diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte
index cef35418..1e8cbd20 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ const shownTags = $derived(visibleTags.slice(0, MAX_VISIBLE_TAGS));
 			{#each shownTags as tag (tag.id)}
 				<a
 					href="/documents?tag={encodeURIComponent(tag.name)}"
-					aria-label="{tag.name}{tag.documentCount > 0
-						? ', ' + m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.documentCount })
+					aria-label="{tag.name}{tag.subtreeDocumentCount > 0
+						? ', ' + m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.subtreeDocumentCount })
 						: ''}"
 					class="flex cursor-pointer items-stretch overflow-hidden rounded-sm border border-line bg-canvas hover:bg-surface focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-navy focus-visible:outline-none"
 					style="min-height: 56px"
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ const shownTags = $derived(visibleTags.slice(0, MAX_VISIBLE_TAGS));
 					></span>
 					<span class="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-0.5 px-3 py-3">
 						<span class="truncate font-serif text-sm font-semibold text-ink">{tag.name}</span>
-						{#if tag.documentCount > 0}
+						{#if tag.subtreeDocumentCount > 0}
 							<span class="font-sans text-xs text-ink-3 tabular-nums">
-								{m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.documentCount })}
+								{m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.subtreeDocumentCount })}
 							</span>
 						{/if}
 					</span>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte.spec.ts
index 521ddeba..a8e1e552 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/shared/dashboard/ThemenWidget.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ type TagTreeNodeDTO = components['schemas']['TagTreeNodeDTO'];
 function makeTag(
 	name: string,
 	documentCount: number,
-	children: TagTreeNodeDTO[] = []
+	children: TagTreeNodeDTO[] = [],
+	subtreeDocumentCount: number = documentCount
 ): TagTreeNodeDTO {
-	return { id: 'id-' + name, name, documentCount, children };
+	return { id: 'id-' + name, name, documentCount, subtreeDocumentCount, children };
 }
 
 describe('ThemenWidget', () => {
@@ -32,6 +33,14 @@ describe('ThemenWidget', () => {
 		expect(document.body.textContent).not.toContain('Leer');
 	});
 
+	it('displays the subtree rollup count for a tag with 0 direct documents', async () => {
+		// 0 direct documents, but the subtree rolls up to 8 — the widget shows the rollup.
+		const tags = [makeTag('Reisen', 0, [], 8)];
+		render(ThemenWidget, { tags });
+		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain('Reisen');
+		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain('8');
+	});
+
 	it('shows the empty state text when all tags are filtered out', async () => {
 		render(ThemenWidget, { tags: [makeTag('Leer', 0)] });
 		expect(document.body.textContent).toMatch(/Noch keine Themen/);
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/themen/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/themen/+page.svelte
index 40daf0cf..c0a50b6c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/themen/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/themen/+page.svelte
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ const visibleTree = $derived.by(() => data.tree.filter(hasAnyDocuments));
 
 					<a
 						href="/documents?tag={encodeURIComponent(tag.name)}"
-						aria-label="{tag.name}{tag.documentCount > 0
-							? ', ' + m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.documentCount })
+						aria-label="{tag.name}{tag.subtreeDocumentCount > 0
+							? ', ' + m.themen_dokumente({ count: tag.subtreeDocumentCount })
 							: ''}"
 						class="flex min-h-[56px] items-center justify-between px-4 pt-4 pb-3 hover:bg-canvas focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-navy focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-inset"
 					>
 						<span class="font-serif text-base font-semibold text-ink">{tag.name}</span>
 						<span class="mr-1 ml-auto font-sans text-sm text-ink-3 tabular-nums">
-							{#if tag.documentCount > 0}{tag.documentCount}{/if}
+							{#if tag.subtreeDocumentCount > 0}{tag.subtreeDocumentCount}{/if}
 						</span>
 						<span aria-hidden="true" class="h-3.5 w-3.5 flex-shrink-0 text-brand-mint">›</span>
 					</a>
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ const visibleTree = $derived.by(() => data.tree.filter(hasAnyDocuments));
 							>
 								<span class="font-sans text-sm text-ink">{child.name}</span>
 								<span class="mr-1 ml-auto font-sans text-xs text-ink-3 tabular-nums">
-									{#if child.documentCount > 0}{child.documentCount}{/if}
+									{#if child.subtreeDocumentCount > 0}{child.subtreeDocumentCount}{/if}
 								</span>
 								<span aria-hidden="true" class="h-3 w-3 flex-shrink-0 text-brand-mint">›</span>
 							</a>
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/themen/page.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/routes/themen/page.svelte.spec.ts
index d9d9634a..4e0b9b55 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/themen/page.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/themen/page.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ type TagTreeNodeDTO = components['schemas']['TagTreeNodeDTO'];
 function makeTag(
 	name: string,
 	documentCount: number,
-	children: TagTreeNodeDTO[] = []
+	children: TagTreeNodeDTO[] = [],
+	subtreeDocumentCount: number = documentCount
 ): TagTreeNodeDTO {
-	return { id: 'id-' + name, name, documentCount, children };
+	return { id: 'id-' + name, name, documentCount, subtreeDocumentCount, children };
 }
 
 describe('/themen +page', () => {
@@ -48,6 +49,14 @@ describe('/themen +page', () => {
 		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain('Kriegsbriefe');
 	});
 
+	it('shows the subtree rollup in the header for a parent with 0 direct documents', async () => {
+		// AC#5: 0 direct docs, but the subtree rolls up to 7 (child contributes 3).
+		const tree = [makeTag('Reisen', 0, [makeTag('Italien', 3)], 7)];
+		render(ThemenPage, { data: { tree } });
+		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain('Reisen');
+		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain('7');
+	});
+
 	it('shows "+ N weitere" when a root tag has more than 5 children', async () => {
 		const children = Array.from({ length: 7 }, (_, i) => makeTag(`Kind${i}`, i + 1));
 		const tree = [makeTag('Briefe', 10, children)];