diff --git a/packages/nylas-api/serialization.js b/packages/nylas-api/serialization.js
index 7bde7d61b..2440f1664 100644
--- a/packages/nylas-api/serialization.js
+++ b/packages/nylas-api/serialization.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ function jsonSchema(modelName) {
   if (modelName === 'Account') {
     return Joi.object().keys({
       id: Joi.number(),
+      object: Joi.string(),
       email_address: Joi.string(),
       connection_settings: Joi.object(),
       sync_policy: Joi.object(),
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ function jsonSchema(modelName) {
   if (modelName === 'Category') {
     return Joi.object().keys({
       id: Joi.number(),
+      object: Joi.string(),
       name: Joi.string().allow(null),
       display_name: Joi.string(),
     })
diff --git a/packages/nylas-sync/imap/fetch-category-list.js b/packages/nylas-sync/imap/fetch-category-list.js
index 9cb46cd7e..03afc5124 100644
--- a/packages/nylas-sync/imap/fetch-category-list.js
+++ b/packages/nylas-sync/imap/fetch-category-list.js
@@ -1,8 +1,23 @@
+const {Provider} = require('nylas-core');
+
+const GMAIL_FOLDERS = ['[Gmail]/All Mail', '[Gmail]/Trash', '[Gmail]/Spam'];
+
 class FetchCategoryList {
+  constructor(provider) {
+    this._provider = provider;
+  }
+
   description() {
     return `FetchCategoryList`;
   }
 
+  _typeForMailbox(boxName) {
+    if (this._provider === Provider.Gmail) {
+      return GMAIL_FOLDERS.includes(boxName) ? 'folder' : 'label';
+    }
+    return 'folder';
+  }
+
   _roleForMailbox(boxName, box) {
     for (const attrib of (box.attribs || [])) {
       const role = {
@@ -53,6 +68,7 @@ class FetchCategoryList {
       if (!category) {
         category = Category.build({
           name: boxName,
+          type: this._typeForMailbox(boxName, box),
           role: this._roleForMailbox(boxName, box),
         });
         created.push(category);
diff --git a/packages/nylas-sync/sync-worker.js b/packages/nylas-sync/sync-worker.js
index 43ba2098a..df6c0b532 100644
--- a/packages/nylas-sync/sync-worker.js
+++ b/packages/nylas-sync/sync-worker.js
@@ -133,21 +133,12 @@ class SyncWorker {
     const {Category} = this._db;
     const {folderSyncOptions} = this._account.syncPolicy;
 
-    return Category.findAll().then((categories) => {
+    return Category.findAll({where: {type: 'folder'}}).then((categories) => {
       const priority = ['inbox', 'all', 'drafts', 'sent', 'spam', 'trash'].reverse();
-      let categoriesToSync = categories.sort((a, b) =>
+      const categoriesToSync = categories.sort((a, b) =>
         (priority.indexOf(a.role) - priority.indexOf(b.role)) * -1
       )
 
-      if (this._account.provider === Provider.Gmail) {
-        categoriesToSync = categoriesToSync.filter(cat =>
-          ['[Gmail]/All Mail', '[Gmail]/Trash', '[Gmail]/Spam'].includes(cat.name)
-        )
-        if (categoriesToSync.length !== 3) {
-          throw new Error(`Account is missing a core Gmail folder: ${categoriesToSync.join(',')}`)
-        }
-      }
-
       return Promise.all(categoriesToSync.map((cat) =>
         this._conn.runOperation(new FetchMessagesInCategory(cat, folderSyncOptions))
       ))
@@ -155,7 +146,7 @@ class SyncWorker {
   }
 
   performSync() {
-    return this._conn.runOperation(new FetchCategoryList())
+    return this._conn.runOperation(new FetchCategoryList(this._account.provider))
     .then(() => this.syncbackMessageActions())
     .then(() => this.syncAllCategories())
   }