diff --git a/src/database/mod.rs b/src/database/mod.rs
index 9ee2a16..0754bea 100644
--- a/src/database/mod.rs
+++ b/src/database/mod.rs
@@ -396,6 +396,34 @@ pub trait ExifDao: Sync + Send {
         size_bytes: i64,
     ) -> Result<(), DbError>;
 
+    /// Return image_exif rows that need their `date_taken` re-resolved by
+    /// the canonical-date waterfall (see `crate::date_resolver`):
+    /// either no source ever ran (`date_taken IS NULL`), or only the
+    /// weakest fallback resolved it (`date_taken_source = 'fs_time'`).
+    /// Returns `(library_id, rel_path)`. The caller filters to its own
+    /// library on the way through; rows from other libraries fall to the
+    /// next library's tick. Backed by the partial index
+    /// `idx_image_exif_date_backfill`.
+    fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill(
+        &mut self,
+        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+        library_id: i32,
+        limit: i64,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<(i32, String)>, DbError>;
+
+    /// Persist a resolver result for an existing row. Touches `date_taken`
+    /// and `date_taken_source` only — leaves all other columns alone so
+    /// the drain doesn't accidentally clobber EXIF/hash/perceptual data
+    /// the watcher / GPS-write path may have already written.
+    fn backfill_date_taken(
+        &mut self,
+        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+        library_id: i32,
+        rel_path: &str,
+        date_taken: i64,
+        source: &str,
+    ) -> Result<(), DbError>;
+
     /// Return image rows that have a `content_hash` but no `phash_64`,
     /// oldest first. Used by the `backfill_perceptual_hash` binary.
     /// Filters by image extension at the DB layer to avoid ever asking
@@ -1056,6 +1084,61 @@ impl ExifDao for SqliteExifDao {
         .map_err(|_| DbError::new(DbErrorKind::UpdateError))
     }
 
