diff --git a/internal/catalog/person_merge_test.go b/internal/catalog/person_merge_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..418b3c00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/catalog/person_merge_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+package catalog
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/Silo-Server/silo-server/internal/models"
+)
+
+func TestConflictingExternalID(t *testing.T) {
+	p := models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm222"}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		constraint string
+		wantField  string
+		wantValue  string
+		wantOK     bool
+	}{
+		{"tmdb", "idx_people_tmdb_id", "tmdb_id", "111", true},
+		{"imdb", "idx_people_imdb_id", "imdb_id", "nm222", true},
+		{"unknown constraint", "idx_people_name", "", "", false},
+		{"empty constraint", "", "", "", false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			field, value, ok := conflictingExternalID(tt.constraint, p)
+			if field != tt.wantField || value != tt.wantValue || ok != tt.wantOK {
+				t.Fatalf("conflictingExternalID(%q) = (%q,%q,%v), want (%q,%q,%v)",
+					tt.constraint, field, value, ok, tt.wantField, tt.wantValue, tt.wantOK)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	// A blank id must never be reported as the conflict source.
+	if _, _, ok := conflictingExternalID("idx_people_tmdb_id", models.Person{}); ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected ok=false when the conflicting field is empty")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExternalIDsCompatible(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		a, b models.Person
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "tmdb-only vs imdb-only (the core dedup case)",
+			a:    models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			b:    models.Person{ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "identical ids",
+			a:    models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			b:    models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "conflicting tmdb ids",
+			a:    models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			b:    models.Person{TmdbID: "999", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "conflicting tvdb ids",
+			a:    models.Person{ImdbID: "nm9", TvdbID: "5"},
+			b:    models.Person{ImdbID: "nm9", TvdbID: "6"},
+			want: false,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := externalIDsCompatible(tt.a, tt.b); got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("externalIDsCompatible = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCanMergePeople(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		a, b models.Person
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "same name, compatible ids -> merge",
+			a:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", TmdbID: "111"},
+			b:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "case/space-insensitive name match -> merge",
+			a:    models.Person{Name: "  jane doe ", TmdbID: "111"},
+			b:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "different names, compatible ids -> do not merge",
+			a:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", TmdbID: "111"},
+			b:    models.Person{Name: "John Smith", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "same name but contradictory ids -> do not merge",
+			a:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", TmdbID: "111"},
+			b:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", TmdbID: "999"},
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "empty name on one side -> do not merge",
+			a:    models.Person{Name: "", TmdbID: "111"},
+			b:    models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe", ImdbID: "nm9"},
+			want: false,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := canMergePeople(tt.a, tt.b); got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("canMergePeople = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMergePersonFields(t *testing.T) {
+	birth := time.Date(1980, 1, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+
+	t.Run("backfills only empty fields, survivor wins", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dst := models.Person{
+			Name:   "Jane Doe",
+			TmdbID: "111",
+			Bio:    "survivor bio",
+		}
+		src := models.Person{
+			Name:       "Janey",
+			TmdbID:     "999", // must NOT overwrite a populated survivor id
+			ImdbID:     "nm9", // fills the gap
+			Bio:        "partner bio",
+			Birthplace: "Springfield",
+			BirthDate:  &birth,
+			PhotoPath:  "/p.jpg",
