diff --git a/persistence/artist_repository.go b/persistence/artist_repository.go
index 7f3d6154..e75a0e58 100644
--- a/persistence/artist_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/artist_repository.go
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"cmp"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/Masterminds/squirrel"
 	"github.com/deluan/rest"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/consts"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/log"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/utils"
@@ -315,7 +318,19 @@ func (r *artistRepository) GetIndex(includeMissing bool, libraryIds []int, roles
 }
 
 func (r *artistRepository) purgeEmpty() error {
-	del := Delete(r.tableName).Where("id not in (select artist_id from album_artists)")
+	orphanFilter := "id not in (select artist_id from album_artists)"
+
+	// Collect uploaded image filenames before deleting
+	sel := Select("uploaded_image").From(r.tableName).
+		Where(orphanFilter).
+		Where("uploaded_image != ''")
+	var imageFiles []string
+	if err := r.queryAllSlice(sel, &imageFiles); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("collecting artist images for cleanup: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Delete orphan artists
+	del := Delete(r.tableName).Where(orphanFilter)
 	c, err := r.executeSQL(del)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("purging empty artists: %w", err)
@@ -323,6 +338,19 @@ func (r *artistRepository) purgeEmpty() error {
 	if c > 0 {
 		log.Debug(r.ctx, "Purged empty artists", "totalDeleted", c)
 	}
+
+	if len(imageFiles) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Best-effort cleanup of uploaded image files
+	log.Debug(r.ctx, "Cleaning up artist images", "totalImages", len(imageFiles))
+	for _, filename := range imageFiles {
+		path := model.UploadedImagePath(consts.EntityArtist, filename)
+		if err := os.Remove(path); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			log.Warn(r.ctx, "Failed to remove artist image during GC", "path", path, err)
+		}
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/persistence/artist_repository_test.go b/persistence/artist_repository_test.go
index 90e449e8..e2904466 100644
--- a/persistence/artist_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/artist_repository_test.go
@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ package persistence
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/Masterminds/squirrel"
 	"github.com/deluan/rest"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf/configtest"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/consts"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model/request"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/utils"
@@ -829,6 +832,89 @@ var _ = Describe("ArtistRepository", func() {
 			})
 		})
 	})
+
+	Describe("purgeEmpty", func() {
+		var repo *artistRepository
+		var tmpDir string
+
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			DeferCleanup(configtest.SetupConfig())
+			tmpDir = GinkgoT().TempDir()
+			conf.Server.DataFolder = tmpDir
+
+			ctx := request.WithUser(GinkgoT().Context(), adminUser)
+			repo = NewArtistRepository(ctx, GetDBXBuilder()).(*artistRepository)
+		})
+
+		// Helper to create an artist image file on disk and return its path
+		createImageFile := func(filename string) string {
+			dir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, consts.ArtworkFolder, consts.EntityArtist)
+			Expect(os.MkdirAll(dir, 0755)).To(Succeed())
+			path := filepath.Join(dir, filename)
+			Expect(os.WriteFile(path, []byte("fake image data"), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+			return path
+		}
+
+		It("removes uploaded image files for purged artists", func() {
+			// Create an orphan artist (not in album_artists) with an uploaded image
+			orphanArtist := model.Artist{ID: "orphan-with-image", Name: "Orphan Artist", UploadedImage: "orphan-with-image_Orphan_Artist.jpg"}
+			Expect(repo.Put(&orphanArtist)).To(Succeed())
+			imgPath := createImageFile("orphan-with-image_Orphan_Artist.jpg")
+
+			Expect(repo.purgeEmpty()).To(Succeed())
+
+			// Artist should be gone from DB
+			exists, err := repo.Exists("orphan-with-image")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(exists).To(BeFalse())
+
+			// Image file should be removed from disk
+			_, err = os.Stat(imgPath)
+			Expect(os.IsNotExist(err)).To(BeTrue())
+		})
+
+		It("handles missing image files gracefully", func() {
+			// Artist has UploadedImage set but no actual file on disk
+			orphanArtist := model.Artist{ID: "orphan-no-file", Name: "Ghost Image", UploadedImage: "orphan-no-file_Ghost_Image.jpg"}
+			Expect(repo.Put(&orphanArtist)).To(Succeed())
+
+			Expect(repo.purgeEmpty()).To(Succeed())
+
+			// Artist should be gone from DB
+			exists, err := repo.Exists("orphan-no-file")
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(exists).To(BeFalse())
+		})
+
+		It("does not delete images for artists that are kept", func() {
+			// Create an artist with an uploaded image AND an album_artists entry so it won't be purged
+			keptArtist := model.Artist{ID: "kept-artist", Name: "Kept Artist", UploadedImage: "kept-artist_Kept_Artist.jpg"}
+			Expect(repo.Put(&keptArtist)).To(Succeed())
+			imgPath := createImageFile("kept-artist_Kept_Artist.jpg")
+
+			// Insert an album_artists record to keep this artist from being purged
+			_, err := repo.executeSQL(squirrel.Insert("album_artists").
+				SetMap(map[string]any{"album_id": "101", "artist_id": "kept-artist", "role": "artist", "sub_role": ""}))
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+			DeferCleanup(func() {
+				_, _ = repo.executeSQL(squirrel.Delete("album_artists").Where(squirrel.Eq{"artist_id": "kept-artist"}))
+				_ = repo.delete(squirrel.Eq{"id": "kept-artist"})
+			})
+
+			Expect(repo.purgeEmpty()).To(Succeed())
+
+			// Artist should still exist (check directly, bypassing library filter)
+			var ids []string
+			err = repo.queryAllSlice(squirrel.Select("id").From("artist").Where(squirrel.Eq{"id": "kept-artist"}), &ids)
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(ids).To(HaveLen(1))
+
+			// Image file should still be on disk
+			_, err = os.Stat(imgPath)
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+	})
 })
 
 // Helper function to create an artist with proper library association.
diff --git a/persistence/persistence_suite_test.go b/persistence/persistence_suite_test.go
index 0ee1570a..3ed44312 100644
--- a/persistence/persistence_suite_test.go
+++ b/persistence/persistence_suite_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/Masterminds/squirrel"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/db"
@@ -211,6 +212,27 @@ var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Populate album_artists based on the AlbumArtistID relationships in testAlbums
+	artistIDs := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, a := range testArtists {
+		artistIDs[a.ID] = true
+	}
+	for i := range testAlbums {
+		a := testAlbums[i]
+		if a.AlbumArtistID == "" || !artistIDs[a.AlbumArtistID] {
+			continue
+		}
+		_, err := alr.executeSQL(squirrel.Insert("album_artists").SetMap(map[string]any{
+			"album_id":  a.ID,
+			"artist_id": a.AlbumArtistID,
+			"role":      "artist",
+			"sub_role":  "",
+		}))
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	mr := NewMediaFileRepository(ctx, conn)
 	for i := range testSongs {
 		err := mr.Put(&testSongs[i])