+    fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill(
+        &mut self,
+        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+        library_id_val: i32,
+        limit: i64,
+    ) -> Result<Vec<(i32, String)>, DbError> {
+        trace_db_call(context, "query", "get_rows_needing_date_backfill", |_span| {
+            use schema::image_exif::dsl::*;
+
+            let mut connection = self.connection.lock().expect("Unable to get ExifDao");
+
+            // The partial index is on `(library_id, id) WHERE date_taken
+            // IS NULL OR date_taken_source = 'fs_time'`, so the planner
+            // hits it directly when both predicates are present.
+            image_exif
+                .filter(library_id.eq(library_id_val))
+                .filter(date_taken.is_null().or(date_taken_source.eq("fs_time")))
+                .select((library_id, rel_path))
+                .order(id.asc())
+                .limit(limit)
+                .load::<(i32, String)>(connection.deref_mut())
+                .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("Query error"))
+        })
+        .map_err(|_| DbError::new(DbErrorKind::QueryError))
+    }
+
+    fn backfill_date_taken(
+        &mut self,
+        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+        library_id_val: i32,
+        rel_path_val: &str,
+        date_taken_val: i64,
+        source: &str,
+    ) -> Result<(), DbError> {
+        trace_db_call(context, "update", "backfill_date_taken", |_span| {
+            use schema::image_exif::dsl::*;
+
+            let mut connection = self.connection.lock().expect("Unable to get ExifDao");
+
+            diesel::update(
+                image_exif
+                    .filter(library_id.eq(library_id_val))
+                    .filter(rel_path.eq(rel_path_val)),
+            )
+            .set((
+                date_taken.eq(date_taken_val),
+                date_taken_source.eq(source),
+            ))
+            .execute(connection.deref_mut())
+            .map(|_| ())
+            .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("Update error"))
+        })
+        .map_err(|_| DbError::new(DbErrorKind::UpdateError))
+    }
+
     fn find_by_content_hash(
         &mut self,
         context: &opentelemetry::Context,
@@ -1933,4 +2016,86 @@ mod exif_dao_tests {
         // Unknown library: zero, no error.
         assert_eq!(dao.count_for_library(&ctx(), 999).unwrap(), 0);
     }
+
+    /// Insert a row with an explicit date source — used by the
+    /// canonical-date drain tests below.
+    fn insert_row_with_source(
+        dao: &mut SqliteExifDao,
+        lib_id: i32,
+        rel: &str,
+        date: Option<i64>,
+        source: Option<&str>,
+    ) {
+        dao.store_exif(
+            &ctx(),
+            InsertImageExif {
+                library_id: lib_id,
+                file_path: rel.to_string(),
+                camera_make: None,
+                camera_model: None,
+                lens_model: None,
+                width: None,
+                height: None,
+                orientation: None,
+                gps_latitude: None,
+                gps_longitude: None,
+                gps_altitude: None,
+                focal_length: None,
+                aperture: None,
+                shutter_speed: None,
+                iso: None,
+                date_taken: date,
+                created_time: 0,
+                last_modified: 0,
+                content_hash: None,
+                size_bytes: None,
+                phash_64: None,
+                dhash_64: None,
+                date_taken_source: source.map(|s| s.to_string()),
+            },
+        )
+        .expect("insert exif row");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill_returns_null_and_fs_time() {
+        let mut dao = setup_two_libraries();
+        // Each row exercises a different source: null, fs_time (eligible),
+        // filename and exif (skipped).
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 1, "main/null.jpg", None, None);
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 1, "main/fs.jpg", Some(123), Some("fs_time"));
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 1, "main/name.jpg", Some(456), Some("filename"));
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 1, "main/real.jpg", Some(789), Some("exif"));
+        // Other library — never returned even when eligible.
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 2, "archive/null.jpg", None, None);
+
+        let rows = dao
+            .get_rows_needing_date_backfill(&ctx(), 1, 100)
+            .unwrap();
+        let paths: Vec<String> = rows.into_iter().map(|(_, p)| p).collect();
+        assert_eq!(paths.len(), 2, "expected null + fs_time eligible only");
+        assert!(paths.contains(&"main/null.jpg".to_string()));
+        assert!(paths.contains(&"main/fs.jpg".to_string()));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn backfill_date_taken_writes_date_and_source_only() {
+        let mut dao = setup_two_libraries();
+        insert_row_with_source(&mut dao, 1, "main/x.jpg", None, None);
+        // Set a content_hash on the row to verify backfill_date_taken
+        // doesn't disturb other columns. Using the existing
+        // backfill_content_hash for this verifies via a separate path.
+        dao.backfill_content_hash(&ctx(), 1, "main/x.jpg", "deadbeef", 1024)
+            .unwrap();
+
+        dao.backfill_date_taken(&ctx(), 1, "main/x.jpg", 1700000000, "exiftool")
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let row = dao.get_exif(&ctx(), "main/x.jpg").unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(row.date_taken, Some(1700000000));
+        assert_eq!(row.date_taken_source, Some("exiftool".to_string()));
+        // Untouched columns survive.
+        assert_eq!(row.content_hash, Some("deadbeef".to_string()));
+        assert_eq!(row.size_bytes, Some(1024));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/files.rs b/src/files.rs
index 10d8be4..b798330 100644
--- a/src/files.rs
+++ b/src/files.rs
@@ -1646,6 +1646,26 @@ mod tests {
             Ok(())
         }
 
+        fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill(
+            &mut self,
+            _context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+            _library_id: i32,
+            _limit: i64,
+        ) -> Result<Vec<(i32, String)>, DbError> {
+            Ok(Vec::new())
+        }
+
+        fn backfill_date_taken(
+            &mut self,
+            _context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+            _library_id: i32,
+            _rel_path: &str,
+            _date_taken: i64,
+            _source: &str,
+        ) -> Result<(), DbError> {
+            Ok(())
+        }
+
         fn find_by_content_hash(
             &mut self,
             _context: &opentelemetry::Context,
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index f7ea49f..9d1775d 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -2125,6 +2125,15 @@ fn watch_files(
                     );
                 }
 
+                // Date-taken backfill: drain rows whose canonical date is
+                // either unresolved or only fs_time-sourced. Independent
+                // of face detection — runs even on deploys that don't
+                // configure Apollo, since `/memories` depends on it.
+                {
+                    let context = opentelemetry::Context::new();
+                    backfill_missing_date_taken(&context, lib, &exif_dao);
+                }
+
                 if is_full_scan {
                     info!(
                         "Running full scan for library '{}' (scan #{})",
@@ -2706,6 +2715,103 @@ fn backfill_unhashed_backlog(
     backfilled
 }
 
