diff --git a/consts/consts.go b/consts/consts.go
index 4baf4610d..3795b590a 100644
--- a/consts/consts.go
+++ b/consts/consts.go
@@ -156,25 +156,25 @@ var (
 			Name:           "mp3 audio",
 			TargetFormat:   "mp3",
 			DefaultBitRate: 192,
-			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -",
+			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -",
 		},
 		{
 			Name:           "opus audio",
 			TargetFormat:   "opus",
 			DefaultBitRate: 128,
-			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -",
+			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -",
 		},
 		{
 			Name:           "aac audio",
 			TargetFormat:   "aac",
 			DefaultBitRate: 256,
-			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -",
+			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -",
 		},
 		{
 			Name:           "flac audio",
 			TargetFormat:   "flac",
 			DefaultBitRate: 0,
-			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -",
+			Command:        "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -",
 		},
 	}
 )
diff --git a/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg.go b/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg.go
index 58e9fd152..3d4cd0e72 100644
--- a/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg.go
+++ b/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg.go
@@ -403,6 +403,14 @@ func buildDynamicArgs(opts TranscodeOptions) []string {
 	args = append(args, "-i", opts.FilePath)
 	args = append(args, "-map", "0:a:0")
 
+	// Preserve source tags. -map_metadata 0 copies format-level tags (MP3/FLAC);
+	// -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 copies tags from the first audio stream (OPUS/OGG).
+	// Both are needed because the two source families store tags at different
+	// levels. Targeting the audio stream explicitly (s:a:0 rather than s:0) avoids
+	// pulling metadata from an embedded cover-art/video stream at index 0. Note:
+	// adts (AAC) output cannot hold tags, so these are a no-op there.
+	args = append(args, "-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0")
+
 	if codec, ok := formatCodecMap[opts.Format]; ok {
 		args = append(args, "-c:a", codec)
 	}
diff --git a/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg_test.go b/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg_test.go
index 2e2895738..9c20e6c05 100644
--- a/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg_test.go
+++ b/core/ffmpeg/ffmpeg_test.go
@@ -82,16 +82,16 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 
 	Describe("isDefaultCommand", func() {
 		It("returns true for known default mp3 command", func() {
-			Expect(isDefaultCommand("mp3", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -")).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(isDefaultCommand("mp3", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -")).To(BeTrue())
 		})
 		It("returns true for known default opus command", func() {
-			Expect(isDefaultCommand("opus", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -")).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(isDefaultCommand("opus", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -")).To(BeTrue())
 		})
 		It("returns true for known default aac command", func() {
-			Expect(isDefaultCommand("aac", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -")).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(isDefaultCommand("aac", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -")).To(BeTrue())
 		})
 		It("returns true for known default flac command", func() {
-			Expect(isDefaultCommand("flac", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -")).To(BeTrue())
+			Expect(isDefaultCommand("flac", "ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -")).To(BeTrue())
 		})
 		It("returns false for a custom command", func() {
 			Expect(isDefaultCommand("mp3", "ffmpeg -i %s -b:a %bk -custom-flag -f mp3 -")).To(BeFalse())
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{
 				"ffmpeg", "-i", "/music/file.flac",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "libmp3lame",
 				"-b:a", "256k",
 				"-ar", "48000",
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{
 				"ffmpeg", "-i", "/music/file.dsf",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "flac",
 				"-ar", "48000",
 				"-v", "0",
@@ -149,6 +151,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{
 				"ffmpeg", "-i", "/music/file.flac",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "libopus",
 				"-b:a", "128k",
 				"-v", "0",
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 				"-ss", "30",
 				"-i", "/music/file.mp3",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "libmp3lame",
 				"-b:a", "192k",
 				"-v", "0",
@@ -186,6 +190,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{
 				"ffmpeg", "-i", "/music/file.flac",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "aac",
 				"-b:a", "256k",
 				"-v", "0",
@@ -203,6 +208,7 @@ var _ = Describe("ffmpeg", func() {
 			Expect(args).To(Equal([]string{
 				"ffmpeg", "-i", "/music/file.dsf",
 				"-map", "0:a:0",
+				"-map_metadata", "0", "-map_metadata", "0:s:a:0",
 				"-c:a", "flac",
 				"-sample_fmt", "s32",
 				"-v", "0",
diff --git a/db/migrations/20260618120509_add_metadata_to_default_transcodings.go b/db/migrations/20260618120509_add_metadata_to_default_transcodings.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2186cda91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrations/20260618120509_add_metadata_to_default_transcodings.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package migrations
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"database/sql"
+
+	"github.com/pressly/goose/v3"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	goose.AddMigrationContext(upAddMetadataToDefaultTranscodings, downAddMetadataToDefaultTranscodings)
+}
+
+// metadataPairs maps the current default commands (no metadata mapping) to the
+// new defaults that preserve source tags. Index 0 = old, index 1 = new.
+//
+// The new commands add `-map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0` after `-map 0:a:0`:
+// `-map_metadata 0` copies format-level tags (MP3/FLAC sources) and
+// `-map_metadata 0:s:a:0` copies tags from the first audio stream (OPUS/OGG
+// sources); both are needed because the two source families store tags at
+// different levels. Targeting the audio stream explicitly avoids pulling
+// metadata from an embedded cover-art/video stream at index 0.
+//
+// AAC is included for consistency, but its `-f adts` container cannot hold tags,
+// so the flags are a no-op there.
+//
+// Only rows still holding the exact unmodified default are updated, so any
+// user-customized command is left untouched.
+var metadataPairs = [][2]string{
+	{
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -",
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -",
+	},
+	{
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -",
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a libopus -f opus -",
+	},
+	{
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -",
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -b:a %bk -v 0 -c:a aac -f adts -",
+	},
+	{
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -",
+		"ffmpeg -ss %t -i %s -map 0:a:0 -map_metadata 0 -map_metadata 0:s:a:0 -v 0 -c:a flac -f flac -",
+	},
+}
+
+func upAddMetadataToDefaultTranscodings(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	for _, p := range metadataPairs {
+		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE transcoding SET command = ? WHERE command = ?`, p[1], p[0]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func downAddMetadataToDefaultTranscodings(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	for _, p := range metadataPairs {
+		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE transcoding SET command = ? WHERE command = ?`, p[0], p[1]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}