diff --git a/apps/api/src/metadata_refresh.rs b/apps/api/src/metadata_refresh.rs
index 8377db4..d995344 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/metadata_refresh.rs
+++ b/apps/api/src/metadata_refresh.rs
@@ -643,6 +643,10 @@ pub(crate) async fn refresh_link(
         .await
         .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
+    // Re-match any external books that couldn't be matched during insert
+    // (e.g., metadata was fetched before books were imported)
+    let _ = rematch_unlinked_books(pool, library_id).await;
+
     let has_changes = !series_changes.is_empty() || !book_changes.is_empty();
 
     Ok(SeriesRefreshResult {
@@ -947,3 +951,40 @@ async fn sync_book_with_diff(
 
     Ok(diffs)
 }
+
+/// Re-match external_book_metadata rows that have book_id IS NULL
+/// by joining on volume number with local books in the same series.
+/// Called after scans/imports to fix metadata that was fetched before books existed.
+pub async fn rematch_unlinked_books(pool: &PgPool, library_id: Uuid) -> Result<i64, String> {
+    let result = sqlx::query(
+        r#"
+        UPDATE external_book_metadata ebm
+        SET book_id = matched.book_id
+        FROM (
+            SELECT DISTINCT ON (ebm2.id)
+                ebm2.id AS ebm_id,
+                b.id AS book_id
+            FROM external_book_metadata ebm2
+            JOIN external_metadata_links eml ON eml.id = ebm2.link_id
+            JOIN books b ON b.library_id = eml.library_id
+                AND LOWER(COALESCE(NULLIF(b.series, ''), 'unclassified')) = LOWER(eml.series_name)
+                AND b.volume = ebm2.volume_number
+            WHERE eml.library_id = $1
+              AND ebm2.book_id IS NULL
+              AND ebm2.volume_number IS NOT NULL
+              AND eml.status = 'approved'
+        ) matched
+        WHERE ebm.id = matched.ebm_id
+        "#,
+    )
+    .bind(library_id)
+    .execute(pool)
+    .await
+    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+
+    let count = result.rows_affected() as i64;
+    if count > 0 {
+        info!("[METADATA] Re-matched {count} unlinked external books for library {library_id}");
+    }
+    Ok(count)
+}
diff --git a/apps/api/src/series.rs b/apps/api/src/series.rs
index 0151aa1..83bcd68 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/series.rs
+++ b/apps/api/src/series.rs
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@ pub async fn update_series(
 )]
 pub async fn delete_series(
     State(state): State<AppState>,
-    Extension(user): Extension<AuthUser>,
+    Extension(_user): Extension<AuthUser>,
     Path((library_id, name)): Path<(Uuid, String)>,
 ) -> Result<Json<crate::responses::DeletedResponse>, ApiError> {
     use stripstream_core::paths::remap_libraries_path;
diff --git a/apps/indexer/src/job.rs b/apps/indexer/src/job.rs
index 20ed1a0..1dcce9e 100644
--- a/apps/indexer/src/job.rs
+++ b/apps/indexer/src/job.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,44 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::{analyzer, converter, scanner, AppState};
 
+/// Re-match external_book_metadata with book_id IS NULL by volume number.
+async fn rematch_unlinked_books(pool: &PgPool, library_id: Uuid) {
+    let result = sqlx::query(
+        r#"
+        UPDATE external_book_metadata ebm
+        SET book_id = matched.book_id
+        FROM (
+            SELECT DISTINCT ON (ebm2.id)
+                ebm2.id AS ebm_id,
+                b.id AS book_id
+            FROM external_book_metadata ebm2
+            JOIN external_metadata_links eml ON eml.id = ebm2.link_id
+            JOIN books b ON b.library_id = eml.library_id
+                AND LOWER(COALESCE(NULLIF(b.series, ''), 'unclassified')) = LOWER(eml.series_name)
+                AND b.volume = ebm2.volume_number
+            WHERE eml.library_id = $1
+              AND ebm2.book_id IS NULL
+              AND ebm2.volume_number IS NOT NULL
+              AND eml.status = 'approved'
+        ) matched
+        WHERE ebm.id = matched.ebm_id
+        "#,
+    )
+    .bind(library_id)
+    .execute(pool)
+    .await;
+
+    match result {
+        Ok(r) if r.rows_affected() > 0 => {
+            info!("[METADATA] Re-matched {} unlinked external books for library {}", r.rows_affected(), library_id);
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            error!("[METADATA] Failed to rematch unlinked books: {e}");
+        }
+        _ => {}
+    }
+}
+
 pub async fn cleanup_stale_jobs(pool: &PgPool) -> Result<()> {
     let result = sqlx::query(
         r#"
@@ -379,6 +417,12 @@ pub async fn process_job(
 
     analyzer::analyze_library_books(state, job_id, target_library_id, false).await?;
 
+    // Re-match external book metadata that couldn't be linked during initial metadata fetch
+    // (e.g., metadata was fetched before books were scanned)
+    if let Some(lib_id) = target_library_id {
+        rematch_unlinked_books(&state.pool, lib_id).await;
+    }
+
     sqlx::query(
         "UPDATE index_jobs SET status = 'success', finished_at = NOW(), progress_percent = 100, current_file = NULL WHERE id = $1",
     )