diff --git a/internal/entity/face.go b/internal/entity/face.go
index d92b01b68..ea42c5175 100644
--- a/internal/entity/face.go
+++ b/internal/entity/face.go
@@ -122,3 +122,38 @@ func (m *Face) Update(attr string, value interface{}) error {
 func (m *Face) Updates(values interface{}) error {
 	return UnscopedDb().Model(m).Updates(values).Error
 }
+
+// FirstOrCreateFace returns the existing entity, inserts a new entity or nil in case of errors.
+func FirstOrCreateFace(m *Face) *Face {
+	result := Face{}
+
+	if err := UnscopedDb().Where("id = ?", m.ID).First(&result).Error; err == nil {
+		return &result
+	} else if createErr := m.Create(); createErr == nil {
+		return m
+	} else if err := UnscopedDb().Where("id = ?", m.ID).First(&result).Error; err == nil {
+		return &result
+	} else {
+		log.Errorf("face: %s (find or create %s)", createErr, m.ID)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// FindFace returns an existing entity if exists.
+func FindFace(id string) *Face {
+	if id == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	result := Face{}
+
+	db := Db()
+	db = db.Where("id = ?", id)
+
+	if err := db.First(&result).Error; err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return &result
+}
diff --git a/internal/entity/marker.go b/internal/entity/marker.go
index 5502eea26..3be13714c 100644
--- a/internal/entity/marker.go
+++ b/internal/entity/marker.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type Marker struct {
 	SubjectSrc     string          `gorm:"type:VARBINARY(8);default:'';" json:"SubjectSrc" yaml:"SubjectSrc,omitempty"`
 	Subject        *Subject        `gorm:"foreignkey:SubjectUID;association_foreignkey:SubjectUID;association_autoupdate:false;association_autocreate:false;association_save_reference:false" json:"Subject,omitempty" yaml:"-"`
 	FaceID         string          `gorm:"type:VARBINARY(42);index;" json:"FaceID" yaml:"FaceID,omitempty"`
+	Face           *Face           `gorm:"foreignkey:FaceID;association_foreignkey:ID;association_autoupdate:false;association_autocreate:false;association_save_reference:false" json:"-" yaml:"-"`
 	EmbeddingsJSON json.RawMessage `gorm:"type:MEDIUMBLOB;" json:"-" yaml:"EmbeddingsJSON,omitempty"`
 	embeddings     Embeddings      `gorm:"-"`
 	LandmarksJSON  json.RawMessage `gorm:"type:MEDIUMBLOB;" json:"-" yaml:"LandmarksJSON,omitempty"`
@@ -198,11 +199,7 @@ func (m *Marker) SyncSubject(updateRelated bool) error {
 	// Create known face for subject?
 	if m.FaceID != "" || m.SubjectSrc != SrcManual {
 		// Do nothing.
-	} else if f := NewFace(m.SubjectUID, SrcManual, m.Embeddings()); f == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed adding known face for subject %s", m.SubjectUID)
-	} else if err := f.Create(); err != nil {
-		log.Debugf("marker: %s (add known face)", err)
-	} else {
+	} else if f := m.GetFace(); f != nil {
 		m.FaceID = f.ID
 	}
 
@@ -221,7 +218,7 @@ func (m *Marker) SyncSubject(updateRelated bool) error {
 		Updates(Values{"SubjectUID": m.SubjectUID, "SubjectSrc": SrcAuto}).Error; err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s (update related markers)", err)
 	} else {
-		log.Infof("marker: matched %s", subj.SubjectName)
+		log.Debugf("marker: matched subject %s with face %s", subj.SubjectName, m.FaceID)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -258,7 +255,7 @@ func (m *Marker) Embeddings() Embeddings {
 	return m.embeddings
 }
 
-// GetSubject returns the matching subject entity, if possible.
+// GetSubject returns a subject entity if possible.
 func (m *Marker) GetSubject() (subj *Subject) {
 	if m.Subject != nil {
 		return m.Subject
@@ -283,6 +280,30 @@ func (m *Marker) GetSubject() (subj *Subject) {
 	return m.Subject
 }
 
+// GetFace returns a matching face entity if possible.
+func (m *Marker) GetFace() (f *Face) {
+	if m.Face != nil {
+		return m.Face
+	}
+
+	if m.FaceID == "" && m.SubjectSrc == SrcManual {
+		if f = NewFace(m.SubjectUID, SrcManual, m.Embeddings()); f == nil {
+			return nil
+		} else if f = FirstOrCreateFace(f); f == nil {
+			log.Debugf("marker: invalid face")
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		m.FaceID = f.ID
+
+		return f
+	}
+
+	m.Face = FindFace(m.FaceID)
+
+	return m.Face
+}
+
 // FindMarker returns an existing row if exists.
 func FindMarker(id uint) *Marker {
 	result := Marker{}
diff --git a/internal/entity/subject.go b/internal/entity/subject.go
index d18f2964f..d1918a289 100644
--- a/internal/entity/subject.go
+++ b/internal/entity/subject.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (m *Subject) Updates(values interface{}) error {
 	return UnscopedDb().Model(m).Updates(values).Error
 }
 