+		}
+		mergePersonFields(&dst, src)
+
+		if dst.Name != "Jane Doe" {
+			t.Errorf("Name overwritten: %q", dst.Name)
+		}
+		if dst.TmdbID != "111" {
+			t.Errorf("populated TmdbID overwritten: %q", dst.TmdbID)
+		}
+		if dst.ImdbID != "nm9" {
+			t.Errorf("empty ImdbID not backfilled: %q", dst.ImdbID)
+		}
+		if dst.Bio != "survivor bio" {
+			t.Errorf("populated Bio overwritten: %q", dst.Bio)
+		}
+		if dst.Birthplace != "Springfield" {
+			t.Errorf("empty Birthplace not backfilled: %q", dst.Birthplace)
+		}
+		if dst.BirthDate == nil || !dst.BirthDate.Equal(birth) {
+			t.Errorf("nil BirthDate not backfilled: %v", dst.BirthDate)
+		}
+		if dst.PhotoPath != "/p.jpg" {
+			t.Errorf("empty PhotoPath not backfilled: %q", dst.PhotoPath)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("backfills name when survivor is blank", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dst := models.Person{TmdbID: "111"}
+		src := models.Person{Name: "Jane Doe"}
+		mergePersonFields(&dst, src)
+		if dst.Name != "Jane Doe" {
+			t.Errorf("blank survivor Name not backfilled: %q", dst.Name)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("photo trio is folded together", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dst := models.Person{} // no photo at all
+		src := models.Person{
+			PhotoPath:       "/p.jpg",
+			PhotoSourcePath: "tmdb://p",
+			PhotoThumbhash:  "hash",
+		}
+		mergePersonFields(&dst, src)
+		if dst.PhotoPath != "/p.jpg" || dst.PhotoSourcePath != "tmdb://p" || dst.PhotoThumbhash != "hash" {
+			t.Errorf("photo trio not folded together: %+v", dst)
+		}
+
+		// A survivor that already has a photo keeps its own trio intact.
+		keep := models.Person{PhotoPath: "/keep.jpg"}
+		mergePersonFields(&keep, src)
+		if keep.PhotoPath != "/keep.jpg" || keep.PhotoSourcePath != "" || keep.PhotoThumbhash != "" {
+			t.Errorf("survivor photo trio was disturbed: %+v", keep)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestExternalIDValueAndSet(t *testing.T) {
+	p := models.Person{TmdbID: "111", ImdbID: "nm9", TvdbID: "5", PlexGUID: "g"}
+
+	for field, want := range map[string]string{
+		"tmdb_id": "111", "imdb_id": "nm9", "tvdb_id": "5", "plex_guid": "g", "nope": "",
+	} {
+		if got := externalIDValue(p, field); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("externalIDValue(%q) = %q, want %q", field, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Setting a field to a new value replaces only that column.
+	updated := p
+	setExternalIDField(&updated, "imdb_id", "nm12345")
+	if updated.ImdbID != "nm12345" {
+		t.Errorf("setExternalIDField did not set imdb_id: %q", updated.ImdbID)
+	}
+	if updated.TmdbID != "111" {
+		t.Errorf("setExternalIDField touched the wrong field: %q", updated.TmdbID)
+	}
+
+	// Setting a field to "" blanks it, matching the old clear behavior.
+	cleared := p
+	setExternalIDField(&cleared, "imdb_id", "")
+	if cleared.ImdbID != "" {
+		t.Errorf("setExternalIDField did not blank imdb_id: %q", cleared.ImdbID)
+	}
+	if cleared.TmdbID != "111" {
+		t.Errorf("setExternalIDField touched the wrong field: %q", cleared.TmdbID)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/catalog/person_repo.go b/internal/catalog/person_repo.go
index 73538785..dbd46ece 100644
--- a/internal/catalog/person_repo.go
+++ b/internal/catalog/person_repo.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package catalog
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -528,15 +530,114 @@ func (r *PersonRepository) Search(ctx context.Context, query string, limit int)
 	return people, rows.Err()
 }
 
+// maxPersonConflictResolutions bounds how many external-id collisions a single
+// Update is allowed to resolve before giving up. One per unique external-id
+// field is the natural ceiling (today only tmdb_id and imdb_id are unique).
+const maxPersonConflictResolutions = 4
+
 // Update updates all non-key fields on a person.
+//
+// A person's resolved external ids (tmdb_id / imdb_id) can collide with another
+// row that turns out to be the same human discovered through a different id —
+// e.g. one credit ingested with only a tmdb_id and another with only an imdb_id,
+// later reconciled when a refresh fills in the missing cross-id. Rather than
+// failing that write (SQLSTATE 23505) and letting the refresh worker retry the
+// same row forever, Update detects the collision and resolves it: it merges the
+// two people when they are the same human, or drops just the conflicting id when
+// they are not, then retries the write so updated_at advances and the row leaves
+// the stale set.
