diff --git a/src/database/mod.rs b/src/database/mod.rs
index 7139663..78cac22 100644
--- a/src/database/mod.rs
+++ b/src/database/mod.rs
@@ -304,17 +304,6 @@ pub trait ExifDao: Sync + Send {
         context: &opentelemetry::Context,
     ) -> Result<Vec<String>, DbError>;
 
-    /// Get files sorted by date with optional pagination
-    /// Returns (sorted_file_paths, total_count)
-    fn get_files_sorted_by_date(
-        &mut self,
-        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
-        file_paths: &[String],
-        ascending: bool,
-        limit: Option<i64>,
-        offset: i64,
-    ) -> Result<(Vec<String>, i64), DbError>;
-
     /// Get all photos with GPS coordinates
     /// Returns Vec<(file_path, latitude, longitude, date_taken)>
     fn get_all_with_gps(
@@ -609,66 +598,6 @@ impl ExifDao for SqliteExifDao {
         .map_err(|_| DbError::new(DbErrorKind::QueryError))
     }
 
-    fn get_files_sorted_by_date(
-        &mut self,
-        context: &opentelemetry::Context,
-        file_paths: &[String],
-        ascending: bool,
-        limit: Option<i64>,
-        offset: i64,
-    ) -> Result<(Vec<String>, i64), DbError> {
-        trace_db_call(context, "query", "get_files_sorted_by_date", |span| {
-            use diesel::dsl::count_star;
-            use opentelemetry::KeyValue;
-            use opentelemetry::trace::Span;
-            use schema::image_exif::dsl::*;
-
-            span.set_attributes(vec![
-                KeyValue::new("file_count", file_paths.len() as i64),
-                KeyValue::new("ascending", ascending.to_string()),
-                KeyValue::new("limit", limit.map(|l| l.to_string()).unwrap_or_default()),
-                KeyValue::new("offset", offset.to_string()),
-            ]);
-
-            if file_paths.is_empty() {
-                return Ok((Vec::new(), 0));
-            }
-
-            let connection = &mut *self.connection.lock().unwrap();
-
-            // Get total count of files that have EXIF data
-            let total_count: i64 = image_exif
-                .filter(file_path.eq_any(file_paths))
-                .select(count_star())
-                .first(connection)
-                .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("Count query error"))?;
-
-            // Build sorted query
-            let mut query = image_exif.filter(file_path.eq_any(file_paths)).into_boxed();
-
-            // Apply sorting
-            // Note: SQLite NULL handling varies - NULLs appear first for ASC, last for DESC by default
-            if ascending {
-                query = query.order(date_taken.asc());
-            } else {
-                query = query.order(date_taken.desc());
-            }
-
-            // Apply pagination if requested
-            if let Some(limit_val) = limit {
-                query = query.limit(limit_val).offset(offset);
-            }
-
-            // Execute and extract file paths
-            let results: Vec<String> = query
-                .select(file_path)
-                .load::<String>(connection)
-                .map_err(|_| anyhow::anyhow!("Query error"))?;
-
-            Ok((results, total_count))
-        })
-        .map_err(|_| DbError::new(DbErrorKind::QueryError))
-    }
 
     fn get_all_with_gps(
         &mut self,
diff --git a/src/files.rs b/src/files.rs
index 6f3adeb..5e7d00d 100644
--- a/src/files.rs
+++ b/src/files.rs
@@ -61,45 +61,19 @@ fn apply_sorting_with_exif(
 
     match sort_type {
         SortType::DateTakenAsc | SortType::DateTakenDesc => {
-            info!("Date sorting requested, using database-level sorting");
-
-            // Collect file paths for batch EXIF query
-            let file_paths: Vec<String> = files.iter().map(|f| f.file_name.clone()).collect();
-
-            // Try database-level sorting first (most efficient)
-            let ascending = sort_type == SortType::DateTakenAsc;
-            match exif_dao.get_files_sorted_by_date(
+            info!("Date sorting requested, using in-memory sort with EXIF/filename fallback");
+            // Use in-memory sort so files without EXIF dates are included via
+            // filename extraction and filesystem metadata fallbacks.
+            let (sorted, _) = in_memory_date_sort(
+                files,
+                sort_type,
+                exif_dao,
                 span_context,
-                &file_paths,
-                ascending,
+                base_path,
                 limit,
                 offset,
-            ) {
-                Ok((sorted_files, db_total)) => {
-                    info!(
-                        "Database-level date sorting succeeded, returned {} files",
-                        sorted_files.len()
-                    );
-                    (sorted_files, db_total)
-                }
-                Err(e) => {
-                    warn!(
-                        "Database-level sorting failed: {:?}, falling back to in-memory sort",
-                        e
-                    );
-                    // Fallback to in-memory sorting with date extraction
-                    let (sorted, _) = in_memory_date_sort(
-                        files,
-                        sort_type,
-                        exif_dao,
-                        span_context,
-                        base_path,
-                        limit,
-                        offset,
-                    );
-                    (sorted, total_count)
-                }
-            }
+            );
+            (sorted, total_count)
         }
         _ => {
             // Use regular sort for non-date sorting
@@ -1352,19 +1326,6 @@ mod tests {
             Ok(Vec::new())
         }
 
-        fn get_files_sorted_by_date(
-            &mut self,
-            _context: &opentelemetry::Context,
-            file_paths: &[String],
-            _ascending: bool,
-            _limit: Option<i64>,
-            _offset: i64,
-        ) -> Result<(Vec<String>, i64), DbError> {
-            // For tests, just return all files unsorted
-            let count = file_paths.len() as i64;
-            Ok((file_paths.to_vec(), count))
-        }
-
         fn get_all_with_gps(
             &mut self,
             _context: &opentelemetry::Context,