-// FirstOrCreateSubject returns the existing subject, inserts a new subject or nil in case of errors.
+// FirstOrCreateSubject returns the existing entity, inserts a new entity or nil in case of errors.
 func FirstOrCreateSubject(m *Subject) *Subject {
 	result := Subject{}
 
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func FirstOrCreateSubject(m *Subject) *Subject {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// FindSubject returns an existing row if exists.
+// FindSubject returns an existing entity if exists.
 func FindSubject(s string) *Subject {
 	if s == "" {
 		return nil
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/faces.go b/internal/photoprism/faces.go
index 3e5722c48..0a3fb9951 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/faces.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/faces.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package photoprism
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"runtime/debug"
-	"time"
 
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/face"
 
@@ -151,7 +150,13 @@ func (w *Faces) Reset() (err error) {
 	if err := query.ResetFaces(); err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("faces: %s (reset)", err)
 	} else {
-		log.Infof("faces: reset known faces")
+		log.Infof("faces: reset faces")
+	}
+
+	if err := query.ResetSubjects(); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("faces: %s (reset)", err)
+	} else {
+		log.Infof("faces: reset subjects")
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -182,21 +187,30 @@ func (w *Faces) Start(opt FacesOptions) (err error) {
 	defer mutex.MainWorker.Stop()
 
 	// Skip clustering if index contains no new face markers and force option isn't set.
-	if n := query.CountNewFaceMarkers(); n < 1 && !opt.Force{
+	if n := query.CountNewFaceMarkers(); n < 1 && !opt.Force {
 		log.Debugf("faces: no new samples")
 
-		// Match (add and assign) subjects with markers, if possible.
-		if affected, err := query.MatchMarkersWithSubjects(); err != nil {
+		var updated int64
+
+		// Adds and reference known marker subjects.
+		if affected, err := query.AddMarkerSubjects(); err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("faces: %s (match markers with subjects)", err)
-		} else if affected > 0 {
-			log.Infof("faces: matched %d markers with subjects", affected)
+		} else {
+			updated += affected
 		}
 
-		// Match known faces with markers, if possible.
-		if matched, err := query.MatchKnownFaces(); err != nil {
+		// Match markers with known faces.
+		if affected, err := query.MatchFaceMarkers(); err != nil {
 			return err
-		} else if matched > 0 {
-			log.Infof("faces: matched %d markers to faces", matched)
+		} else {
+			updated += affected
+		}
+
+		// Log result.
+		if updated > 0 {
+			log.Infof("faces: %d markers updated", updated)
+		} else {
+			log.Debug("faces: no changes")
 		}
 
 		// Clean-up invalid marker data.
@@ -250,6 +264,11 @@ func (w *Faces) Start(opt FacesOptions) (err error) {
 			results[n-1] = append(results[n-1], embeddings[i])
 		}
 
+		if err := query.PurgeAnonymousFaces(); err != nil {
+			dbErrors++
+			log.Errorf("faces: %s", err)
+		}
+
 		for _, embedding := range results {
 			if f := entity.NewFace("", entity.SrcAuto, embedding); f == nil {
 				dbErrors++
@@ -264,87 +283,9 @@ func (w *Faces) Start(opt FacesOptions) (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := query.PurgeAnonymousFaces(); err != nil {
-		dbErrors++
-		log.Errorf("faces: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	if faces, err := query.Faces(false); err != nil {
+	// Match existing markers and faces.
+	if recognized, unknown, err = w.MatchMarkers(); err != nil {
 		return err
-	} else {
-		limit := 500
-		offset := 0
-
-		for {
-			markers, err := query.Markers(limit, offset, entity.MarkerFace, true, false)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
-			if len(markers) == 0 {
-				break
-			}
-
-			for _, marker := range markers {
-				if mutex.MainWorker.Canceled() {
-					return fmt.Errorf("worker canceled")
-				}
-
-				// Pointer to the matching face.
-				var f *entity.Face
-
-				// Distance to the matching face.
-				var d float64
-
-				// Find the closest face match for marker.
-				for _, e := range marker.Embeddings() {
-					for i, match := range faces {
-						if dist := clusters.EuclideanDistance(e, match.Embedding()); f == nil || dist < d {
-							f = &faces[i]
-							d = dist
-						}
-					}
-				}
-
-				// No match?
-				if f == nil {
-					continue
-				}
-
-				// Too distant?
-				if d > (f.Radius + face.ClusterRadius) {
-					continue
-				}
-
-				if updated, err := marker.SetFace(f); err != nil {
-					dbErrors++
-					log.Errorf("faces: %s", err)
-				} else if updated {
-					recognized++
-				}
-
-				if marker.SubjectUID == "" {
-					unknown++
-				}
-			}
-
-			offset += limit
-
-			time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Match known faces with markers, if possible.
-	if m, err := query.MatchKnownFaces(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	} else {
-		recognized += m
-	}
-
-	// Clean-up invalid marker data.
-	if err := query.TidyMarkers(); err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("faces: %s (tidy)", err)
 	}
 
