diff --git a/persistence/album_repository.go b/persistence/album_repository.go
index 4217e2cbc..6b2d67964 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository.go
@@ -226,11 +226,13 @@ func (r *albumRepository) UpdateExternalInfo(al *model.Album) error {
 func (r *albumRepository) selectAlbum(options ...model.QueryOptions) SelectBuilder {
 	sql := r.newSelect(options...).Columns("album.*", "library.path as library_path", "library.name as library_name",
 		// Folds folder image mtimes into the artwork version: an in-place cover swap moves them without
-		// touching the album row. Parents are included for disc-subfolder layouts, where the reader can
-		// serve the album-root cover. Bare column (not max()) keeps the decltype so time.Time scans.
+		// touching the album row. Parents count only when the reader could serve the album-root cover
+		// (disc subfolders, or a single folder with no images of its own), mirroring albumRootParent's
+		// first gate. Bare column (not max()) keeps the decltype so time.Time scans.
 		"(select f.images_updated_at from folder f where f.id in"+
 			" (select je.value from json_each(album.folder_ids) je"+
-			" union select p.parent_id from folder p, json_each(album.folder_ids) je2 where p.id = je2.value)"+
+			" union select p.parent_id from folder p, json_each(album.folder_ids) je2 where p.id = je2.value"+
+			" and (json_array_length(album.folder_ids) > 1 or json_array_length(p.image_files) = 0))"+
 			" order by f.images_updated_at desc limit 1) as folder_images_updated_at").
 		LeftJoin("library on album.library_id = library.id")
 	sql = r.withAnnotation(sql, "album.id")
diff --git a/persistence/album_repository_test.go b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
index 05978af23..ff1ce5aa6 100644
--- a/persistence/album_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/album_repository_test.go
@@ -952,6 +952,25 @@ var _ = Describe("AlbumRepository folder images version", func() {
 		Expect(al.FolderImagesUpdatedAt.Equal(rootAt)).To(BeTrue(), "the parent folder's newer cover must win")
 	})
 
+	It("ignores the parent when the album's single folder has images of its own", func() {
+		// Mirrors albumRootParent's first gate: the reader would serve the folder's own cover, so an
+		// unrelated artist-level image must not advance (and suppress) this album's version.
+		ownAt := time.Date(2030, 6, 1, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+		parentAt := ownAt.Add(time.Hour)
+		_, err := GetDBXBuilder().NewQuery(
+			"insert into folder (id, library_id, path, name, parent_id, images_updated_at, image_files) values" +
+				" ('fold-blur-root', 1, '.', 'Artist', '', {:parent}, '[\"artist.jpg\"]')," +
+				" ('fold-blur-1', 1, './Artist', 'Album', 'fold-blur-root', {:own}, '[\"cover.jpg\"]')").
+			Bind(map[string]any{"parent": parentAt, "own": ownAt}).Execute()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		_, err = GetDBXBuilder().NewQuery(`update album set folder_ids = '["fold-blur-1"]' where id = '103'`).Execute()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		al, err := repo.Get("103")
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(al.FolderImagesUpdatedAt).To(HaveValue(Equal(ownAt)))
+	})
+
 	It("leaves FolderImagesUpdatedAt nil when the album has no folders", func() {
 		al, err := repo.Get("101")
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())