diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
index cd239ad..06f5031 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
@@ -1153,9 +1153,9 @@ pub async fn invalidate_duplicate_scan_cache(
 pub async fn delete_images_from_disk(
     db: State<'_, DbState>,
     params: DeleteImagesFromDiskParams,
-) -> Result<usize, String> {
+) -> Result<Vec<i64>, String> {
     if params.image_ids.is_empty() {
-        return Ok(0);
+        return Ok(Vec::new());
     }
     let conn = db.get().map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     let records = db::get_all_image_paths(&conn, None).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
@@ -1170,11 +1170,11 @@ pub async fn delete_images_from_disk(
             succeeded_ids.push(r.id);
         }
     }
-    let deleted = succeeded_ids.len();
     if !succeeded_ids.is_empty() {
         db::delete_images_by_ids(&conn, &succeeded_ids).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     }
-    Ok(deleted)
+    // Return the IDs that were actually removed so the caller can update state precisely.
+    Ok(succeeded_ids)
 }
 
 #[tauri::command]
diff --git a/src/components/Lightbox.tsx b/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
index 0ee42f5..054370a 100644
--- a/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Lightbox.tsx
@@ -175,9 +175,13 @@ export function Lightbox() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!selectedImage) return;
+    // Capture the ID so a stale response for image A cannot overwrite B's tags
+    // when the user navigates before the request resolves.
+    let cancelled = false;
     void getImageTags(selectedImage.id)
-      .then(setImageTags)
-      .catch(() => setImageTags([]));
+      .then((tags) => { if (!cancelled) setImageTags(tags); })
+      .catch(() => { if (!cancelled) setImageTags([]); });
+    return () => { cancelled = true; };
   }, [selectedImage?.id, selectedImage?.ai_tagged_at, getImageTags]);
 
   // Reset the queued state once the worker finishes so the button is usable again
diff --git a/src/store.ts b/src/store.ts
index 3d0bd28..82be8d4 100644
--- a/src/store.ts
+++ b/src/store.ts
@@ -1513,20 +1513,33 @@ export const useGalleryStore = create<GalleryState>((set, get) => ({
   clearDuplicateSelection: () => set({ duplicateSelectedIds: new Set() }),
 
   deleteSelectedDuplicates: async () => {
-    const { duplicateSelectedIds, duplicateScanFolderId } = get();
+    const { duplicateSelectedIds, duplicateGroups } = get();
     const ids = Array.from(duplicateSelectedIds);
     if (ids.length === 0) return 0;
-    const deleted = await invoke<number>("delete_images_from_disk", { params: { image_ids: ids } });
-    // Remove deleted images from groups and drop now-trivial groups
+    // Backend returns only the IDs that were actually removed from disk.
+    const succeededIds = await invoke<number[]>("delete_images_from_disk", { params: { image_ids: ids } });
+    const succeededSet = new Set(succeededIds);
+    // Only remove images confirmed deleted — failed files remain visible so the user can retry.
     set((state) => ({
       duplicateSelectedIds: new Set(),
       duplicateGroups: state.duplicateGroups
-        .map((g) => ({ ...g, images: g.images.filter((img) => !duplicateSelectedIds.has(img.id)) }))
+        .map((g) => ({ ...g, images: g.images.filter((img) => !succeededSet.has(img.id)) }))
         .filter((g) => g.images.length > 1),
     }));
-    // Invalidate the persisted cache so a restart doesn't reload stale entries
-    await invoke("invalidate_duplicate_scan_cache", { folderId: duplicateScanFolderId ?? null });
-    return deleted;
+    // Invalidate the persisted cache for every affected scope:
+    // - global "all" cache (always, since a folder-scoped deletion still makes the global result stale)
+    // - each folder that contained a deleted image (so a folder-scoped scan is also evicted)
+    const affectedFolderIds = new Set<number>(
+      duplicateGroups
+        .flatMap((g) => g.images)
+        .filter((img) => succeededSet.has(img.id))
+        .map((img) => img.folder_id),
+    );
+    await invoke("invalidate_duplicate_scan_cache", { folderId: null }); // global
+    for (const folderId of affectedFolderIds) {
+      await invoke("invalidate_duplicate_scan_cache", { folderId });
+    }
+    return succeededIds.length;
   },
 
   retryFailedEmbeddings: async (folderId) => {