diff --git a/internal/photoprism/convert.go b/internal/photoprism/convert.go
index 023f294ec..4ce4ea8fa 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/convert.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/convert.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func (c *Convert) ConvertCommand(mf *MediaFile, jpegName string, xmpName string)
 
 // ToJson uses exiftool to export metadata to a json file.
 func (c *Convert) ToJson(mf *MediaFile) (*MediaFile, error) {
-	jsonName := fs.TypeJson.FindFirst(mf.FileName(), []string{c.conf.SidecarPath(), c.conf.OriginalsPath(), fs.HiddenPath}, c.conf.OriginalsPath(), c.conf.Settings().Index.Group)
+	jsonName := fs.TypeJson.FindFirst(mf.FileName(), []string{c.conf.SidecarPath(), fs.HiddenPath}, c.conf.OriginalsPath(), c.conf.Settings().Index.Group)
 
 	result, err := NewMediaFile(jsonName)
 
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/index_mediafile.go b/internal/photoprism/index_mediafile.go
index 2a1a89d7d..79633b2a9 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/index_mediafile.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/index_mediafile.go
@@ -226,18 +226,117 @@ func (ind *Index) MediaFile(m *MediaFile, o IndexOptions, originalName string) (
 			}
 		}
 	case m.IsRaw():
+		if metaData := m.MetaData(); metaData.Error == nil {
+			photo.SetTitle(metaData.Title, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetDescription(metaData.Description, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetTakenAt(metaData.TakenAt, metaData.TakenAtLocal, metaData.TimeZone, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetCoordinates(metaData.Lat, metaData.Lng, metaData.Altitude, entity.SrcMeta)
+
+			if photo.Details.NoNotes() {
+				photo.Details.Notes = metaData.Comment
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoSubject() {
+				photo.Details.Subject = metaData.Subject
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoKeywords() {
+				photo.Details.Keywords = metaData.Keywords
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoArtist() && metaData.Artist != "" {
+				photo.Details.Artist = metaData.Artist
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoArtist() && metaData.CameraOwner != "" {
+				photo.Details.Artist = metaData.CameraOwner
+			}
+
+			if photo.NoCameraSerial() {
+				photo.CameraSerial = metaData.CameraSerial
+			}
+
+			if metaData.HasDocumentID() && photo.UUID == "" {
+				log.Debugf("index: %s has document id %s", quotedName, txt.Quote(metaData.DocumentID))
+
+				photo.UUID = metaData.DocumentID
+			}
+
+			if metaData.HasInstanceID() && file.UUID == "" {
+				log.Debugf("index: %s has instance id %s", quotedName, txt.Quote(metaData.InstanceID))
+
+				file.UUID = metaData.InstanceID
+			}
+
+			file.FileCodec = metaData.Codec
+			file.FileWidth = metaData.ActualWidth()
+			file.FileHeight = metaData.ActualHeight()
+			file.FileDuration = metaData.Duration
+			file.FileAspectRatio = metaData.AspectRatio()
+			file.FilePortrait = metaData.Portrait()
+
+			if res := metaData.Megapixels(); res > photo.PhotoResolution {
+				photo.PhotoResolution = res
+			}
+		}
+
 		if photo.PhotoType == entity.TypeImage {
 			photo.PhotoType = entity.TypeRaw
 		}
 	case m.IsVideo():
-		metaData = m.MetaData()
+		if metaData := m.MetaData(); metaData.Error == nil {
+			photo.SetTitle(metaData.Title, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetDescription(metaData.Description, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetTakenAt(metaData.TakenAt, metaData.TakenAtLocal, metaData.TimeZone, entity.SrcMeta)
+			photo.SetCoordinates(metaData.Lat, metaData.Lng, metaData.Altitude, entity.SrcMeta)
 
-		file.FileCodec = metaData.Codec
-		file.FileWidth = metaData.ActualWidth()
-		file.FileHeight = metaData.ActualHeight()
-		file.FileDuration = metaData.Duration
-		file.FileAspectRatio = metaData.AspectRatio()
-		file.FilePortrait = metaData.Portrait()
+			if photo.Details.NoNotes() {
+				photo.Details.Notes = metaData.Comment
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoSubject() {
+				photo.Details.Subject = metaData.Subject
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoKeywords() {
+				photo.Details.Keywords = metaData.Keywords
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoArtist() && metaData.Artist != "" {
+				photo.Details.Artist = metaData.Artist
+			}
+
+			if photo.Details.NoArtist() && metaData.CameraOwner != "" {
+				photo.Details.Artist = metaData.CameraOwner
+			}
+
+			if photo.NoCameraSerial() {
+				photo.CameraSerial = metaData.CameraSerial
+			}
+
+			if metaData.HasDocumentID() && photo.UUID == "" {
+				log.Debugf("index: %s has document id %s", quotedName, txt.Quote(metaData.DocumentID))
+
+				photo.UUID = metaData.DocumentID
+			}
+
+			if metaData.HasInstanceID() && file.UUID == "" {
+				log.Debugf("index: %s has instance id %s", quotedName, txt.Quote(metaData.InstanceID))
+
+				file.UUID = metaData.InstanceID
+			}
+
+			file.FileCodec = metaData.Codec
+			file.FileWidth = metaData.ActualWidth()
+			file.FileHeight = metaData.ActualHeight()
+			file.FileDuration = metaData.Duration
+			file.FileAspectRatio = metaData.AspectRatio()
+			file.FilePortrait = metaData.Portrait()
+
+			if res := metaData.Megapixels(); res > photo.PhotoResolution {
+				photo.PhotoResolution = res
+			}
+		}
 
 		if file.FileDuration == 0 || file.FileDuration > time.Millisecond*3100 {
 			photo.PhotoType = entity.TypeVideo
@@ -245,10 +344,6 @@ func (ind *Index) MediaFile(m *MediaFile, o IndexOptions, originalName string) (
 			photo.PhotoType = entity.TypeLive
 		}
 
-		if res := metaData.Megapixels(); res > photo.PhotoResolution {
-			photo.PhotoResolution = res
-		}
-
 		if file.FileWidth == 0 && primaryFile.FileWidth > 0 {
 			file.FileWidth = primaryFile.FileWidth
 			file.FileHeight = primaryFile.FileHeight
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/metadata.go b/internal/photoprism/metadata.go
index b8313e43f..6a2154e5d 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/metadata.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/metadata.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func (m *MediaFile) MetaData() (result meta.Data) {
 			err = errors.New("not a photo")
 		}
 
-		if jsonFile := fs.TypeJson.FindFirst(m.FileName(), []string{Config().OriginalsPath(), Config().SidecarPath(), fs.HiddenPath}, Config().OriginalsPath(), false); jsonFile == "" {
+		if jsonFile := fs.TypeJson.FindFirst(m.FileName(), []string{Config().SidecarPath(), fs.HiddenPath}, Config().OriginalsPath(), false); jsonFile == "" {
 			log.Debugf("mediafile: no json sidecar file found for %s", txt.Quote(filepath.Base(m.FileName())))
 		} else if jsonErr := m.metaData.JSON(jsonFile, m.BaseName()); jsonErr != nil {
 			log.Debug(jsonErr)