diff --git a/lib/Contracts/IMailManager.php b/lib/Contracts/IMailManager.php
index 134871189d..b4e27b41a9 100644
--- a/lib/Contracts/IMailManager.php
+++ b/lib/Contracts/IMailManager.php
@@ -45,12 +45,13 @@ public function getMailboxes(Account $account): array;
 	/**
 	 * @param Account $account
 	 * @param string $name
+	 * @param string[] $specialUse
 	 *
 	 * @return Mailbox
 	 *
 	 * @throws ServiceException
 	 */
-	public function createMailbox(Account $account, string $name): Mailbox;
+	public function createMailbox(Account $account, string $name, array $specialUse = []): Mailbox;
 
 	/**
 	 * @param Mailbox $mailbox
diff --git a/lib/IMAP/FolderMapper.php b/lib/IMAP/FolderMapper.php
index fae9090418..9a81618158 100644
--- a/lib/IMAP/FolderMapper.php
+++ b/lib/IMAP/FolderMapper.php
@@ -71,9 +71,10 @@ public function getFolders(Account $account, Horde_Imap_Client_Socket $client,
 		), $toPersist);
 	}
 
-	public function createFolder(Horde_Imap_Client_Socket $client,
-		string $name): Folder {
-		$client->createMailbox($name);
+	public function createFolder(Horde_Imap_Client_Socket $client, string $name, array $specialUse = []): Folder {
+		$client->createMailbox($name, [
+			'special_use' => $specialUse,
+		]);
 
 		$list = $client->listMailboxes($name, Horde_Imap_Client::MBOX_ALL_SUBSCRIBED, [
 			'delimiter' => true,
diff --git a/lib/Service/MailManager.php b/lib/Service/MailManager.php
index f4ce9dcf43..9647c0ad7b 100644
--- a/lib/Service/MailManager.php
+++ b/lib/Service/MailManager.php
@@ -141,18 +141,11 @@ public function getMailboxes(Account $account): array {
 		return $this->mailboxMapper->findAll($account);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * @param Account $account
-	 * @param string $name
-	 *
-	 * @return Mailbox
-	 * @throws ServiceException
-	 */
 	#[\Override]
-	public function createMailbox(Account $account, string $name): Mailbox {
+	public function createMailbox(Account $account, string $name, array $specialUse = []): Mailbox {
 		$client = $this->imapClientFactory->getClient($account);
 		try {
-			$folder = $this->folderMapper->createFolder($client, $name);
+			$folder = $this->folderMapper->createFolder($client, $name, $specialUse);
 			$this->folderMapper->fetchFolderAcls([$folder], $client);
 		} catch (Horde_Imap_Client_Exception $e) {
 			throw new ServiceException(
diff --git a/lib/Service/MailTransmission.php b/lib/Service/MailTransmission.php
index c914bcb85b..d6154bb78c 100644
--- a/lib/Service/MailTransmission.php
+++ b/lib/Service/MailTransmission.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 use OCA\Mail\Account;
 use OCA\Mail\Address;
 use OCA\Mail\AddressList;
+use OCA\Mail\Contracts\IMailManager;
 use OCA\Mail\Contracts\IMailTransmission;
 use OCA\Mail\Db\LocalMessage;
 use OCA\Mail\Db\Mailbox;
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ public function __construct(
 		private PerformanceLogger $performanceLogger,
 		private AliasesService $aliasesService,
 		private TransmissionService $transmissionService,
+		private IMailManager $mailManager,
 	) {
 	}
 
@@ -231,12 +233,7 @@ public function saveLocalDraft(Account $account, LocalMessage $message): void {
 			$transport = new Horde_Mail_Transport_Null();
 			$mail->send($transport, false, false);
 			$perfLogger->step('create IMAP draft message');
-			// save the message in the drafts folder
-			$draftsMailboxId = $account->getMailAccount()->getDraftsMailboxId();
-			if ($draftsMailboxId === null) {
-				throw new ClientException('No drafts mailbox configured');
-			}
-			$draftsMailbox = $this->mailboxMapper->findById($draftsMailboxId);
+			$draftsMailbox = $this->findOrCreateDraftsMailbox($account);
 			$this->messageMapper->save(
 				$client,
 				$draftsMailbox,
@@ -258,6 +255,20 @@ public function saveLocalDraft(Account $account, LocalMessage $message): void {
 		$perfLogger->end();
 	}
 
+	private function findOrCreateDraftsMailbox(Account $account): Mailbox {
+		$draftsMailboxId = $account->getMailAccount()->getDraftsMailboxId();
+
+		if ($draftsMailboxId === null) {
+			return $this->mailManager->createMailbox(
+				$account,
+				'Drafts',
+				[Horde_Imap_Client::SPECIALUSE_DRAFTS]
+			);
+		}
+
+		return $this->mailboxMapper->findById($draftsMailboxId);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param NewMessageData $message
 	 * @param Message|null $previousDraft