 	// Log results.
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/faces_match.go b/internal/photoprism/faces_match.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0fdd56ad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/photoprism/faces_match.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+package photoprism
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/entity"
+	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/face"
+	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/mutex"
+	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/query"
+	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/pkg/clusters"
+)
+
+// MatchMarkers matches existing markers and faces.
+func (w *Faces) MatchMarkers() (recognized, unknown int64, err error) {
+	if w.Disabled() {
+		return 0, 0, nil
+	}
+
+	if faces, err := query.Faces(false); err != nil {
+		return recognized, unknown, err
+	} else {
+		limit := 500
+		offset := 0
+
+		for {
+			markers, err := query.Markers(limit, offset, entity.MarkerFace, true, false)
+
+			if err != nil {
+				return recognized, unknown, err
+			}
+
+			if len(markers) == 0 {
+				break
+			}
+
+			for _, marker := range markers {
+				if mutex.MainWorker.Canceled() {
+					return recognized, unknown, fmt.Errorf("worker canceled")
+				}
+
+				// Pointer to the matching face.
+				var f *entity.Face
+
+				// Distance to the matching face.
+				var d float64
+
+				// Find the closest face match for marker.
+				for _, e := range marker.Embeddings() {
+					for i, match := range faces {
+						if dist := clusters.EuclideanDistance(e, match.Embedding()); f == nil || dist < d {
+							f = &faces[i]
+							d = dist
+						}
+					}
+				}
+
+				// No match?
+				if f == nil {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				// Too distant?
+				if d > (f.Radius + face.ClusterRadius) {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				if updated, err := marker.SetFace(f); err != nil {
+					log.Errorf("faces: %s", err)
+				} else if updated {
+					recognized++
+				}
+
+				if marker.SubjectUID == "" {
+					unknown++
+				}
+			}
+
+			offset += limit
+
+			time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Update remaining markers based on current matches.
+	if m, err := query.MatchFaceMarkers(); err != nil {
+		return recognized, unknown, err
+	} else {
+		recognized += m
+	}
+
+	// Reset invalid marker data.
+	if err := query.TidyMarkers(); err != nil {
+		return recognized, unknown, err
+	}
+
+	return recognized, unknown, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/index.go b/internal/photoprism/index.go
index dd9fd262c..33d73fae8 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/index.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/index.go
@@ -230,6 +230,15 @@ func (ind *Index) Start(opt IndexOptions) fs.Done {
 	}
 
 	if filesIndexed > 0 {
+		// Match existing faces if facial recognition is enabled.
+		if w := NewFaces(ind.conf); w.Disabled() {
+			log.Debugf("index: skipping facial recognition")
+		} else if recognized, unknown, err := w.MatchMarkers(); err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("index: %s", err)
+		} else if recognized > 0 || unknown > 0 {
+			log.Infof("faces: %d recognized, %d unknown", recognized, unknown)
+		}
+
 		event.Publish("index.updating", event.Data{
 			"step": "counts",
 		})
@@ -246,7 +255,7 @@ func (ind *Index) Start(opt IndexOptions) fs.Done {
 	return done
 }
 
-// File indexes a single file and returns the result.
+// FileName indexes a single file and returns the result.
 func (ind *Index) FileName(fileName string, o IndexOptions) (result IndexResult) {
 	file, err := NewMediaFile(fileName)
 
diff --git a/internal/query/faces.go b/internal/query/faces.go
index 9708a4d75..0f5bcee00 100644
--- a/internal/query/faces.go
+++ b/internal/query/faces.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/entity"
 )
 
-// Faces returns (known) faces from the index.
+// Faces returns all (known) faces from the index.
 func Faces(knownOnly bool) (result entity.Faces, err error) {
 	stmt := Db().
 		Where("face_src <> ?", entity.SrcDefault).
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ func Faces(knownOnly bool) (result entity.Faces, err error) {
 	return result, err
 }
 
