diff --git a/cmd/missing.go b/cmd/missing.go
index 0ff4db8d0..9e5f96f40 100644
--- a/cmd/missing.go
+++ b/cmd/missing.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/csv"
 	"encoding/json"
@@ -84,18 +85,19 @@ func runMissingList(ctx context.Context) {
 // writeMissingList streams the cursor so a library with many missing files doesn't get loaded into memory
 func writeMissingList(w io.Writer, format string, mfs model.MediaFileCursor) error {
 	if format == "json" {
-		_, _ = io.WriteString(w, "[")
+		bw := bufio.NewWriter(w)
+		_, _ = io.WriteString(bw, "[")
 		sep := ""
 		for mf, err := range mfs {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			j, _ := json.Marshal(displayMissingFile{ID: mf.ID, LibraryID: mf.LibraryID, Title: mf.Title, Album: mf.Album, Artist: mf.Artist, Path: mf.Path})
-			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s%s", sep, j)
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(bw, "%s%s", sep, j)
 			sep = ","
 		}
-		_, err := io.WriteString(w, "]\n")
-		return err
+		_, _ = io.WriteString(bw, "]\n")
+		return bw.Flush()
 	}
 
 	cw := csv.NewWriter(w)
diff --git a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
index e34e8601f..2fcbaee90 100644
--- a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
@@ -362,11 +362,11 @@ func (r *mediaFileRepository) FindByPaths(paths []string) (model.MediaFiles, err
 	var unqualified []string
 
 	for _, path := range paths {
-		// A colon only qualifies the path when what precedes it is a library id ("Bach: Goldberg/01.mp3" is a plain path)
+		// A numeric prefix is ambiguous: "1:foo.mp3" qualifies a library, but "1999: A Life/01.mp3"
+		// is a plain path. Search both ways rather than guessing.
 		if id, rest, ok := strings.Cut(path, ":"); ok {
 			if libraryID, err := strconv.Atoi(id); err == nil {
 				byLibrary[libraryID] = append(byLibrary[libraryID], rest)
-				continue
 			}
 		}
 		unqualified = append(unqualified, path)
diff --git a/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go b/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
index 020488bc8..29346c732 100644
--- a/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
@@ -993,6 +993,7 @@ var _ = Describe("MediaRepository", func() {
 				// French diacritic: è (U+00E8, can decompose to e + combining grave)
 				{ID: "findpath-4", LibraryID: 1, Path: "artist/Michèle/song.mp3", Title: "French"},
 				{ID: "findpath-5", LibraryID: 1, Path: "Bach: Goldberg Variations/01.mp3", Title: "Colon"},
+				{ID: "findpath-6", LibraryID: 1, Path: "1999: A Different Life/01.mp3", Title: "Numeric colon"},
 			}
 			for _, mf := range testFiles {
 				Expect(mr.Put(&mf)).To(Succeed())
@@ -1012,6 +1013,13 @@ var _ = Describe("MediaRepository", func() {
 			Expect(results[0].ID).To(Equal("findpath-5"))
 		})
 
+		It("finds a plain path whose colon prefix looks like a library id", func() {
+			results, err := mr.FindByPaths([]string{"1999: A Different Life/01.mp3"})
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(results).To(HaveLen(1))
+			Expect(results[0].ID).To(Equal("findpath-6"))
+		})
+
 		It("splits only the first colon of a library-qualified path", func() {
 			results, err := mr.FindByPaths([]string{"1:Bach: Goldberg Variations/01.mp3"})
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())