diff --git a/OPENAPI_DOC.yml b/OPENAPI_DOC.yml
index f075145d..2eb45ecb 100644
--- a/OPENAPI_DOC.yml
+++ b/OPENAPI_DOC.yml
@@ -23394,7 +23394,7 @@ paths:
       - name: parent_id
         in: query
         description: only return zones who have this zone as a parent (supports comma-separated
-          list)
+          list). Use 'root' to get zones with no parent
         example: zone-1234,zone-5678
         schema:
           type: array
@@ -23410,6 +23410,12 @@ paths:
           items:
             type: string
           nullable: true
+      - name: include_children_count
+        in: query
+        description: include children_count for each zone (useful for tree views)
+        example: "true"
+        schema:
+          type: boolean
       - name: q
         in: query
         description: returns results based on a [simple query string](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/query-dsl-simple-query-string-query.html)
@@ -26295,6 +26301,10 @@ components:
                           type: string
                           nullable: true
                     nullable: true
+                  children_count:
+                    type: integer
+                    format: Int32
+                    nullable: true
                   id:
                     type: string
                     nullable: true
@@ -26778,6 +26788,10 @@ components:
                       type: string
                       nullable: true
                 nullable: true
+              children_count:
+                type: integer
+                format: Int32
+                nullable: true
               id:
                 type: string
                 nullable: true
@@ -27210,6 +27224,10 @@ components:
                                 type: string
                                 nullable: true
                           nullable: true
+                        children_count:
+                          type: integer
+                          format: Int32
+                          nullable: true
                         id:
                           type: string
                           nullable: true
@@ -27792,6 +27810,10 @@ components:
                 type: string
                 nullable: true
           nullable: true
+        children_count:
+          type: integer
+          format: Int32
+          nullable: true
         id:
           type: string
           nullable: true
@@ -28547,6 +28569,10 @@ components:
                     type: string
                     nullable: true
               nullable: true
+            children_count:
+              type: integer
+              format: Int32
+              nullable: true
             id:
               type: string
               nullable: true
@@ -29679,6 +29705,10 @@ components:
                       type: string
                       nullable: true
                 nullable: true
+              children_count:
+                type: integer
+                format: Int32
+                nullable: true
               id:
                 type: string
                 nullable: true
@@ -30111,6 +30141,10 @@ components:
                                 type: string
                                 nullable: true
                           nullable: true
+                        children_count:
+                          type: integer
+                          format: Int32
+                          nullable: true
                         id:
                           type: string
                           nullable: true
@@ -32492,6 +32526,10 @@ components:
                           type: string
                           nullable: true
                     nullable: true
+                  children_count:
+                    type: integer
+                    format: Int32
+                    nullable: true
                   id:
                     type: string
                     nullable: true
@@ -32924,6 +32962,10 @@ components:
                                     type: string
                                     nullable: true
                               nullable: true
+                            children_count:
+                              type: integer
+                              format: Int32
+                              nullable: true
                             id:
                               type: string
                               nullable: true
diff --git a/shard.lock b/shard.lock
index 16e25eb0..01211dc6 100644
--- a/shard.lock
+++ b/shard.lock
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ shards:
 
   neuroplastic:
     git: https://github.com/spider-gazelle/neuroplastic.git
-    version: 1.14.1
+    version: 1.14.2
 
   office365:
     git: https://github.com/placeos/office365.git
diff --git a/spec/controllers/signage_spec.cr b/spec/controllers/signage_spec.cr
index 6297d16d..59b6afbf 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/signage_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/controllers/signage_spec.cr
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ module PlaceOS::Api
         json["playlist_config"][playlist_id][1].should eq [] of String
 
