diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 065d9c419..01761e4ce 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -10920,6 +10920,12 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/exif-parser/-/exif-parser-0.1.12.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-c2bQfLNbMzLPmzQuOr8fy0csy84WmwnER81W88DzTp9CYNPJ6yzOj2EZAh9pywYpqHnshVLHQJ8WzldAyfY+Iw=="
     },
+    "node_modules/exifr": {
+      "version": "7.1.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/exifr/-/exifr-7.1.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-g/aje2noHivrRSLbAUtBPWFbxKdKhgj/xr1vATDdUXPOFYJlQ62Ft0oy+72V6XLIpDJfHs6gXLbBLAolqOXYRw==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/expand-template": {
       "version": "2.0.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/expand-template/-/expand-template-2.0.3.tgz",
@@ -21230,6 +21236,7 @@
         "cors": "^2.8.5",
         "cron": "^4.4.0",
         "dotenv": "^16.4.1",
+        "exifr": "7.1.3",
         "express": "^4.18.3",
         "fast-xml-parser": "^5.5.10",
         "helmet": "^8.1.0",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 10a5f58d1..e9d81749b 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "cron": "^4.4.0",
     "dotenv": "^16.4.1",
+    "exifr": "7.1.3",
     "express": "^4.18.3",
     "fast-xml-parser": "^5.5.10",
     "helmet": "^8.1.0",
diff --git a/server/src/nest/journey/journey.controller.ts b/server/src/nest/journey/journey.controller.ts
index 27f3486e9..155d5a826 100644
--- a/server/src/nest/journey/journey.controller.ts
+++ b/server/src/nest/journey/journey.controller.ts
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ export class JourneyController {
     if (!results.length) {
       throw new HttpException({ error: 'Not allowed' }, 403);
     }
+    this.backfillCapture(results, user.id);
     return { photos: results };
   }
 
@@ -293,6 +294,9 @@ export class JourneyController {
     if (!photos.length) {
       throw new HttpException({ error: 'Not allowed' }, 403);
     }
+    // An uploaded file carries its own EXIF; reading it is what puts the photo on
+    // the map later. Detached, like the provider branch.
+    this.backfillCapture(photos, user.id);
     return { photos };
   }
 
diff --git a/server/src/nest/memories/photo-capture-backfill.service.ts b/server/src/nest/memories/photo-capture-backfill.service.ts
index 3d4184514..9399eb796 100644
--- a/server/src/nest/memories/photo-capture-backfill.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/nest/memories/photo-capture-backfill.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import exifr from 'exifr';
+import { UPLOADS_ROOT } from './uploads-root';
 import { PhotoResolverService } from './photo-resolver.service';
 import { TrekPhotosRepository } from '../photos/trek-photos.repository';
 
@@ -37,6 +40,14 @@ export class PhotoCaptureBackfillService {
         // per photo is the expensive part of an album import.
         if (!photo || (photo.taken_at && photo.lat != null && photo.lng != null)) continue;
 
+        // A local file has no provider to ask — the answer is in its own EXIF, and
+        // getPhotoInfo would only hand back what the DB row already says.
+        if (photo.provider === 'local') {
+          const meta = await this.readLocalExif(photo.file_path);
+          if (meta) this.photos.recordCaptureMetadata(id, meta);
+          continue;
+        }
+
         const info = await this.resolver.getPhotoInfo(id, userId);
         if (!info.success) continue;
 
@@ -50,4 +61,33 @@ export class PhotoCaptureBackfillService {
       }
     }
   }
+
+  /**
+   * EXIF of an uploaded file.
+   *
+   * Note for anyone chasing "my phone photo has no location": the client converts
+   * HEIC before upload and that conversion drops GPS, so an iPhone photo arrives
+   * here already stripped. Nothing to read is the expected outcome far more often
+   * than not — hence no logging on the empty case.
+   */
+  private async readLocalExif(
+    filePath?: string | null,
+  ): Promise<{ takenAt: string | null; lat: number | null; lng: number | null } | null> {
+    if (!filePath) return null;
+    // Never let a stored path climb out of the uploads tree.
+    const abs = path.resolve(UPLOADS_ROOT, filePath);
+    if (abs !== UPLOADS_ROOT && !abs.startsWith(UPLOADS_ROOT + path.sep)) return null;
+
+    const parsed = await exifr.parse(abs, { pick: ['DateTimeOriginal', 'CreateDate', 'latitude', 'longitude'] })
+      .catch(() => null) as
+      | { DateTimeOriginal?: Date; CreateDate?: Date; latitude?: number; longitude?: number }
+      | null;
+    if (!parsed) return null;
+
+    const taken = parsed.DateTimeOriginal ?? parsed.CreateDate ?? null;
+    const takenAt = taken instanceof Date && !Number.isNaN(taken.getTime()) ? taken.toISOString() : null;
+    const lat = typeof parsed.latitude === 'number' ? parsed.latitude : null;
+    const lng = typeof parsed.longitude === 'number' ? parsed.longitude : null;
+    return takenAt || lat != null ? { takenAt, lat, lng } : null;
+  }
 }