diff --git a/packages/api/src/cache-tags.spec.ts b/packages/api/src/cache-tags.spec.ts
index 4c929dae3..eb7552d17 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/cache-tags.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/cache-tags.spec.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ describe("cacheTags", () => {
     expect(cacheTags.boardList()).toBe("board-list");
     expect(cacheTags.user("u1")).toBe("user:u1");
     expect(cacheTags.integration("i1")).toBe("integration:i1");
-    expect(cacheTags.app("a1")).toBe("app:a1");
   });
 
   it("boardByName uppercases consistently", () => {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/cache-tags.ts b/packages/api/src/cache-tags.ts
index d22fe22f4..0df0f7271 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/cache-tags.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/cache-tags.ts
@@ -5,5 +5,4 @@ export const cacheTags = {
   boardList: () => "board-list" as const,
   user: (userId: string) => `user:${userId}` as const,
   integration: (integrationId: string) => `integration:${integrationId}` as const,
-  app: (appId: string) => `app:${appId}` as const,
 } as const;
diff --git a/packages/api/src/integration-data-cache.ts b/packages/api/src/integration-data-cache.ts
index d55fa8735..adcedf77f 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/integration-data-cache.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/integration-data-cache.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // ponytail: module-level cache is single-instance only.
-// Multi-instance deployments (REDIS_IS_EXTERNAL=true) bypass this and rely on
-// the Redis-backed Next cache handler for cross-instance coordination.
+// Multi-instance deployments (REDIS_IS_EXTERNAL=true) bypass this entirely —
+// each request calls the upstream fetcher directly.
 const isMultiInstance = process.env.REDIS_IS_EXTERNAL === "true";
 
 interface CachedEntry<T> {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/anchor-notes.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/anchor-notes.ts
index d431c0de9..445b5b0c9 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/anchor-notes.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/anchor-notes.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { anchorNotesListInputSchema, anchorNoteUpdateInputSchema, createIntegrat
 import { anchorNoteRequestHandler, anchorNotesListRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/anchor-notes";
 
 import { createOneIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
 const noteIdInput = z.object({
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ export const anchorNotesRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           ...(normalizedContent !== undefined ? { content: normalizedContent } : {}),
         });
 
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(ctx.integration.id);
         return updatedNote;
       } catch (error) {
         if (error instanceof ResponseError && error.statusCode === 400) {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/dns-hole.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/dns-hole.ts
index 0318f1b1a..fde3dc291 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/dns-hole.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/dns-hole.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { createIntegrationAsync } from "@homarr/integrations";
 import { dnsHoleRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/dns-hole";
 
 import { createManyIntegrationMiddleware, createOneIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { integrationQueryKey, settleIntegrationQueries } from "../../settle-integrations";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ export const dnsHoleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
     .mutation(async ({ ctx: { integration } }) => {
       const client = await createIntegrationAsync(integration);
       await client.enableAsync();
+      invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
     }),
 
   disable: protectedProcedure
@@ -63,5 +65,6 @@ export const dnsHoleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
     .mutation(async ({ ctx: { integration }, input }) => {
       const client = await createIntegrationAsync(integration);
       await client.disableAsync(input.duration);
+      invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/downloads.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/downloads.ts
index c4de1e424..884090044 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/downloads.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/downloads.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { downloadClientRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/downloads"
 
 import type { IntegrationAction } from "../../middlewares/integration";
 import { createManyIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { integrationQueryKey, settleIntegrationQueries } from "../../settle-integrations";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ export const downloadsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           await integrationInstance.pauseQueueAsync();
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
       downloadClientRequestHandler.invalidateCache();
     }),
   pauseItem: protectedProcedure
@@ -65,6 +69,9 @@ export const downloadsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           await integrationInstance.pauseItemAsync(input.item);
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
       downloadClientRequestHandler.invalidateCache();
     }),
   resume: protectedProcedure
@@ -83,6 +90,9 @@ export const downloadsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           await integrationInstance.resumeQueueAsync();
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
       downloadClientRequestHandler.invalidateCache();
     }),
   resumeItem: protectedProcedure
@@ -95,6 +105,9 @@ export const downloadsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           await integrationInstance.resumeItemAsync(input.item);
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
       downloadClientRequestHandler.invalidateCache();
     }),
   deleteItem: protectedProcedure
@@ -107,6 +120,9 @@ export const downloadsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           await integrationInstance.deleteItemAsync(input.item, input.fromDisk);
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
       downloadClientRequestHandler.invalidateCache();
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/indexer-manager.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/indexer-manager.ts
index 53a6a20d0..b735ac4e7 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/indexer-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/indexer-manager.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { indexerManagerRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/indexer-ma
 
