From 7c27e9d5a3ffbffca0b91eb2bbb6856ebf8cc341 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Deluan <deluan@navidrome.org>
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:57:56 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] fix(scanner): copy created_at once per target when albums
 merge
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The per-pair attribute copy let a later merged old album overwrite the
target's created_at with its own, shifting the album's position in Recently
Added depending on processing order. Split the copy: created_at stays under
the per-target guard (copied once), while the cover fields copy per old→new
pair so any merged old album can still contribute an uploaded cover.
---
 scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go      | 15 +++++++++++----
 scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go |  7 +++++--
 2 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
index 251bc6942..fc049b054 100644
--- a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
+++ b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
@@ -315,6 +315,13 @@ func (p *phaseMissingTracks) moveMatched(target, missing model.MediaFile) error
 						log.Warn(p.ctx, "Scanner: Could not reassign album annotations", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID, err)
 					}
 
+					// Keep created_at once per target, so moved albums don't resurface in "Recently Added"
+					if err := tx.Album(p.ctx).CopyAttributes(oldAlbumID, newAlbumID, "created_at"); err != nil {
+						if !errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound) {
+							log.Warn(p.ctx, "Scanner: Could not copy album created_at", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID, err)
+						}
+					}
+
 					// Note: RefreshPlayCounts will be called in later phases, so we don't need to call it here
 					p.processedAlbumAnnotations[newAlbumID] = true
 				}
@@ -323,8 +330,8 @@ func (p *phaseMissingTracks) moveMatched(target, missing model.MediaFile) error
 				log.Trace(p.ctx, "Scanner: Skipping album annotation reassignment", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID)
 			}
 
-			// Copy created_at/cover per old→new pair (not per target): with several old albums
-			// merging into one, any of them may hold the uploaded cover; empty sources never copy.
+			// Copy the cover per old→new pair (not per target): with several old albums
+			// merging into one, any of them may hold it; empty sources never copy.
 			pairKey := oldAlbumID + "\x00" + newAlbumID
 			p.annotationMutex.RLock()
 			copyDone := p.processedAlbumCopies[pairKey]
@@ -332,9 +339,9 @@ func (p *phaseMissingTracks) moveMatched(target, missing model.MediaFile) error
 			if !copyDone {
 				p.annotationMutex.Lock()
 				if !p.processedAlbumCopies[pairKey] {
-					if err := tx.Album(p.ctx).CopyAttributes(oldAlbumID, newAlbumID, "created_at", "uploaded_image", "cover_art_updated_at"); err != nil {
+					if err := tx.Album(p.ctx).CopyAttributes(oldAlbumID, newAlbumID, "uploaded_image", "cover_art_updated_at"); err != nil {
 						if !errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound) {
-							log.Warn(p.ctx, "Scanner: Could not copy album attributes", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID, err)
+							log.Warn(p.ctx, "Scanner: Could not copy album cover", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID, err)
 						}
 					}
 					p.processedAlbumCopies[pairKey] = true
diff --git a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
index c23b84d16..638aa05a8 100644
--- a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
+++ b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
@@ -874,9 +874,10 @@ var _ = Describe("phaseMissingTracks", func() {
 			missing2 := model.MediaFile{ID: "mg-2", PID: "MG2", Path: "lib1/b.mp3", AlbumID: "old-2", LibraryID: 1}
 			matched2 := model.MediaFile{ID: "mt-2", PID: "MG2", Path: "lib2/b.mp3", AlbumID: "new-album", LibraryID: 1}
 
+			firstTime := time.Date(2018, 3, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 			albumRepo.SetData(model.Albums{
-				{ID: "old-1", LibraryID: 1},
-				{ID: "old-2", LibraryID: 1, UploadedImage: "old-2_cover.jpg"},
+				{ID: "old-1", LibraryID: 1, CreatedAt: firstTime},
+				{ID: "old-2", LibraryID: 1, UploadedImage: "old-2_cover.jpg", CreatedAt: time.Date(2022, 9, 9, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)},
 				{ID: "new-album", LibraryID: 1},
 			})
 
@@ -890,6 +891,8 @@ var _ = Describe("phaseMissingTracks", func() {
 			newAlbum, err := albumRepo.Get("new-album")
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(newAlbum.UploadedImage).To(Equal("old-2_cover.jpg"))
+			// created_at copies once per target: the second merged album must not overwrite it
+			Expect(newAlbum.CreatedAt).To(Equal(firstTime))
 		})
 
 		It("should not copy album created_at when album ID does not change", func() {