diff --git a/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-command-form.tsx b/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-command-form.tsx
index fe02a7d7..09f3303e 100644
--- a/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-command-form.tsx
+++ b/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-command-form.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ interface ContentCommandFormProps extends ContentCommandSubmission {
 }
 
 const OMIT_FIELD = Symbol("omit optional Content command field");
+const UNCHECKED_CHECKBOX_VALUE = "false";
 function optionalEmptyValue(field: ContentCommandField): unknown {
 	return field.emptyValue === null || field.emptyValue === ""
 		? field.emptyValue
@@ -115,7 +116,11 @@ function readSubmittedValues(
 	for (const field of fields) {
 		if (field.type === "file") continue;
 		const value = formData.get(field.name);
-		if (typeof value === "string") values[field.name] = value;
+		if (typeof value === "string") {
+			values[field.name] = value;
+		} else if (field.type === "checkbox" && !field.allowUnchanged) {
+			values[field.name] = UNCHECKED_CHECKBOX_VALUE;
+		}
 	}
 	if (requiresReason) {
 		const reason = formData.get("reason");
@@ -247,8 +252,9 @@ export function ContentCommandForm({
 									name={field.name}
 									type="checkbox"
 									defaultChecked={
-										retainedValue === "on" ||
-										(retainedValue === undefined && field.defaultValue === true)
+										retainedValue === undefined
+											? field.defaultValue === true
+											: retainedValue === "on"
 									}
 									{...fieldErrorProps}
 								/>{" "}
diff --git a/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-pages.test.tsx b/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-pages.test.tsx
index 376a2cfc..6851f4f0 100644
--- a/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-pages.test.tsx
+++ b/src/features/housekeeping/domains/content/pages/content-pages.test.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,22 @@ import { ContentHelpPage } from "./help";
 import { ContentLocalizationPage } from "./localization";
 import { ContentMediaPage } from "./media";
 
+const { actionState } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+	actionState: { current: null as unknown },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("react", async (importOriginal) => {
+	const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("react")>();
+	return {
+		...actual,
+		useActionState: (_action: unknown, initialState: unknown) => [
+			actionState.current ?? initialState,
+			vi.fn(),
+			false,
+		],
+	};
+});
+
 vi.mock("@/actions/housekeeping-command", () => ({
 	executeHousekeepingCommand: vi.fn(),
 }));
@@ -125,7 +141,10 @@ describe.each(cases)("Content %s page", (kind, Component, editPermission) => {
 });
 
 describe("Content actionable form wiring", () => {
-	beforeEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks());
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		vi.clearAllMocks();
+		actionState.current = null;
+	});
 
 	it("retains configured string values after validation and excludes files", async () => {
 		vi.mocked(executeHousekeepingCommand).mockResolvedValue(
@@ -157,6 +176,82 @@ describe("Content actionable form wiring", () => {
 		expect(state).not.toHaveProperty("values.cover");
 	});
 
+	it("keeps an unchecked default-true checkbox unchecked after a failed remount", async () => {
+		vi.mocked(executeHousekeepingCommand).mockResolvedValue(
+			fail("VALIDATION", "errors.housekeeping.validation", "poll-checkbox"),
+		);
+		const formData = new FormData();
+		const state = await submitContentCommandForm(
+			{
+				commandId: "content.engagement.poll.change",
+				input: { action: "create" },
+				fields: [
+					{
+						name: "showResults",
+						label: "Show results",
+						type: "checkbox",
+						defaultValue: true,
+					},
+				],
+			},
+			null,
+			formData,
+		);
+
+		expect(executeHousekeepingCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+			commandId: "content.engagement.poll.change",
+			input: { action: "create", showResults: false },
+		});
+		actionState.current = state;
+		const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+			<ContentCommandForm
+				commandId="content.engagement.poll.change"
+				buttonLabel="Create poll"
+				input={{ action: "create" }}
+				fields={[
+					{
+						name: "showResults",
+						label: "Show results",
+						type: "checkbox",
+						defaultValue: true,
+					},
+				]}
+			/>,
+		);
+		actionState.current = null;
+		const showResults = html.match(/<input[^>]*name="showResults"[^>]*>/u)?.[0];
+
+		expect(showResults).toBeDefined();
+		expect(showResults).not.toContain("checked");
+	});
+
+	it("retains dependency-failed string values", async () => {
+		vi.mocked(executeHousekeepingCommand).mockResolvedValue(
+			fail(
+				"DEPENDENCY_UNAVAILABLE",
+				"errors.housekeeping.dependencyUnavailable",
+				"poll-dependency",
+			),
+		);
+		const formData = new FormData();
+		formData.set("title", "Draft title");
+
+		const state = await submitContentCommandForm(
+			{
+				commandId: "content.engagement.poll.change",
+				input: { action: "create" },
+				fields: [{ name: "title", label: "Title", type: "text" }],
+			},
+			null,
+			formData,
+		);
+
+		expect(state).toMatchObject({
+			result: { ok: false, error: { code: "DEPENDENCY_UNAVAILABLE" } },
+			values: { title: "Draft title" },
+		});
+	});
+
 	it("retains submitted fields and reason after a conflict", async () => {
 		vi.mocked(executeHousekeepingCommand).mockResolvedValue(
 			fail("CONFLICT", "errors.housekeeping.conflict", "poll-conflict"),