+//
+// The common, no-collision path runs as a single plain transaction. Only when a
+// 23505 surfaces does Update fall back to updateResolvingConflicts, which does
+// the whole reconciliation — merge or drop, plus the field write and reindex —
+// inside one transaction so it commits atomically (or not at all). Returns
+// pgx.ErrNoRows if the row no longer exists (e.g. merged away concurrently).
 func (r *PersonRepository) Update(ctx context.Context, p models.Person) error {
+	err := r.applyUpdate(ctx, p)
+	if err == nil || !isDuplicateKeyError(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+	return r.updateResolvingConflicts(ctx, p)
+}
+
+// applyUpdate writes all non-key fields on a person and enqueues a search
+// reindex for the items they appear in, all in one transaction.
+func (r *PersonRepository) applyUpdate(ctx context.Context, p models.Person) error {
 	tx, err := r.pool.Begin(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("begin person update tx: %w", err)
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
 
-	_, err = tx.Exec(ctx, `
+	affected, err := execPersonUpdate(ctx, tx, p)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if affected == 0 {
+		// The row was deleted out from under us (e.g. merged away concurrently).
+		return pgx.ErrNoRows
+	}
+	if err := reindexPersonItems(ctx, tx, p.ID); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := tx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("commit person update tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// updateResolvingConflicts performs the person write inside a single transaction,
+// reconciling external-id collisions (merge or drop) as they arise. The write is
+// retried after each resolution via a savepoint so a failed attempt does not
+// poison the transaction; the whole thing commits atomically once the write
+// lands. Bounded by maxPersonConflictResolutions so it cannot spin.
+func (r *PersonRepository) updateResolvingConflicts(ctx context.Context, p models.Person) error {
+	tx, err := r.pool.Begin(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("begin person merge tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback(ctx) }()
+
+	var affected int64
+	for attempt := 0; ; attempt++ {
+		affected, err = tryPersonUpdate(ctx, tx, p)
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		if !isDuplicateKeyError(err) || attempt >= maxPersonConflictResolutions {
+			return err
+		}
+		field, value, ok := conflictingExternalID(extractConstraint(err), p)
+		if !ok {
+			// Unique violation on a constraint we do not know how to reconcile.
+			return err
+		}
+		resolved, resolveErr := r.resolveExternalIDConflict(ctx, tx, &p, field, value)
+		if resolveErr != nil {
+			return resolveErr
+		}
+		if !resolved {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if affected == 0 {
+		// Survivor was deleted concurrently (e.g. merged into another row); there
+		// is nothing left to persist for this id.
+		return pgx.ErrNoRows
+	}
+	if err := reindexPersonItems(ctx, tx, p.ID); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := tx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("commit person merge tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// execPersonUpdate writes all non-key person fields and returns the rows affected.
+func execPersonUpdate(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, p models.Person) (int64, error) {
+	tag, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
 		UPDATE people SET name=$2, sort_name=$3, bio=$4, birth_date=$5, death_date=$6,
 			birthplace=$7, homepage=$8, photo_path=$9, photo_source_path=$10, photo_thumbhash=$11,
 			tmdb_id=$12, imdb_id=$13, tvdb_id=$14, plex_guid=$15, updated_at=now()
@@ -546,30 +647,299 @@ func (r *PersonRepository) Update(ctx context.Context, p models.Person) error {
 		p.TmdbID, p.ImdbID, p.TvdbID, p.PlexGUID,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return 0, err
 	}
+	return tag.RowsAffected(), nil
+}
 
+// tryPersonUpdate runs execPersonUpdate inside a savepoint so a unique violation
+// rolls back only the attempt, leaving the surrounding transaction usable.
