diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/client.py b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/client.py
index 27bffcb91..530059143 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/client.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/client.py
@@ -264,6 +264,24 @@ class DropboxClient:
                     f.write(chunk)
         return None
 
+    async def export_file(
+        self,
+        path: str,
+        export_format: str | None = None,
+    ) -> tuple[bytes | None, str | None]:
+        """Export a non-downloadable file (e.g. .paper) via /2/files/export.
+
+        Uses the recommended new API for Paper-as-files.
+        Returns (content_bytes, error_message).
+        """
+        api_arg: dict[str, str] = {"path": path}
+        if export_format:
+            api_arg["export_format"] = export_format
+        resp = await self._content_request("/2/files/export", api_arg)
+        if resp.status_code != 200:
+            return None, f"Export failed: {resp.status_code} - {resp.text}"
+        return resp.content, None
+
     async def upload_file(
         self,
         path: str,
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/content_extractor.py b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/content_extractor.py
index 9e83f3474..226a643c7 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/content_extractor.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/content_extractor.py
@@ -12,11 +12,36 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
 from .client import DropboxClient
-from .file_types import get_extension_from_name, should_skip_file
+from .file_types import get_extension_from_name, is_paper_file, should_skip_file
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+async def _export_paper_content(
+    client: DropboxClient,
+    file: dict[str, Any],
+    metadata: dict[str, Any],
+) -> tuple[str | None, dict[str, Any], str | None]:
+    """Export a Dropbox Paper doc as markdown via ``/2/files/export``."""
+    file_path_lower = file.get("path_lower", "")
+    file_name = file.get("name", "Unknown")
+
+    logger.info(f"Exporting Paper doc as markdown: {file_name}")
+
+    content_bytes, error = await client.export_file(
+        file_path_lower, export_format="markdown"
+    )
+    if error:
+        return None, metadata, error
+    if not content_bytes:
+        return None, metadata, "Export returned empty content"
+
+    markdown = content_bytes.decode("utf-8", errors="replace")
+    metadata["exported_as"] = "markdown"
+    metadata["original_type"] = "paper"
+    return markdown, metadata, None
+
+
 async def download_and_extract_content(
     client: DropboxClient,
     file: dict[str, Any],
@@ -50,6 +75,9 @@ async def download_and_extract_content(
     if "content_hash" in file:
         metadata["content_hash"] = file["content_hash"]
 
+    if is_paper_file(file):
+        return await _export_paper_content(client, file, metadata)
+
     temp_file_path = None
     try:
         extension = get_extension_from_name(file_name) or ".bin"
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/file_types.py b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/file_types.py
index a3ddc2afb..e6d772a1c 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/file_types.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/connectors/dropbox/file_types.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 """File type handlers for Dropbox."""
 
-SKIP_EXTENSIONS = frozenset(
-    {
-        ".paper",  # Dropbox Paper docs are not downloadable via /files/download
-    }
-)
+PAPER_EXTENSION = ".paper"
+
+SKIP_EXTENSIONS: frozenset[str] = frozenset()
 
 MIME_TO_EXTENSION: dict[str, str] = {
     "application/pdf": ".pdf",
@@ -37,10 +35,22 @@ def is_folder(item: dict) -> bool:
     return item.get(".tag") == "folder"
 
 
+def is_paper_file(item: dict) -> bool:
+    """Detect Dropbox Paper docs (exported via /2/files/export, not /2/files/download)."""
+    name = item.get("name", "")
+    ext = get_extension_from_name(name).lower()
+    return ext == PAPER_EXTENSION
+
+
 def should_skip_file(item: dict) -> bool:
-    """Skip folders and non-downloadable files."""
+    """Skip folders and truly non-indexable files.
+
+    Paper docs are non-downloadable but exportable, so they are NOT skipped.
+    """
     if is_folder(item):
         return True
+    if is_paper_file(item):
+        return False
     if not item.get("is_downloadable", True):
         return True
     name = item.get("name", "")