diff --git a/db/migration/20211105162746_remove_invalid_artist_ids.go b/db/migration/20211105162746_remove_invalid_artist_ids.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4fd7c7bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migration/20211105162746_remove_invalid_artist_ids.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package migrations
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+
+	"github.com/pressly/goose"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	goose.AddMigration(upRemoveInvalidArtistIds, downRemoveInvalidArtistIds)
+}
+
+func upRemoveInvalidArtistIds(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	_, err := tx.Exec(`
+update media_file set artist_id = '' where not exists(select 1 from artist where id = artist_id)
+`)
+	return err
+}
+
+func downRemoveInvalidArtistIds(tx *sql.Tx) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/persistence/helpers.go b/persistence/helpers.go
index af812675..583366ef 100644
--- a/persistence/helpers.go
+++ b/persistence/helpers.go
@@ -37,17 +37,25 @@ func toSnakeCase(str string) string {
 }
 
 func exists(subTable string, cond squirrel.Sqlizer) existsCond {
-	return existsCond{subTable: subTable, cond: cond}
+	return existsCond{subTable: subTable, cond: cond, not: false}
+}
+
+func notExists(subTable string, cond squirrel.Sqlizer) existsCond {
+	return existsCond{subTable: subTable, cond: cond, not: true}
 }
 
 type existsCond struct {
 	subTable string
 	cond     squirrel.Sqlizer
+	not      bool
 }
 
 func (e existsCond) ToSql() (string, []interface{}, error) {
 	sql, args, err := e.cond.ToSql()
 	sql = fmt.Sprintf("exists (select 1 from %s where %s)", e.subTable, sql)
+	if e.not {
+		sql = "not " + sql
+	}
 	return sql, args, err
 }
 
diff --git a/persistence/helpers_test.go b/persistence/helpers_test.go
index 56dc1719..3b4469d8 100644
--- a/persistence/helpers_test.go
+++ b/persistence/helpers_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,16 @@ var _ = Describe("Helpers", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Describe("notExists", func() {
+		It("constructs the correct NOT EXISTS query", func() {
+			e := notExists("artist", squirrel.ConcatExpr("id = artist_id"))
+			sql, args, err := e.ToSql()
+			Expect(sql).To(Equal("not exists (select 1 from artist where id = artist_id)"))
+			Expect(args).To(BeEmpty())
+			Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("getMostFrequentMbzID", func() {
 		It(`returns "" when no ids are passed`, func() {
 			Expect(getMostFrequentMbzID(context.TODO(), " ", "", "")).To(Equal(""))
diff --git a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
index 902cfb72..d073b2c2 100644
--- a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
@@ -177,6 +177,13 @@ func (r *mediaFileRepository) DeleteByPath(basePath string) (int64, error) {
 	return r.executeSQL(del)
 }
 
+func (r *mediaFileRepository) removeNonAlbumArtistIds() error {
+	upd := Update(r.tableName).Set("artist_id", "").Where(notExists("artist", ConcatExpr("id = artist_id")))
+	log.Debug(r.ctx, "Removing non-album artist_id")
+	_, err := r.executeSQL(upd)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (r *mediaFileRepository) Search(q string, offset int, size int) (model.MediaFiles, error) {
 	results := model.MediaFiles{}
 	err := r.doSearch(q, offset, size, &results, "title")
diff --git a/persistence/persistence.go b/persistence/persistence.go
index 54e7f9f7..e4b7af20 100644
--- a/persistence/persistence.go
+++ b/persistence/persistence.go
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ func (s *SQLStore) GC(ctx context.Context, rootFolder string) error {
 		log.Error(ctx, "Error removing dangling tracks", err)
 		return err
 	}
+	err = s.MediaFile(ctx).(*mediaFileRepository).removeNonAlbumArtistIds()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(ctx, "Error removing non-album artist_ids", err)
+		return err
+	}
 	err = s.Album(ctx).(*albumRepository).purgeEmpty()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(ctx, "Error removing empty albums", err)