CLAUDE.md

@@ -398,14 +398,21 @@ date) is unchanged.
 The `backfill_missing_date_taken` drain (`src/backfill.rs`) runs every
 watcher tick alongside `backfill_unhashed_backlog` (also `src/backfill.rs`). It loads up to
 `DATE_BACKFILL_MAX_PER_TICK` rows (default 500) where
-`date_taken IS NULL OR date_taken_source = 'fs_time'` (backed by the
-`idx_image_exif_date_backfill` partial index), runs the waterfall
-batch via `resolve_dates_batch`, and writes results via the
-`backfill_date_taken` DAO method (touches only `date_taken` +
-`date_taken_source` so EXIF / hash / perceptual columns are
-preserved). `filename`-sourced rows are intentionally not re-resolved
-— the regex is authoritative when it matches, and re-running exiftool
-won't change the answer.
+`date_taken IS NULL` (backed by the `idx_image_exif_date_backfill`
+partial index), runs the waterfall batch via `resolve_dates_batch`,
+and writes results via the `backfill_date_taken` DAO method (touches
+only `date_taken` + `date_taken_source` so EXIF / hash / perceptual
+columns are preserved). Resolved rows — including the ones the
+waterfall could only resolve via `fs_time` — are not re-eligible:
+the resolver is deterministic on file bytes + filename + fs metadata,
+so re-running on the same inputs lands on the same source every time.
+An earlier version included `date_taken_source = 'fs_time'` in the
+eligibility predicate, but with `ORDER BY id ASC LIMIT 500` it spun on
+the same lowest-id rows in perpetuity and held the SQLite write lock
+long enough to starve face-PATCH writers (5s busy_timeout → 500). If
+a stronger tool comes online (exiftool install, new filename regex),
+re-resolve out-of-band rather than re-introducing the steady-state
+eligibility.
 
 `/memories` is a single SQL query against this column
 (`get_memories_in_window` in `src/database/mod.rs`), using

migrations/2026-05-12-000000_date_backfill_null_only/down.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS idx_image_exif_date_backfill;
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_image_exif_date_backfill
+    ON image_exif (library_id, id)
+    WHERE date_taken IS NULL OR date_taken_source = 'fs_time';

migrations/2026-05-12-000000_date_backfill_null_only/up.sql

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+-- Narrow the date-backfill partial index to NULL-only rows.
+--
+-- The original index (2026-05-06-000000_add_date_taken_source) also matched
+-- `date_taken_source = 'fs_time'` so the drain could "re-resolve weak
+-- entries when better tools become available." In practice the resolver
+-- is deterministic on file bytes + filename + fs metadata: a row that
+-- landed on fs_time once will land on fs_time again on every subsequent
+-- tick. With `ORDER BY id ASC LIMIT 500`, the drain spun on the same
+-- lowest-id fs_time rows in perpetuity, never advancing, while hammering
+-- the SQLite write lock once per row and starving other writers (face
+-- PATCHes were hitting busy_timeout and returning 500). Drop fs_time
+-- from the eligibility set; if exiftool / a new filename pattern ever
+-- comes online, a one-shot operator command can re-resolve.
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS idx_image_exif_date_backfill;
+
+CREATE INDEX idx_image_exif_date_backfill
+    ON image_exif (library_id, id)
+    WHERE date_taken IS NULL;

src/database/mod.rs

@@ -414,14 +414,21 @@ 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
+    /// Return image_exif rows that need their `date_taken` resolved by the
+    /// canonical-date waterfall (see `crate::date_resolver`): `date_taken
+    /// IS NULL`. 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`.
+    ///
+    /// `fs_time`-sourced rows are intentionally excluded even though they
+    /// represent the weakest resolution: the resolver is deterministic on
+    /// file bytes + filename + fs metadata, so a row that landed on
+    /// fs_time once will land there again on every retry. Including them
+    /// in the drain caused it to spin on the same lowest-id rows forever
+    /// and starve other SQLite writers (face PATCHes hitting busy_timeout).
+    /// If a stronger tool comes online (exiftool install, new filename
+    /// regex), an operator can issue a one-shot re-resolve out-of-band.
     fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill(
         &mut self,
         context: &opentelemetry::Context,
@@ -1240,11 +1247,10 @@ impl ExifDao for SqliteExifDao {
                 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.
+                // IS NULL`, so the planner hits it directly.
                 image_exif
                     .filter(library_id.eq(library_id_val))
-                    .filter(date_taken.is_null().or(date_taken_source.eq("fs_time")))
+                    .filter(date_taken.is_null())
                     .select((library_id, rel_path))
                     .order(id.asc())
                     .limit(limit)
@@ -2395,10 +2401,11 @@ mod exif_dao_tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill_returns_null_and_fs_time() {
+    fn get_rows_needing_date_backfill_returns_null_only() {
         let mut dao = setup_two_libraries();
-        // Each row exercises a different source: null, fs_time (eligible),
-        // filename and exif (skipped).
+        // Each row exercises a different source. Only NULL is eligible —
+        // fs_time was removed from the drain because re-resolving it is
+        // deterministic-no-op work that starves other writers.
         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"));
@@ -2408,9 +2415,8 @@ mod exif_dao_tests {
 
         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_eq!(paths.len(), 1, "expected only NULL-date rows");
         assert!(paths.contains(&"main/null.jpg".to_string()));
-        assert!(paths.contains(&"main/fs.jpg".to_string()));
     }
 
     #[test]