diff --git a/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts b/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
index baaf97cac..9f90b9140 100644
--- a/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,18 @@ describe(JobService.name, () => {
   });
 
   describe('onJobRun', () => {
+    it('should queue metadata extraction when sidecar discovery is skipped', async () => {
+      const job: JobItem = { name: JobName.SidecarCheck, data: { id: 'asset-1', source: 'upload' } };
+      mocks.job.run.mockResolvedValue(JobStatus.Skipped);
+
+      await sut.onJobRun(QueueName.Sidecar, job);
+
+      expect(mocks.job.queue).toHaveBeenCalledExactlyOnceWith({
+        name: JobName.AssetExtractMetadata,
+        data: job.data,
+      });
+    });
+
     it('should process a successful job', async () => {
       mocks.job.run.mockResolvedValue(JobStatus.Success);
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/metadata.service.spec.ts b/server/src/services/metadata.service.spec.ts
index f8a280742..65ab6dc37 100644
--- a/server/src/services/metadata.service.spec.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/metadata.service.spec.ts
@@ -1907,6 +1907,18 @@ describe(MetadataService.name, () => {
       expect(mocks.asset.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
+    it('should skip database writes if no sidecar exists or was previously recorded', async () => {
+      const asset = forSidecarJob();
+
+      mocks.assetJob.getForSidecarCheckJob.mockResolvedValue(asset);
+      mocks.storage.checkFileExists.mockResolvedValue(false);
+
+      await expect(sut.handleSidecarCheck({ id: asset.id })).resolves.toBe(JobStatus.Skipped);
+
+      expect(mocks.asset.upsertFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mocks.asset.deleteFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
     it('should detect a new sidecar at .jpg.xmp', async () => {
       const asset = forSidecarJob({ originalPath: '/path/to/IMG_123.jpg', files: [] });
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts b/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
index 84c5d41e4..be314651f 100644
--- a/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ export class MetadataService extends BaseService {
 
     const { sidecarFile } = getAssetFiles(asset.files);
 
-    const isChanged = sidecarPath !== sidecarFile?.path;
+    const isChanged = sidecarPath !== (sidecarFile?.path ?? null);
 
     if (sidecarFile?.path || sidecarPath) {
       this.logger.debug(