+func tryPersonUpdate(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, p models.Person) (int64, error) {
+	sp, err := tx.Begin(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("begin person update savepoint: %w", err)
+	}
+	affected, err := execPersonUpdate(ctx, sp, p)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = sp.Rollback(ctx)
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	if err := sp.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("release person update savepoint: %w", err)
+	}
+	return affected, nil
+}
+
+// reindexPersonItems enqueues a catalog-search reindex for every item the person
+// appears in. After a merge the survivor's link set already includes the merged
+// person's items, so this covers all items whose denormalized people text changed.
+func reindexPersonItems(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, personID int64) error {
 	rows, err := tx.Query(ctx, `
 		SELECT DISTINCT content_id
 		FROM item_people
 		WHERE person_id = $1
-	`, p.ID)
+	`, personID)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("listing items linked to person %d: %w", p.ID, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("listing items linked to person %d: %w", personID, err)
 	}
 	contentIDs, err := pgx.CollectRows(rows, pgx.RowTo[string])
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("collecting items linked to person %d: %w", p.ID, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("collecting items linked to person %d: %w", personID, err)
 	}
 	if err := EnqueueSearchIndexUpserts(ctx, tx, contentIDs); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("enqueueing catalog search person update for person %d: %w", p.ID, err)
-	}
-	if err := tx.Commit(ctx); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("commit person update tx: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("enqueueing catalog search person update for person %d: %w", personID, err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+// resolveExternalIDConflict reconciles a unique-violation on (field=value) raised
+// while updating *p, operating within the caller's transaction tx. It mutates *p
+// in place (folding in the partner's data, or dropping the conflicting id) and
+// reports whether the caller should retry the write. resolved=false means the
+// conflict could not be reconciled and the original error should be surfaced.
+func (r *PersonRepository) resolveExternalIDConflict(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	tx pgx.Tx,
+	p *models.Person,
+	field string,
+	value string,
+) (resolved bool, err error) {
+	if value == "" {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
+	// Identify the row that currently owns the colliding id.
+	var partnerID int64
+	lookup := fmt.Sprintf("SELECT id FROM people WHERE %s = $1", field)
+	switch scanErr := tx.QueryRow(ctx, lookup, value).Scan(&partnerID); {
+	case errors.Is(scanErr, pgx.ErrNoRows):
+		// The conflicting owner vanished (concurrent merge); retry the plain write.
+		return true, nil
+	case scanErr != nil:
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("locate person owning %s=%q: %w", field, value, scanErr)
+	}
+	if partnerID == p.ID {
+		// Self-conflict is impossible under the unique index; bail rather than loop.
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
+	// Lock both rows in a deterministic order so concurrent merges cannot deadlock.
+	people, err := scanPeopleByIDsForUpdate(ctx, tx, p.ID, partnerID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	if _, ok := people[p.ID]; !ok {
+		// The survivor was deleted under us (concurrent merge); retry the plain
+		// write, which will affect zero rows and surface as pgx.ErrNoRows.
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	partner, ok := people[partnerID]
+	if !ok {
+		// Partner already gone; retry the plain write.
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	// Re-confirm the partner still holds the colliding value after locking.
+	if externalIDValue(partner, field) != value {
+		return true, nil
+	}
+
+	if !canMergePeople(*p, partner) {
+		// Not confidently the same human (contradictory ids, or names disagree):
+		// restore the survivor's currently-persisted value for this field so the
+		// retried write becomes a no-op on that column. This lets the write commit
+		// instead of looping forever, without destructively deleting a
+		// possibly-distinct person and without blanking an id the survivor already
+		// held (blanking would silently drop a previously-valid provider id, e.g.
+		// on the admin PATCH path that mutates an existing id into a colliding one).
+		// Writing the row's own current value back can never violate the unique
+		// index, so this field will not re-trigger the conflict.
