diff --git a/internal/catalog/images.go b/internal/catalog/images.go
index 72b6efd..212e084 100644
--- a/internal/catalog/images.go
+++ b/internal/catalog/images.go
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ func FetchMissingArtistImages(ctx context.Context, store db.DB) error {
 				Msg("FetchMissingArtistImages: Attempting to fetch missing artist image")
 
 			var aliases []string
-			if aliasrow, err := store.GetAllArtistAliases(ctx, artist.ID); err != nil {
+			if aliasrow, err := store.GetAllArtistAliases(ctx, artist.ID); err == nil {
 				aliases = utils.FlattenAliases(aliasrow)
 			} else {
 				aliases = []string{artist.Name}
diff --git a/internal/images/imagesrc.go b/internal/images/imagesrc.go
index 46fe87a..54395e9 100644
--- a/internal/images/imagesrc.go
+++ b/internal/images/imagesrc.go
@@ -83,6 +83,16 @@ func GetArtistImage(ctx context.Context, opts ArtistImageOpts) (string, error) {
 	} else {
 		l.Debug().Msg("GetArtistImage: Subsonic image fetching is disabled")
 	}
+	if imgsrc.deezerEnabled {
+		img, err := imgsrc.deezerC.GetArtistImages(ctx, opts.Aliases)
+		if err != nil {
+			l.Debug().Err(err).Msg("GetArtistImage: Could not find artist image from Deezer")
+		} else if img != "" {
+			return img, nil
+		}
+	} else {
+		l.Debug().Msg("GetArtistImage: Deezer image fetching is disabled")
+	}
 	if imgsrc.lastfmEnabled {
 		img, err := imgsrc.lastfmC.GetArtistImage(ctx, opts.MBID, opts.Aliases[0])
 		if err != nil {
@@ -93,17 +103,6 @@ func GetArtistImage(ctx context.Context, opts ArtistImageOpts) (string, error) {
 	} else {
 		l.Debug().Msg("GetArtistImage: LastFM image fetching is disabled")
 	}
-	if imgsrc.deezerEnabled {
-		img, err := imgsrc.deezerC.GetArtistImages(ctx, opts.Aliases)
-		if err != nil {
-			l.Debug().Err(err).Msg("GetArtistImage: Could not find artist image from Deezer")
-			return "", err
-		} else if img != "" {
-			return img, nil
-		}
-	} else {
-		l.Debug().Msg("GetArtistImage: Deezer image fetching is disabled")
-	}
 	l.Warn().Msg("GetArtistImage: No image providers are enabled")
 	return "", nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/images/lastfm.go b/internal/images/lastfm.go
index f35f6a3..7dafdcc 100644
--- a/internal/images/lastfm.go
+++ b/internal/images/lastfm.go
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ func (c *LastFMClient) getEntity(ctx context.Context, params url.Values, result
 	return nil
 }
 
+// lastFMPlaceholderHash is the hash of Last.fm's generic "no artist image" placeholder.
+// Last.fm stopped serving real artist images years ago and returns this for nearly every artist.
+const lastFMPlaceholderHash = "2a96cbd8b46e442fc41c2b86b821562f"
+
 // selectBestImage picks the largest available image from the LastFM slice
 func (c *LastFMClient) selectBestImage(images []lastFMImage) string {
 	// Rank preference: mega > extralarge > large > medium > small
@@ -135,7 +139,7 @@ func (c *LastFMClient) selectBestImage(images []lastFMImage) string {
 
 	imgMap := make(map[string]string)
 	for _, img := range images {
-		if img.URL != "" {
+		if img.URL != "" && !strings.Contains(img.URL, lastFMPlaceholderHash) {
 			imgMap[img.Size] = img.URL
 		}
 	}