         # skip forward a moment to avoid a 304
-        sleep 1
+        sleep 1.seconds
 
         # we should now approve the playlist
         approved = client.post(
diff --git a/spec/controllers/zones_spec.cr b/spec/controllers/zones_spec.cr
index 1e53f8d4..4de0108e 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/zones_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/controllers/zones_spec.cr
@@ -74,6 +74,112 @@ module PlaceOS::Api
         child2.destroy
         child3.destroy
       end
+
+      it "gets root zones with parent_id=root" do
+        root1 = Model::Generator.zone.save!
+        root2 = Model::Generator.zone.save!
+
+        child = Model::Generator.zone
+        child.parent_id = root1.id
+        child.save!
+
+        sleep 1.second
+        refresh_elastic(Model::Zone.table_name)
+
+        params = HTTP::Params.encode({"parent_id" => "root"})
+        path = "#{Zones.base_route}?#{params}"
+        result = client.get(path, headers: Spec::Authentication.headers)
+
+        result.success?.should be_true
+        zones = Array(Hash(String, JSON::Any)).from_json(result.body)
+        zone_ids = zones.map(&.["id"].as_s)
+
+        zone_ids.should contain(root1.id)
+        zone_ids.should contain(root2.id)
+        zone_ids.should_not contain(child.id)
+
+        root1.destroy
+        root2.destroy
+        child.destroy
+      end
+
+      it "includes children_count when requested" do
+        parent = Model::Generator.zone.save!
+
+        child1 = Model::Generator.zone
+        child1.parent_id = parent.id
+        child1.save!
+
+        child2 = Model::Generator.zone
+        child2.parent_id = parent.id
+        child2.save!
+
+        grandchild = Model::Generator.zone
+        grandchild.parent_id = child1.id
+        grandchild.save!
+
+        sleep 1.second
+        refresh_elastic(Model::Zone.table_name)
+
+        params = HTTP::Params.encode({"parent_id" => parent.id.as(String), "include_children_count" => "true"})
+        path = "#{Zones.base_route}?#{params}"
+        result = client.get(path, headers: Spec::Authentication.headers)
+
+        result.success?.should be_true
+        zones = Array(Hash(String, JSON::Any)).from_json(result.body)
+
+        child1_data = zones.find { |z| z["id"].as_s == child1.id }
+        child2_data = zones.find { |z| z["id"].as_s == child2.id }
+
+        child1_data.should_not be_nil
+        child2_data.should_not be_nil
+
+        child1_data.not_nil!["children_count"].as_i.should eq 1
+        child2_data.not_nil!["children_count"].as_i.should eq 0
+
+        parent.destroy
+        child1.destroy
+        child2.destroy
+        grandchild.destroy
+      end
+
+      it "preserves include_children_count across paginated requests" do
+        parent = Model::Generator.zone.save!
+
+        children = Array(Model::Zone).new
+        5.times do
+          child = Model::Generator.zone
+          child.parent_id = parent.id
+          child.save!
+          children << child
+        end
+
+        sleep 1.second
+        refresh_elastic(Model::Zone.table_name)
+
+        params = HTTP::Params.encode({
+          "parent_id"              => parent.id.as(String),
+          "include_children_count" => "true",
+          "limit"                  => "2",
+        })
+        path = "#{Zones.base_route}?#{params}"
+        result = client.get(path, headers: Spec::Authentication.headers)
+
+        result.success?.should be_true
+
+        link_header = result.headers["Link"]?
+        link_header.should_not be_nil
+        link_header.not_nil!.should contain("include_children_count=true")
+
+        zones = Array(Hash(String, JSON::Any)).from_json(result.body)
+        zones.size.should eq 2
+        zones.each do |zone|
+          zone["children_count"]?.should_not be_nil
+        end
+
+        parent.destroy
+        children.each(&.destroy)
+      end
     end
 
     describe "tags", tags: "search" do
diff --git a/src/placeos-rest-api/controllers/zones.cr b/src/placeos-rest-api/controllers/zones.cr
index db5e53cc..647a6890 100644
--- a/src/placeos-rest-api/controllers/zones.cr
+++ b/src/placeos-rest-api/controllers/zones.cr
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module PlaceOS::Api
     class ::PlaceOS::Model::Zone
       @[JSON::Field(key: "trigger_data")]
       property trigger_data_details : Array(::PlaceOS::Model::Trigger)? = nil
+      property children_count : Int32? = nil
     end
 
