diff --git a/backend/routes/sessions.js b/backend/routes/sessions.js
index 9f262df..48a3608 100644
--- a/backend/routes/sessions.js
+++ b/backend/routes/sessions.js
@@ -21,18 +21,45 @@ function createMessageHash(username, message, timestamp) {
 // Get all sessions
 router.get('/', (req, res) => {
   try {
+    const filter = req.query.filter || 'default';
+    const limitParam = req.query.limit || 'all';
+
+    let whereClause = '';
+    if (filter === 'default') {
+      whereClause = 'WHERE s.archived = 0';
+    } else if (filter === 'archived') {
+      whereClause = 'WHERE s.archived = 1';
+    }
+
+    const countRow = db.prepare(`
+      SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT s.id) as total
+      FROM sessions s
+      ${whereClause}
+    `).get();
+
+    let limitClause = '';
+    if (limitParam !== 'all') {
+      const limitNum = parseInt(limitParam, 10);
+      if (!isNaN(limitNum) && limitNum > 0) {
+        limitClause = `LIMIT ${limitNum}`;
+      }
+    }
+
     const sessions = db.prepare(`
       SELECT 
         s.id,
         s.created_at,
         s.closed_at,
         s.is_active,
+        s.archived,
         s.notes,
         COUNT(sg.id) as games_played
       FROM sessions s
       LEFT JOIN session_games sg ON s.id = sg.session_id
+      ${whereClause}
       GROUP BY s.id
       ORDER BY s.created_at DESC
+      ${limitClause}
     `).all();
 
     const result = sessions.map(({ notes, ...session }) => {
@@ -40,6 +67,7 @@ router.get('/', (req, res) => {
       return { ...session, has_notes, notes_preview };
     });
 
+    res.set('X-Total-Count', String(countRow.total));
     res.json(result);
   } catch (error) {
     res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
diff --git a/tests/api/session-archive.test.js b/tests/api/session-archive.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1f205b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/api/session-archive.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+const request = require('supertest');
+const { app } = require('../../backend/server');
+const { cleanDb, getAuthHeader, seedSession } = require('../helpers/test-utils');
+
+describe('GET /api/sessions — filter and limit', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    cleanDb();
+  });
+
+  test('default filter excludes archived sessions', async () => {
+    seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    const archived = seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    require('../helpers/test-utils').db.prepare(
+      'UPDATE sessions SET archived = 1 WHERE id = ?'
+    ).run(archived.id);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(res.body[0].archived).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test('filter=archived returns only archived sessions', async () => {
+    seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    const archived = seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    require('../helpers/test-utils').db.prepare(
+      'UPDATE sessions SET archived = 1 WHERE id = ?'
+    ).run(archived.id);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=archived');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(res.body[0].archived).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  test('filter=all returns all sessions', async () => {
+    seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    const archived = seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    require('../helpers/test-utils').db.prepare(
+      'UPDATE sessions SET archived = 1 WHERE id = ?'
+    ).run(archived.id);
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(2);
+  });
+
+  test('limit restricts number of sessions returned', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    }
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all&limit=3');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(3);
+  });
+
+  test('limit=all returns all sessions', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    }
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all&limit=all');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(10);
+  });
+
+  test('X-Total-Count header reflects total matching sessions before limit', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    }
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all&limit=3');
+    expect(res.headers['x-total-count']).toBe('10');
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(3);
+  });
+
+  test('response includes archived field on each session', async () => {
+    seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body[0]).toHaveProperty('archived', 0);
+  });
+
+  test('default limit is all when no limit param provided', async () => {
+    for (let i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
+      seedSession({ is_active: 0, notes: null });
+    }
+
+    const res = await request(app).get('/api/sessions?filter=all');
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body).toHaveLength(8);
+  });
+});