diff --git a/core/playlists.go b/core/playlists.go
index ed90cc23..1f98bf50 100644
--- a/core/playlists.go
+++ b/core/playlists.go
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ func (s *playlists) parseNSP(_ context.Context, pls *model.Playlist, reader io.R
 	if nsp.Comment != "" {
 		pls.Comment = nsp.Comment
 	}
+	if nsp.Public != nil {
+		pls.Public = *nsp.Public
+	} else {
+		pls.Public = conf.Server.DefaultPlaylistPublicVisibility
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -409,7 +414,10 @@ func (s *playlists) updatePlaylist(ctx context.Context, newPls *model.Playlist)
 	} else {
 		log.Info(ctx, "Adding synced playlist", "playlist", newPls.Name, "path", newPls.Path, "owner", owner.UserName)
 		newPls.OwnerID = owner.ID
-		newPls.Public = conf.Server.DefaultPlaylistPublicVisibility
+		// For NSP files, Public may already be set from the file; for M3U, use server default
+		if !newPls.IsSmartPlaylist() {
+			newPls.Public = conf.Server.DefaultPlaylistPublicVisibility
+		}
 	}
 	return s.ds.Playlist(ctx).Put(newPls)
 }
@@ -473,6 +481,7 @@ type nspFile struct {
 	criteria.Criteria
 	Name    string `json:"name"`
 	Comment string `json:"comment"`
+	Public  *bool  `json:"public"`
 }
 
 func (i *nspFile) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
@@ -483,5 +492,8 @@ func (i *nspFile) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 	}
 	i.Name, _ = m["name"].(string)
 	i.Comment, _ = m["comment"].(string)
+	if public, ok := m["public"].(bool); ok {
+		i.Public = &public
+	}
 	return json.Unmarshal(data, &i.Criteria)
 }
diff --git a/core/playlists_test.go b/core/playlists_test.go
index 6aa8aac9..f3347ae7 100644
--- a/core/playlists_test.go
+++ b/core/playlists_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,27 @@ var _ = Describe("Playlists", func() {
 				_, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, folder, "invalid_json.nsp")
 				Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("line 19, column 1: invalid character '\\n'"))
 			})
+			It("parses NSP with public: true and creates public playlist", func() {
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, folder, "public_playlist.nsp")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.Name).To(Equal("Public Playlist"))
+				Expect(pls.Public).To(BeTrue())
+			})
+			It("parses NSP with public: false and creates private playlist", func() {
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, folder, "private_playlist.nsp")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.Name).To(Equal("Private Playlist"))
+				Expect(pls.Public).To(BeFalse())
+			})
+			It("uses server default when public field is absent", func() {
+				DeferCleanup(configtest.SetupConfig())
+				conf.Server.DefaultPlaylistPublicVisibility = true
+
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, folder, "recently_played.nsp")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.Name).To(Equal("Recently Played"))
+				Expect(pls.Public).To(BeTrue()) // Should be true since server default is true
+			})
 		})
 
 		Describe("Cross-library relative paths", func() {
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/playlists/private_playlist.nsp b/tests/fixtures/playlists/private_playlist.nsp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de73b369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/playlists/private_playlist.nsp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "Private Playlist",
+  "comment": "A smart playlist that is explicitly private",
+  "public": false,
+  "all": [
+    {"is": {"loved": true}}
+  ],
+  "sort": "title",
+  "order": "asc",
+  "limit": 100
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/playlists/public_playlist.nsp b/tests/fixtures/playlists/public_playlist.nsp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e303169e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/playlists/public_playlist.nsp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "Public Playlist",
+  "comment": "A smart playlist that is public",
+  "public": true,
+  "all": [
+    {"inTheLast": {"lastPlayed": 30}}
+  ],
+  "sort": "lastPlayed",
+  "order": "desc",
+  "limit": 50
+}