     ###############################################################################################
@@ -96,21 +97,48 @@ module PlaceOS::Api
     # list the configured zones
     @[AC::Route::GET("/", converters: {tags: ConvertStringArray, parent_id: ConvertStringArray})]
     def index(
-      @[AC::Param::Info(description: "only return zones who have this zone as a parent (supports comma-separated list)", example: "zone-1234,zone-5678")]
+      @[AC::Param::Info(description: "only return zones who have this zone as a parent (supports comma-separated list). Use 'root' to get zones with no parent", example: "zone-1234,zone-5678")]
       parent_id : Array(String)? = nil,
       @[AC::Param::Info(description: "return zones with particular tags", example: "building,level")]
       tags : Array(String)? = nil,
+      @[AC::Param::Info(description: "include children_count for each zone (useful for tree views)", example: "true")]
+      include_children_count : Bool = false,
     ) : Array(::PlaceOS::Model::Zone)
       elastic = ::PlaceOS::Model::Zone.elastic
       query = elastic.query(search_params)
       query.sort(NAME_SORT_ASC)
 
-      # Limit results to the children of these parents (OR logic)
+      # Handle tree view queries
       if parent_id
-        query.should({
-          "parent_id" => parent_id,
-        })
-        query.minimum_should_match(1)
+        # Special case: "root" means zones with no parent
+        if parent_id.includes?("root")
+          # Remove "root" and add any other parent_ids if present
+          other_parents = parent_id.reject("root")
+          if !other_parents.empty?
+            # Mix of root and specific parents: use OR logic
+            # Build array with nil and other parent IDs
+            parent_values = Array(String?).new
+            parent_values << nil
+            other_parents.each { |p| parent_values << p }
+            query.should({
+              "parent_id" => parent_values,
+            })
+            query.minimum_should_match(1)
+          else
+            # Only root zones: filter for missing parent_id
+            parent_values = Array(String?).new
+            parent_values << nil
+            query.filter({
+              "parent_id" => parent_values,
+            })
+          end
+        else
+          # Limit results to the children of these parents (OR logic)
+          query.should({
+            "parent_id" => parent_id,
+          })
+          query.minimum_should_match(1)
+        end
       end
 
       # Limit results to zones containing the passed list of tags
@@ -123,7 +151,48 @@ module PlaceOS::Api
         query.search_field "name"
       end
 
-      paginate_results(elastic, query)
+      results = paginate_results(elastic, query)
+
+      # Add children count if requested
+      if include_children_count
+        results = add_children_counts_from_es(results, elastic, query)
+      end
+
+      results
+    end
+
+    # Helper to add children counts to zones using Elasticsearch aggregations
+    private def add_children_counts_from_es(zones : Array(::PlaceOS::Model::Zone), elastic, base_query)
+      return zones if zones.empty?
+
+      zone_ids = zones.map(&.id.as(String))
+
+      # Query all zones whose parent_id matches any of our zone_ids, then aggregate by parent_id
+      agg_query = ::PlaceOS::Model::Zone.elastic.query({} of String => String)
+      agg_query.should({"parent_id" => zone_ids})
+      agg_query.minimum_should_match(1)
+      agg_query.terms("children_by_parent", "parent_id", size: zone_ids.size)
+
+      # Execute query with aggregation
+      data = ::PlaceOS::Model::Zone.elastic.search(agg_query)
+
+      # Extract aggregation results
+      count_map = Hash(String, Int32).new
+      if aggs = data[:aggregations]?
+        if buckets = aggs.dig?("children_by_parent", "buckets").try(&.as_a?)
+          buckets.each do |bucket|
+            parent_id = bucket["key"].as_s
+            count_map[parent_id] = bucket["doc_count"].as_i
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Assign counts to zones
+      zones.each do |zone|
+        zone.children_count = count_map[zone.id.as(String)]? || 0
+      end
+
+      zones
     end
 
     # returns unique zone tags