diff --git a/server/src/services/journeyService.ts b/server/src/services/journeyService.ts
index 9910ee8b..a03d1fea 100644
--- a/server/src/services/journeyService.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/journeyService.ts
@@ -781,22 +781,20 @@ export function updatePhoto(photoId: number, userId: number, data: { caption?: s
   if (!row) return null;
   if (!canEdit(row.journey_id, userId)) return null;
 
-  const fields: string[] = [];
-  const values: unknown[] = [];
-  if (data.caption !== undefined) { fields.push('caption = ?'); values.push(data.caption); }
-  if (data.sort_order !== undefined) { fields.push('sort_order = ?'); values.push(data.sort_order); }
-  if (!fields.length) {
-    // no-op: return some photo row for this gallery item (first entry link)
-    return db.prepare(`SELECT ${JP_SELECT} FROM ${JP_JOIN} WHERE gp.id = ? LIMIT 1`).get(photoId) as JourneyPhoto | null;
+  // caption lives on the gallery row; sort_order lives on the junction table
+  // (JP_SELECT reads jep.sort_order, so updating journey_photos.sort_order
+  // would not be reflected in the returned row).
+  if (data.caption !== undefined) {
+    db.prepare('UPDATE journey_photos SET caption = ? WHERE id = ?').run(data.caption, photoId);
+  }
+  if (data.sort_order !== undefined) {
+    db.prepare('UPDATE journey_entry_photos SET sort_order = ? WHERE journey_photo_id = ?').run(data.sort_order, photoId);
   }
-
-  values.push(photoId);
-  db.prepare(`UPDATE journey_photos SET ${fields.join(', ')} WHERE id = ?`).run(...values);
   return db.prepare(`SELECT ${JP_SELECT} FROM ${JP_JOIN} WHERE gp.id = ? LIMIT 1`).get(photoId) as JourneyPhoto | null;
 }
 
 // deletePhoto: hard-delete (backwards compat name used by old route).
-export function deletePhoto(photoId: number, userId: number): { photo_id: number; file_path?: string | null; journey_id: number } | null {
+export function deletePhoto(photoId: number, userId: number): { id: number; photo_id: number; file_path?: string | null; journey_id: number } | null {
   const row = db.prepare('SELECT id, journey_id, photo_id FROM journey_photos WHERE id = ?').get(photoId) as { id: number; journey_id: number; photo_id: number } | undefined;
   if (!row) return null;
   if (!canEdit(row.journey_id, userId)) return null;
@@ -806,7 +804,7 @@ export function deletePhoto(photoId: number, userId: number): { photo_id: number
   db.prepare('DELETE FROM journey_photos WHERE id = ?').run(photoId);
   deleteTrekPhotoIfOrphan(row.photo_id);
 
-  return { photo_id: row.photo_id, file_path: trekRow?.file_path ?? null, journey_id: row.journey_id };
+  return { id: row.id, photo_id: row.photo_id, file_path: trekRow?.file_path ?? null, journey_id: row.journey_id };
 }
 
 // ── Contributors ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/server/tests/integration/journey.test.ts b/server/tests/integration/journey.test.ts
index 167dc326..6748992a 100644
--- a/server/tests/integration/journey.test.ts
+++ b/server/tests/integration/journey.test.ts
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ describe('Link photo to entry', () => {
       .send({});
 
     expect(res.status).toBe(400);
-    expect(res.body.error).toBe('photo_id required');
+    expect(res.body.error).toBe('journey_photo_id required');
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/server/tests/unit/services/journeyService.test.ts b/server/tests/unit/services/journeyService.test.ts
index 31f24214..950eff04 100644
--- a/server/tests/unit/services/journeyService.test.ts
+++ b/server/tests/unit/services/journeyService.test.ts
@@ -1325,9 +1325,10 @@ describe('Edge cases', () => {
     const result = deleteEntry(entry.id, user.id);
     expect(result).toBe(true);
 