+/// Drain image_exif rows whose `date_taken` was never resolved or was
+/// resolved by the weakest fallback (`fs_time`). Runs the canonical-date
+/// waterfall — exiftool batch (one subprocess for the whole tick's
+/// rows) → filename regex → earliest_fs_time — and persists each
+/// resolution with its source tag. Capped per tick by
+/// `DATE_BACKFILL_MAX_PER_TICK` (default 500) so a 14k-row library
+/// drains over a few quick-scan ticks without blocking the watcher.
+///
+/// kamadak-exif is intentionally skipped here: the row already has a
+/// NULL date_taken because the ingest path's kamadak-exif call returned
+/// nothing, and re-running it would just produce the same answer.
+/// exiftool is the meaningful new attempt — it handles videos and
+/// MakerNote-hosted dates kamadak can't reach.
+fn backfill_missing_date_taken(
+    context: &opentelemetry::Context,
+    library: &libraries::Library,
+    exif_dao: &Arc<Mutex<Box<dyn ExifDao>>>,
+) -> usize {
+    let cap: i64 = dotenv::var("DATE_BACKFILL_MAX_PER_TICK")
+        .ok()
+        .and_then(|s| s.parse().ok())
+        .filter(|n: &i64| *n > 0)
+        .unwrap_or(500);
+
+    let rows: Vec<(i32, String)> = {
+        let mut dao = exif_dao.lock().expect("Unable to lock ExifDao");
+        dao.get_rows_needing_date_backfill(context, library.id, cap + 1)
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    };
+    if rows.is_empty() {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    let more_than_cap = rows.len() as i64 > cap;
+    let base_path = std::path::Path::new(&library.root_path);
+
+    // Build absolute paths and drop rows whose files no longer exist —
+    // the missing-file scan in library_maintenance retires deleted rows
+    // separately. Without this filter, NULL-date rows for missing files
+    // would loop through the drain forever (no source can resolve them).
+    let mut existing: Vec<(String, PathBuf)> = Vec::with_capacity(rows.len() as usize);
+    for (_, rel_path) in rows.iter().take(cap as usize) {
+        let abs = base_path.join(rel_path);
+        if abs.exists() {
+            existing.push((rel_path.clone(), abs));
+        }
+    }
+    if existing.is_empty() {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    // One exiftool subprocess for the whole batch; the resolver falls
+    // through to filename / fs_time per file when exiftool can't supply
+    // a date (or isn't installed at all).
+    let paths: Vec<PathBuf> = existing.iter().map(|(_, p)| p.clone()).collect();
+    let resolved = date_resolver::resolve_dates_batch(&paths, &HashMap::new());
+
+    let mut backfilled = 0usize;
+    let mut unresolved = 0usize;
+    let mut by_source: HashMap<&'static str, usize> = HashMap::new();
+    {
+        let mut dao = exif_dao.lock().expect("Unable to lock ExifDao");
+        for (rel_path, abs) in &existing {
+            let Some(rd) = resolved.get(abs).copied() else {
+                unresolved += 1;
+                continue;
+            };
+            match dao.backfill_date_taken(
+                context,
+                library.id,
+                rel_path,
+                rd.timestamp,
+                rd.source.as_str(),
+            ) {
+                Ok(()) => {
+                    backfilled += 1;
+                    *by_source.entry(rd.source.as_str()).or_insert(0) += 1;
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    warn!(
+                        "date_backfill: update failed for lib {} {}: {:?}",
+                        library.id, rel_path, e
+                    );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if backfilled > 0 || unresolved > 0 || more_than_cap {
+        info!(
+            "date_backfill: library '{}': resolved {} ({:?}), {} unresolved, cap={}, more_remain={}",
+            library.name, backfilled, by_source, unresolved, cap, more_than_cap
+        );
+    }
+    backfilled
+}
+
 /// Per-tick face-detection drain. Pulls a capped batch of hashed-but-
 /// unscanned image_exif rows directly via the FaceDao anti-join and
 /// hands them to the existing detection pass. Runs on every tick (not