diff --git a/src/becca/entities/bnote.js b/src/becca/entities/bnote.js
index f1d0fe343..71e351f38 100644
--- a/src/becca/entities/bnote.js
+++ b/src/becca/entities/bnote.js
@@ -401,7 +401,8 @@ class BNote extends AbstractBeccaEntity {
             const parentAttributes = this.ownedAttributes.slice();
             const newPath = [...path, this.noteId];
 
-            if (this.noteId !== 'root') {
+            // inheritable attrs on root are typically not intended to be applied to hidden subtree #3537
+            if (this.noteId !== 'root' && this.noteId !== '_hidden') {
                 for (const parentNote of this.parents) {
                     parentAttributes.push(...parentNote.__getInheritableAttributes(newPath));
                 }
@@ -852,7 +853,8 @@ class BNote extends AbstractBeccaEntity {
         const set = new Set();
 
         function inner(note) {
-            if (set.has(note)) {
+            // _hidden is not counted as subtree for the purpose of inheritance
+            if (set.has(note) || note.noteId === '_hidden') {
                 return;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/public/app/entities/fnote.js b/src/public/app/entities/fnote.js
index 3e0da6cdb..fa08995f2 100644
--- a/src/public/app/entities/fnote.js
+++ b/src/public/app/entities/fnote.js
@@ -250,7 +250,8 @@ class FNote {
             const newPath = [...path, this.noteId];
             const attrArrs = [ this.getOwnedAttributes() ];
 
-            if (this.noteId !== 'root') {
+            // inheritable attrs on root are typically not intended to be applied to hidden subtree #3537
+            if (this.noteId !== 'root' && this.noteId !== '_hidden') {
                 for (const parentNote of this.getParentNotes()) {
                     // these virtual parent-child relationships are also loaded into froca
                     if (parentNote.type !== 'search') {