diff --git a/model/album.go b/model/album.go
index 6f53e4c66..ef48ac7be 100644
--- a/model/album.go
+++ b/model/album.go
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ type AlbumRepository interface {
 	Exists(id string) (bool, error)
 	Put(*Album) error
 	UpdateExternalInfo(*Album) error
+	UpdateImage(id, filename string) error
 	Get(id string) (*Album, error)
 	GetAll(...QueryOptions) (Albums, error)
 	GetCursor(...QueryOptions) (AlbumCursor, error)
diff --git a/persistence/album_repository.go b/persistence/album_repository.go
index 6ebbd9202..e8167cde4 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository.go
@@ -219,6 +219,22 @@ func (r *albumRepository) UpdateExternalInfo(al *model.Album) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// UpdateImage is the sole writer of uploaded_image: it uses raw SQL because Put's
+// structs.Map marshaling drops the structs:"-" tagged UploadedImage field.
+func (r *albumRepository) UpdateImage(id, filename string) error {
+	c, err := r.executeSQL(Update(r.tableName).
+		Set("uploaded_image", filename).
+		Set("updated_at", time.Now()).
+		Where(Eq{"id": id}))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if c == 0 {
+		return model.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (r *albumRepository) selectAlbum(options ...model.QueryOptions) SelectBuilder {
 	sql := r.newSelect(options...).Columns("album.*", "library.path as library_path", "library.name as library_name").
 		LeftJoin("library on album.library_id = library.id")
diff --git a/persistence/album_repository_test.go b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
index 64ff0095e..3b2028a7e 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
@@ -41,6 +41,37 @@ var _ = Describe("AlbumRepository", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Describe("UpdateImage", func() {
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			Expect(albumRepo.Put(&model.Album{ID: "img-1", Name: "img", LibraryID: 1})).To(Succeed())
+			DeferCleanup(func() {
+				_, _ = albumRepo.executeSQL(squirrel.Delete("album").Where(squirrel.Eq{"id": "img-1"}))
+			})
+		})
+		It("sets and clears the uploaded image filename", func() {
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("img-1", "img-1_cover.jpg")).To(Succeed())
+			got, err := albumRepo.Get("img-1")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(got.UploadedImage).To(Equal("img-1_cover.jpg"))
+
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("img-1", "")).To(Succeed())
+			got, err = albumRepo.Get("img-1")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(got.UploadedImage).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
+		It("is preserved across a full-row Put (structs:\"-\" contract)", func() {
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("img-1", "img-1_cover.jpg")).To(Succeed())
+			// A scan-style refresh re-Puts the album with a zero-valued UploadedImage.
+			Expect(albumRepo.Put(&model.Album{ID: "img-1", Name: "img changed", LibraryID: 1})).To(Succeed())
+			got, err := albumRepo.Get("img-1")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(got.UploadedImage).To(Equal("img-1_cover.jpg"))
+		})
+		It("returns ErrNotFound for a missing album", func() {
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("does-not-exist", "x.jpg")).To(MatchError(model.ErrNotFound))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("CopyAttributes", func() {
 		var srcTime, dstTime time.Time
 		BeforeEach(func() {
diff --git a/tests/mock_album_repo.go b/tests/mock_album_repo.go
index 03dfed879..ccd1eba15 100644
--- a/tests/mock_album_repo.go
+++ b/tests/mock_album_repo.go
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@ func (m *MockAlbumRepo) UpdateExternalInfo(album *model.Album) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (m *MockAlbumRepo) UpdateImage(id, filename string) error {
+	if m.Err {
+		return errors.New("unexpected error")
+	}
+	if al, ok := m.Data[id]; ok {
+		al.UploadedImage = filename
+		return nil
+	}
+	return model.ErrNotFound
+}
+
 func (m *MockAlbumRepo) Search(q string, options ...model.QueryOptions) (model.Albums, error) {
 	m.SearchQuery = q
 	if len(options) > 0 {