+		setExternalIDField(p, field, externalIDValue(people[p.ID], field))
+		slog.Warn("person merge: declining to merge, preserving survivor's existing id",
+			"person_id", p.ID, "partner_id", partnerID, "field", field, "value", value,
+			"person_name", p.Name, "partner_name", partner.Name)
+		return true, nil
+	}
+
+	// Fold the partner's ids and any metadata this write lacks onto the survivor,
+	// so the retried write persists data only the partner had.
+	mergePersonFields(p, partner)
+
+	// Repoint the partner's credits onto the survivor, skipping links that would
+	// duplicate an existing (content_id, kind, character) credit on the survivor.
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `
+		UPDATE item_people ip SET person_id = $1
+		WHERE ip.person_id = $2
+		  AND NOT EXISTS (
+			SELECT 1 FROM item_people e
+			WHERE e.person_id = $1
+			  AND e.content_id = ip.content_id
+			  AND e.kind = ip.kind
+			  AND e.character = ip.character
+		  )`, p.ID, partnerID); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("repoint item_people from %d to %d: %w", partnerID, p.ID, err)
+	}
+
+	// Delete the partner; any leftover duplicate credits cascade away.
+	if _, err := tx.Exec(ctx, `DELETE FROM people WHERE id = $1`, partnerID); err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("delete merged person %d: %w", partnerID, err)
+	}
+
+	slog.Info("person merge: folded duplicate person",
+		"survivor_id", p.ID, "merged_id", partnerID, "field", field, "value", value)
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+// scanPeopleByIDsForUpdate loads the given people, locking them FOR UPDATE in
+// ascending id order so concurrent merges acquire locks consistently.
+func scanPeopleByIDsForUpdate(ctx context.Context, tx pgx.Tx, ids ...int64) (map[int64]models.Person, error) {
+	rows, err := tx.Query(ctx, `
+		SELECT id, name, sort_name, bio, birth_date, death_date, birthplace, homepage,
+			photo_path, photo_source_path, photo_thumbhash, tmdb_id, imdb_id, tvdb_id, plex_guid, created_at, updated_at
+		FROM people
+		WHERE id = ANY($1)
+		ORDER BY id
+		FOR UPDATE`, ids)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("lock people for merge: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+
+	out := make(map[int64]models.Person, len(ids))
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var p models.Person
+		if err := rows.Scan(&p.ID, &p.Name, &p.SortName, &p.Bio, &p.BirthDate, &p.DeathDate, &p.Birthplace, &p.Homepage,
+			&p.PhotoPath, &p.PhotoSourcePath, &p.PhotoThumbhash, &p.TmdbID, &p.ImdbID, &p.TvdbID, &p.PlexGUID, &p.CreatedAt, &p.UpdatedAt,
+		); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("scan locked person: %w", err)
+		}
+		out[p.ID] = p
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("iterate locked people: %w", err)
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// conflictingExternalID maps a violated unique constraint to the person field
+// and value that caused it. ok is false for constraints Update cannot reconcile.
+func conflictingExternalID(constraint string, p models.Person) (field, value string, ok bool) {
+	switch constraint {
+	case "idx_people_tmdb_id":
+		return "tmdb_id", p.TmdbID, p.TmdbID != ""
+	case "idx_people_imdb_id":
+		return "imdb_id", p.ImdbID, p.ImdbID != ""
+	default:
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+}
+
+// externalIDValue returns the value of the named external-id column on p.
+func externalIDValue(p models.Person, field string) string {
+	switch field {
+	case "tmdb_id":
+		return p.TmdbID
+	case "imdb_id":
+		return p.ImdbID
+	case "tvdb_id":
+		return p.TvdbID
+	case "plex_guid":
+		return p.PlexGUID
+	default:
+		return ""
+	}
+}
+
+// setExternalIDField sets the named external-id column on p to value.
+func setExternalIDField(p *models.Person, field, value string) {
+	switch field {
+	case "tmdb_id":
+		p.TmdbID = value
+	case "imdb_id":
+		p.ImdbID = value
+	case "tvdb_id":
+		p.TvdbID = value
+	case "plex_guid":
+		p.PlexGUID = value
+	}
+}
+
+// externalIDsCompatible reports whether a and b can be the same person: no
+// external-id field where both hold a different non-empty value. A field where
+// one side is empty (or both match) is compatible.