 import type { IntegrationAction } from "../../middlewares/integration";
 import { createManyIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { integrationQueryKey, settleIntegrationQueries } from "../../settle-integrations";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
@@ -45,5 +46,8 @@ export const indexerManagerRouter = createTRPCRouter({
           });
         }),
       );
+      for (const integration of ctx.integrations) {
+        invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
+      }
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/media-requests.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/media-requests.ts
index f2c85d477..e24d2a2bd 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/media-requests.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/media-requests.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 import { mediaRequestStatsRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/media-request-stats";
 
 import { createManyIntegrationMiddleware, createOneIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { integrationQueryKey, settleIntegrationQueries } from "../../settle-integrations";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
@@ -107,5 +108,6 @@ export const mediaRequestsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
       } as const;
 
       await answerActions[input.answer](input.requestId);
+      invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/options.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/options.ts
index 8dc5a0653..6f56567a6 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/options.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/options.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { getServerSettingsAsync } from "@homarr/db/queries";
 import { boards, items } from "@homarr/db/schema";
 
 import type { WidgetOptionsSettings } from "../../../../widgets/src/definition";
+import { invalidateBoardCache } from "../../cache-invalidation";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 import { throwIfActionForbiddenAsync } from "../board/board-access";
 
@@ -51,5 +52,7 @@ export const optionsRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         .update(items)
         .set({ options: SuperJSON.stringify(options) })
         .where(eq(items.id, input.itemId));
+
+      invalidateBoardCache(input.boardId);
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/smart-home.ts b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/smart-home.ts
index c37468752..241c18d7f 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/widgets/smart-home.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/widgets/smart-home.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { smartHomeEntityStateRequestHandler } from "@homarr/request-handler/smar
 
 import type { IntegrationAction } from "../../middlewares/integration";
 import { createOneIntegrationMiddleware } from "../../middlewares/integration";
+import { invalidateIntegrationDataCache } from "../../integration-data-cache";
 import { createTRPCRouter, protectedProcedure, publicProcedure } from "../../trpc";
 
 const createSmartHomeIntegrationMiddleware = (action: IntegrationAction) =>
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ export const smartHomeRouter = createTRPCRouter({
       const client = await createIntegrationAsync(integration);
       const success = await client.triggerToggleAsync(input.entityId);
 
+      invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
       return success;
     }),
   executeAutomation: protectedProcedure
@@ -56,5 +58,6 @@ export const smartHomeRouter = createTRPCRouter({
     .mutation(async ({ ctx: { integration }, input }) => {
       const client = await createIntegrationAsync(integration);
       await client.triggerAutomationAsync(input.automationId);
+      invalidateIntegrationDataCache(integration.id);
     }),
 });
diff --git a/packages/next-cache-handler/src/redis-handler.ts b/packages/next-cache-handler/src/redis-handler.ts
index 965f6274f..cddcbd93e 100644
--- a/packages/next-cache-handler/src/redis-handler.ts
+++ b/packages/next-cache-handler/src/redis-handler.ts
@@ -152,13 +152,36 @@ export class RedisCacheHandler implements CacheHandler {
   async getExpiration(tags: string[]): Promise<number> {
     if (tags.length === 0) return 0;
 
+    const missingTags: string[] = [];
     let maxTimestamp = 0;
+
     for (const tag of tags) {
       const cached = this.tagCache.get(tag);
-      if (cached && cached > maxTimestamp) {
-        maxTimestamp = cached;
+      if (cached !== undefined) {
+        if (cached > maxTimestamp) maxTimestamp = cached;
+      } else {
+        missingTags.push(tag);
       }
     }
+
+    if (missingTags.length > 0) {
+      try {
+        await this.redis.connect().catch(() => {});
+        const keys = missingTags.map((t) => this.tagKey(t));
+        const values = await this.redis.mget(...keys);
+        for (let i = 0; i < missingTags.length; i++) {
+          const val = values[i];
+          if (val) {
+            const ts = Number(val);
+            this.tagCache.set(missingTags[i]!, ts);
+            if (ts > maxTimestamp) maxTimestamp = ts;
+          }
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Fail open
+      }
+    }
+
     return maxTimestamp;
   }