diff --git a/core/artwork/reader_disc_test.go b/core/artwork/reader_disc_test.go
index 8264ee27b..08f8c3ee3 100644
--- a/core/artwork/reader_disc_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/reader_disc_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -11,6 +12,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 var _ = Describe("Disc Artwork Reader", func() {
+	Describe("Key", func() {
+		It("changes when the album's cover stamp changes", func() {
+			r := &discArtworkReader{}
+			r.album = model.Album{ID: "al-1"}
+			before := r.Key()
+			stamp := time.Now()
+			r.album.CoverArtUpdatedAt = &stamp
+			Expect(r.Key()).ToNot(Equal(before))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("extractDiscNumber", func() {
 		DescribeTable("extracts disc number from filename based on glob pattern",
 			func(pattern, filename string, expectedNum int, expectedOk bool) {
diff --git a/core/artwork/reader_mediafile_test.go b/core/artwork/reader_mediafile_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9976c7a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/artwork/reader_mediafile_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package artwork
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+var _ = Describe("MediaFile Artwork Reader", func() {
+	Describe("Key", func() {
+		It("changes when the album's cover stamp changes", func() {
+			r := &mediafileArtworkReader{}
+			r.album = model.Album{ID: "al-1"}
+			before := r.Key()
+			stamp := time.Now()
+			r.album.CoverArtUpdatedAt = &stamp
+			Expect(r.Key()).ToNot(Equal(before))
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/persistence/album_repository.go b/persistence/album_repository.go
index 6323669ce..1eb1b4422 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository.go
@@ -285,8 +285,14 @@ func (r *albumRepository) GetCursor(options ...model.QueryOptions) (model.AlbumC
 }
 
 func (r *albumRepository) CopyAttributes(fromID, toID string, columns ...string) error {
+	// The cover-stamp guard below needs the source's uploaded_image even when the
+	// caller didn't request it
+	selectCols := columns
+	if slices.Contains(columns, "cover_art_updated_at") && !slices.Contains(columns, "uploaded_image") {
+		selectCols = append(slices.Clone(columns), "uploaded_image")
+	}
 	var from dbx.NullStringMap
-	err := r.queryOne(Select(columns...).From(r.tableName).Where(Eq{"id": fromID}), &from)
+	err := r.queryOne(Select(selectCols...).From(r.tableName).Where(Eq{"id": fromID}), &from)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("getting album to copy fields from: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/persistence/album_repository_test.go b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
index c18ca2e08..f30ebea31 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
@@ -174,6 +174,23 @@ var _ = Describe("AlbumRepository", func() {
 			Expect(got.UploadedImage).To(Equal("copy-dst_cover.jpg"))
 			Expect(got.CoverArtUpdatedAt).ToNot(BeNil())
 		})
+		It("applies the cover-stamp guard even when uploaded_image is not requested", func() {
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("copy-src", "copy-src_cover.jpg")).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(albumRepo.CopyAttributes("copy-src", "copy-dst", "cover_art_updated_at")).To(Succeed())
+			got, err := albumRepo.Get("copy-dst")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(got.CoverArtUpdatedAt).ToNot(BeNil(), "stamp must copy when the source has a cover")
+
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("copy-src", "")).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("copy-zero", "z.jpg")).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("copy-zero", "")).To(Succeed())
+			before, err := albumRepo.Get("copy-dst")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(albumRepo.CopyAttributes("copy-zero", "copy-dst", "cover_art_updated_at")).To(Succeed())
+			got, err = albumRepo.Get("copy-dst")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(got.CoverArtUpdatedAt.Equal(*before.CoverArtUpdatedAt)).To(BeTrue(), "coverless source must not contribute a stamp")
+		})
 		It("does not copy a stale cover stamp left behind by a cover removal", func() {
 			// A removal clears uploaded_image but keeps cover_art_updated_at set
 			Expect(albumRepo.UpdateImage("copy-src", "copy-src_cover.jpg")).To(Succeed())
diff --git a/persistence/playlist_track_repository_test.go b/persistence/playlist_track_repository_test.go
index cd7865e1d..8e0615521 100644
--- a/persistence/playlist_track_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/playlist_track_repository_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ var _ = Describe("PlaylistTrackRepository", func() {
 			trk, ok := got.(*model.PlaylistTrack)
 			Expect(ok).To(BeTrue())
 			Expect(trk.CoverArtUpdatedAt).ToNot(BeNil())
+
+			// The list path (tracksQuery/loadTracks) must expose it too
+			all, err := repo.GetAll(model.QueryOptions{Sort: "id"})
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(all[0].CoverArtUpdatedAt).ToNot(BeNil())
 		})
 	})
 
diff --git a/tests/mock_album_repo.go b/tests/mock_album_repo.go
index f54805ad3..2bb1ab3f0 100644
--- a/tests/mock_album_repo.go
+++ b/tests/mock_album_repo.go
@@ -208,7 +208,8 @@ func (m *MockAlbumRepo) CopyAttributes(fromID, toID string, columns ...string) e
 				to.UploadedImage = from.UploadedImage
 			}
 		case "cover_art_updated_at":
-			if from.CoverArtUpdatedAt != nil {
+			// Mirrors the real repo: a coverless source never contributes a stale stamp
+			if from.CoverArtUpdatedAt != nil && from.UploadedImage != "" {
 				to.CoverArtUpdatedAt = from.CoverArtUpdatedAt
 			}
 		}