+func externalIDsCompatible(a, b models.Person) bool {
+	return idsCompatible(a.TmdbID, b.TmdbID) &&
+		idsCompatible(a.ImdbID, b.ImdbID) &&
+		idsCompatible(a.TvdbID, b.TvdbID) &&
+		idsCompatible(a.PlexGUID, b.PlexGUID)
+}
+
+func idsCompatible(x, y string) bool {
+	return x == "" || y == "" || x == y
+}
+
+// canMergePeople reports whether two rows that collided on a shared external id
+// are confidently the same human and may be folded together. A shared id is a
+// strong signal, but providers occasionally hand the same id to two distinct
+// people; requiring the names to agree as well guards against destructively
+// deleting a genuinely different person. When this returns false the caller
+// drops the conflicting id instead (non-destructive).
+func canMergePeople(a, b models.Person) bool {
+	return externalIDsCompatible(a, b) && personNamesMatch(a.Name, b.Name)
+}
+
+func personNamesMatch(a, b string) bool {
+	a = strings.TrimSpace(a)
+	b = strings.TrimSpace(b)
+	if a == "" || b == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return strings.EqualFold(a, b)
+}
+
+// mergePersonFields fills empty external ids and metadata on dst from src,
+// preserving dst's existing values. dst is the refreshed survivor, so its
+// populated fields win; src (the row being merged away) only backfills gaps.
+func mergePersonFields(dst *models.Person, src models.Person) {
+	if dst.Name == "" {
+		dst.Name = src.Name
+	}
+	if dst.TmdbID == "" {
+		dst.TmdbID = src.TmdbID
+	}
+	if dst.ImdbID == "" {
+		dst.ImdbID = src.ImdbID
+	}
+	if dst.TvdbID == "" {
+		dst.TvdbID = src.TvdbID
+	}
+	if dst.PlexGUID == "" {
+		dst.PlexGUID = src.PlexGUID
+	}
+	if dst.Bio == "" {
+		dst.Bio = src.Bio
+	}
+	if dst.Birthplace == "" {
+		dst.Birthplace = src.Birthplace
+	}
+	if dst.Homepage == "" {
+		dst.Homepage = src.Homepage
+	}
+	if dst.SortName == "" {
+		dst.SortName = src.SortName
+	}
+	if dst.BirthDate == nil {
+		dst.BirthDate = src.BirthDate
+	}
+	if dst.DeathDate == nil {
+		dst.DeathDate = src.DeathDate
+	}
+	if dst.PhotoPath == "" {
+		dst.PhotoPath = src.PhotoPath
+		dst.PhotoSourcePath = src.PhotoSourcePath
+		dst.PhotoThumbhash = src.PhotoThumbhash
+	}
+}
+
 func (r *PersonRepository) UpdatePhotoIfSourceMatches(ctx context.Context, personID int64, sourcePath, cachedPath, thumbhash string) (bool, error) {
 	if r == nil || r.pool == nil {
 		return false, pgx.ErrNoRows
diff --git a/internal/metadata/person_refresh.go b/internal/metadata/person_refresh.go
index 813a8a24..b17b0cf7 100644
--- a/internal/metadata/person_refresh.go
+++ b/internal/metadata/person_refresh.go
@@ -167,6 +167,11 @@ func (s *PersonRefreshService) refreshPersonWithProviders(
 	}
 
 	if err := s.repo.Update(ctx, refreshed); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, pgx.ErrNoRows) {
+			// The row was merged into another person concurrently; there is no
+			// longer anything to refresh under this id.
+			return nil, ErrPersonNotFound
+		}
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("update person %d: %w", id, err)
 	}
 	s.enqueuePersonPhoto(ctx, refreshed, accumulator.ProviderIDs, photoProviderID)