName || !!nameError || creating}
+					loading={creating}
+					on:click={addFolder}
+				>
+					Create
+				</Button>
 			</div>
 		{/if}
 	</DrawerContent>
@@ -153,12 +195,15 @@
 		bind:open={selectOpen}
 		items={selectItems}
 		disabled={disabled || disableEditing}
+		loading={loadingFolders}
 		{size}
 		placeholder="Select folder"
 	>
 		{#snippet bottomSnippet({ close })}
 			<button
-				class="sticky py-2 px-4 w-full text-left text-xs font-semibold text-medium hover:bg-surface-hover flex items-center justify-center gap-2 border-t border-border-light {noMatchingItems ? 'bg-surface-hover' : ''}"
+				class="sticky py-2 px-4 w-full text-left text-xs font-medium hover:bg-surface-hover flex items-center justify-center gap-2 border-t border-border-light {noMatchingItems
+					? 'bg-surface-hover'
+					: ''}"
 				onclick={() => {
 					close()
 					openCreateFolder()