diff --git a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
index b6a7abd82..251bc6942 100644
--- a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
+++ b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks.go
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ type phaseMissingTracks struct {
 	totalMatched              atomic.Uint32
 	state                     *scanState
 	processedAlbumAnnotations map[string]bool // Track processed album annotation reassignments
-	annotationMutex           sync.RWMutex    // Protects processedAlbumAnnotations
+	processedAlbumCopies      map[string]bool // Track attribute copies, per old→new album pair
+	annotationMutex           sync.RWMutex    // Protects the two maps above
 }
 
 func createPhaseMissingTracks(ctx context.Context, state *scanState, ds model.DataStore) *phaseMissingTracks {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ func createPhaseMissingTracks(ctx context.Context, state *scanState, ds model.Da
 		ds:                        ds,
 		state:                     state,
 		processedAlbumAnnotations: make(map[string]bool),
+		processedAlbumCopies:      make(map[string]bool),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -313,14 +315,6 @@ 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 (so moved albums don't resurface in "Recently Added")
-					// and any manually uploaded cover from the previous album instance.
-					if err := tx.Album(p.ctx).CopyAttributes(oldAlbumID, newAlbumID, "created_at", "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)
-						}
-					}
-
 					// Note: RefreshPlayCounts will be called in later phases, so we don't need to call it here
 					p.processedAlbumAnnotations[newAlbumID] = true
 				}
@@ -328,6 +322,25 @@ func (p *phaseMissingTracks) moveMatched(target, missing model.MediaFile) error
 			} else {
 				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.
+			pairKey := oldAlbumID + "\x00" + newAlbumID
+			p.annotationMutex.RLock()
+			copyDone := p.processedAlbumCopies[pairKey]
+			p.annotationMutex.RUnlock()
+			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 !errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound) {
+							log.Warn(p.ctx, "Scanner: Could not copy album attributes", "from", oldAlbumID, "to", newAlbumID, err)
+						}
+					}
+					p.processedAlbumCopies[pairKey] = true
+				}
+				p.annotationMutex.Unlock()
+			}
 		}
 
 		p.state.changesDetected.Store(true)
diff --git a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
index edc979eb4..c23b84d16 100644
--- a/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
+++ b/scanner/phase_2_missing_tracks_test.go
@@ -866,6 +866,32 @@ var _ = Describe("phaseMissingTracks", func() {
 			Expect(newAlbum.UploadedImage).To(Equal("old-album_cover.jpg"))
 		})
 
+		It("should preserve a cover held by any of several old albums merged into one", func() {
+			// old-1 (no cover) merges first and marks the target as processed for annotations;
+			// old-2 carries the cover and must still contribute it.
+			missing1 := model.MediaFile{ID: "mg-1", PID: "MG1", Path: "lib1/a.mp3", AlbumID: "old-1", LibraryID: 1}
+			matched1 := model.MediaFile{ID: "mt-1", PID: "MG1", Path: "lib2/a.mp3", AlbumID: "new-album", LibraryID: 1}
+			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}
+
+			albumRepo.SetData(model.Albums{
+				{ID: "old-1", LibraryID: 1},
+				{ID: "old-2", LibraryID: 1, UploadedImage: "old-2_cover.jpg"},
+				{ID: "new-album", LibraryID: 1},
+			})
+
+			for _, mf := range []*model.MediaFile{&missing1, &matched1, &missing2, &matched2} {
+				_ = ds.MediaFile(ctx).Put(mf)
+			}
+
+			Expect(phase.moveMatched(matched1, missing1)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(phase.moveMatched(matched2, missing2)).To(Succeed())
+
+			newAlbum, err := albumRepo.Get("new-album")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(newAlbum.UploadedImage).To(Equal("old-2_cover.jpg"))
+		})
+
 		It("should not copy album created_at when album ID does not change", func() {
 			originalTime := time.Date(2020, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 			missingTrack := model.MediaFile{