-    // Photo should be deleted with the entry
-    const deletedPhoto = testDb.prepare('SELECT * FROM journey_photos WHERE id = ?').get(photo!.id) as any;
-    expect(deletedPhoto).toBeUndefined();
+    // Junction row must be gone (ON DELETE CASCADE from journey_entries).
+    // Gallery row (journey_photos) is preserved — photo may belong to other entries.
+    const junctionRow = testDb.prepare('SELECT * FROM journey_entry_photos WHERE entry_id = ?').get(entry.id) as any;
+    expect(junctionRow).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
   it('JOURNEY-SVC-082: updateJourney can set cover_gradient', () => {
@@ -1395,17 +1396,12 @@ describe('Edge cases', () => {
 
     addTripToJourney(journey.id, trip.id, user.id);
 
-    // Should have a [Trip Photos] entry with the imported photo
-    const photoEntry = testDb.prepare(
-      "SELECT * FROM journey_entries WHERE journey_id = ? AND title = '[Trip Photos]'"
-    ).get(journey.id) as any;
-    expect(photoEntry).toBeDefined();
-
+    // Trip photos now go straight into the journey gallery (no wrapper entry).
     const photos = testDb.prepare(`
       SELECT jp.*, tkp.asset_id FROM journey_photos jp
       JOIN trek_photos tkp ON tkp.id = jp.photo_id
-      WHERE jp.entry_id = ?
-    `).all(photoEntry.id);
+      WHERE jp.journey_id = ?
+    `).all(journey.id);
     expect(photos.length).toBe(1);
     expect((photos[0] as any).asset_id).toBe('immich-photo-1');
   });
diff --git a/server/tests/unit/services/journeyShareService.test.ts b/server/tests/unit/services/journeyShareService.test.ts
index bbd196a7..3df9c2ff 100644
--- a/server/tests/unit/services/journeyShareService.test.ts
+++ b/server/tests/unit/services/journeyShareService.test.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ afterAll(() => {
 
 // -- Helpers ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-/** Insert a trek_photos + journey_photos row and return the trek_photos id (used as photoId in public URLs). */
+/** Insert a trek_photos + journey_photos (gallery) + journey_entry_photos row and return the trek_photos id (used as photoId in public URLs). */
 function insertJourneyPhoto(
   entryId: number,
   opts: { filePath?: string; assetId?: string; ownerId?: number } = {}
@@ -70,10 +70,24 @@ function insertJourneyPhoto(
     VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)
   `).run(provider, opts.assetId ?? null, filePath, opts.ownerId ?? null, Date.now());
   const trekId = trekResult.lastInsertRowid as number;
+
+  // Look up journey_id from entry so gallery row is keyed to the journey (not entry).
+  const entryRow = testDb.prepare('SELECT journey_id FROM journey_entries WHERE id = ?').get(entryId) as { journey_id: number };
+  const journeyId = entryRow.journey_id;
+  const now = Date.now();
+
   testDb.prepare(`
-    INSERT INTO journey_photos (entry_id, photo_id, caption, sort_order, created_at)
+    INSERT OR IGNORE INTO journey_photos (journey_id, photo_id, caption, sort_order, created_at)
     VALUES (?, ?, NULL, 0, ?)
-  `).run(entryId, trekId, Date.now());
+  `).run(journeyId, trekId, now);
+
+  const galleryRow = testDb.prepare('SELECT id FROM journey_photos WHERE journey_id = ? AND photo_id = ?').get(journeyId, trekId) as { id: number };
+
+  testDb.prepare(`
+    INSERT OR IGNORE INTO journey_entry_photos (entry_id, journey_photo_id, sort_order, created_at)
+    VALUES (?, ?, 0, ?)
+  `).run(entryId, galleryRow.id, now);
+
   // Return trek_photos.id — this is p.photo_id in the public API response
   // and the value the client sends to /api/public/journey/:token/photos/:photoId/:kind
   return trekId;