diff --git a/internal/api/file_orientation.go b/internal/api/file_orientation.go
index 5bcd75990..1f37f977a 100644
--- a/internal/api/file_orientation.go
+++ b/internal/api/file_orientation.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func ChangeFileOrientation(router *gin.RouterGroup) {
 
 		// Abort in read-only mode or if editing is disabled.
 		if conf.ReadOnly() || !conf.Settings().Features.Edit {
-			Abort(c, http.StatusForbidden, i18n.ErrReadOnly)
+			c.AbortWithStatusJSON(http.StatusForbidden, i18n.NewResponse(http.StatusForbidden, i18n.ErrReadOnly))
 			return
 		} else if conf.DisableExifTool() {
 			c.AbortWithStatusJSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, "exiftool is disabled")
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/mediafile_thumbs.go b/internal/photoprism/mediafile_thumbs.go
index 9ab9c3210..a12a20264 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/mediafile_thumbs.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/mediafile_thumbs.go
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ func (m *MediaFile) CreateThumbnails(thumbPath string, force bool) (err error) {
 func (m *MediaFile) ChangeOrientation(val int) (err error) {
 	if !m.IsPreviewImage() {
 		// Skip.
-		return fmt.Errorf("not a preview image")
+		return fmt.Errorf("orientation can currently only be changed for jpeg and png files")
 	}
 
 	cnf := Config()
-	cmd := exec.Command(cnf.ExifToolBin(), "-overwrite_original", "-P", "-n", "-ModifyDate<FileModifyDate", "-Orientation="+strconv.Itoa(val), m.FileName())
+	cmd := exec.Command(cnf.ExifToolBin(), "-overwrite_original", "-n", "-Orientation="+strconv.Itoa(val), m.FileName())
 
 	// Fetch command output.
 	var out bytes.Buffer