-// MatchKnownFaces matches known faces with markers, if possible.
-func MatchKnownFaces() (affected int64, err error) {
+// MatchFaceMarkers matches markers with known faces.
+func MatchFaceMarkers() (affected int64, err error) {
 	faces, err := Faces(true)
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func MatchKnownFaces() (affected int64, err error) {
 func PurgeAnonymousFaces() error {
 	return UnscopedDb().Delete(
 		entity.Face{},
-		"id <> ? AND subject_uid = '' AND updated_at < ?", entity.UnknownFace.ID, entity.Yesterday()).Error
+		"face_src = ? AND subject_uid = ''", entity.SrcAuto).Error
 }
 
 // ResetFaces removes all face clusters from the index.
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ func ResetFaces() error {
 func CountNewFaceMarkers() (n int) {
 	var f entity.Face
 
-	if err := Db().Where("id <> ?", entity.UnknownFace.ID).Order("created_at DESC").Take(&f).Error; err != nil {
+	if err := Db().Where("face_src = ?", entity.SrcAuto).Order("created_at DESC").Take(&f).Error; err != nil {
 		log.Debugf("faces: no existing clusters")
 	}
 
-	q := Db().Model(&entity.Markers{}).Where("marker_type = ? AND embeddings_json <> ''", entity.MarkerFace)
+	q := Db().Model(&entity.Markers{}).Where("marker_type = ? AND marker_invalid = 0 AND embeddings_json <> ''", entity.MarkerFace)
 
 	if !f.CreatedAt.IsZero() {
 		q = q.Where("created_at > ?", f.CreatedAt)
diff --git a/internal/query/faces_test.go b/internal/query/faces_test.go
index 1b1946626..9f14538fd 100644
--- a/internal/query/faces_test.go
+++ b/internal/query/faces_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func TestFaces(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestMatchKnownFaces(t *testing.T) {
+func TestMatchFaceMarkers(t *testing.T) {
 	const faceFixtureId = uint(6)
 
 	if m, err := MarkerByID(faceFixtureId); err != nil {
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func TestMatchKnownFaces(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	affected, err := MatchKnownFaces()
+	affected, err := MatchFaceMarkers()
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/internal/query/markers.go b/internal/query/markers.go
index 155807e6f..57b36fe23 100644
--- a/internal/query/markers.go
+++ b/internal/query/markers.go
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ func Embeddings(single bool) (result entity.Embeddings, err error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-// MatchMarkersWithSubjects matches (add and assign) subjects with markers, if possible.
-func MatchMarkersWithSubjects() (affected int, err error) {
+// AddMarkerSubjects adds and references known marker subjects.
+func AddMarkerSubjects() (affected int64, err error) {
 	var markers entity.Markers
 
 	if err := Db().
diff --git a/internal/query/markers_test.go b/internal/query/markers_test.go
index dae00ac4e..d09bc3461 100644
--- a/internal/query/markers_test.go
+++ b/internal/query/markers_test.go
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ func TestEmbeddings(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestMatchMarkersWithSubjects(t *testing.T) {
-	affected, err := MatchMarkersWithSubjects()
+func TestAddMarkerSubjects(t *testing.T) {
+	affected, err := AddMarkerSubjects()
 
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, affected, 1)
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, affected, int64(1))
 }
 
 func TestTidyMarkers(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/query/subjects.go b/internal/query/subjects.go
index 32a76b476..911238712 100644
--- a/internal/query/subjects.go
+++ b/internal/query/subjects.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package query
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/entity"
 )
 
@@ -13,3 +15,12 @@ func Subjects(limit, offset int) (result entity.Subjects, err error) {
 
 	return result, err
 }
+
+// ResetSubjects removes all unused subjects from the index.
+func ResetSubjects() error {
+	return UnscopedDb().
+		Where("subject_src = ?", entity.SrcMarker).
+		Where(fmt.Sprintf("subject_uid NOT IN (SELECT subject_uid FROM %s)", entity.Face{}.TableName())).
+		Delete(&entity.Subject{}).
+		Error
+}
diff --git a/internal/query/subjects_test.go b/internal/query/subjects_test.go
index 7a622d888..985c31b5b 100644
--- a/internal/query/subjects_test.go
+++ b/internal/query/subjects_test.go
@@ -21,3 +21,7 @@ func TestSubjects(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.IsType(t, entity.Subject{}, val)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestResetSubjects(t *testing.T) {
+	assert.NoError(t, ResetSubjects())
+}