diff --git a/Services/BackupEngine.swift b/Services/BackupEngine.swift
index ae0625f..b46474f 100644
--- a/Services/BackupEngine.swift
+++ b/Services/BackupEngine.swift
@@ -92,76 +92,33 @@ final class BackupEngine: ObservableObject {
 
         try Task.checkCancellation()
 
-        // ── 3. Load manifest + heal orphaned files ─────────────────────────
-        // After any interrupted backup, files may sit on NAS without a manifest
-        // entry. We list the directory and merge any untracked files so the
-        // gallery and dedup logic reflect actual NAS contents.
+        // ── 3. Load manifest ───────────────────────────────────────────────
         let manifestPath = "\(connection.remotePath)/\(BackupManifest.remoteFilename)"
         let spManifest = signposter.beginInterval("ManifestLoad")
 
         let manifestData = try? await transfer.downloadData(at: manifestPath)
-        let nasItems     = (try? await transfer.listDirectory(at: connection.remotePath)) ?? []
-
-        // Decode + heal off main actor (CPU-bound work).
-        struct ManifestLoadResult { var index: ManifestIndex; var manifest: BackupManifest; var orphanCount: Int }
-        var loadResult: ManifestLoadResult = await Task.detached(priority: .userInitiated) {
-            var manifest: BackupManifest
-            if let data = manifestData,
-               let decoded = try? JSONDecoder.kisani.decode(BackupManifest.self, from: data) {
-                manifest = decoded
-            } else {
-                manifest = BackupManifest.buildFromNASListing(nasItems)
-                return ManifestLoadResult(index: ManifestIndex(manifest: manifest), manifest: manifest, orphanCount: 0)
-            }
-
-            // Heal: find NAS files not tracked in the manifest (orphans from
-            // backups that were interrupted before the manifest write step).
-            let knownFilenames = Set(manifest.entries.map { $0.filename.lowercased() })
-            let mediaExts: Set<String> = ["jpg","jpeg","png","heic","heif","gif","webp","bmp",
-                                          "tiff","tif","raw","dng","cr2","nef","arw",
-                                          "mp4","mov","m4v","avi","mkv"]
-            let orphans: [ManifestEntry] = nasItems.compactMap { item in
-                guard !item.isDirectory,
-                      item.name != BackupManifest.remoteFilename,
-                      !item.name.hasPrefix("."),
-                      mediaExts.contains((item.name as NSString).pathExtension.lowercased()),
-                      !knownFilenames.contains(item.name.lowercased()) else { return nil }
-                return ManifestEntry(
-                    localIdentifier: "",
-                    filename: item.name,
-                    creationDate: item.modifiedDate,
-                    fileSize: item.size,
-                    remotePath: item.path,
-                    uploadedAt: item.modifiedDate ?? Date()
-                )
-            }
-            if !orphans.isEmpty { manifest.merge(entries: orphans) }
-            return ManifestLoadResult(index: ManifestIndex(manifest: manifest), manifest: manifest, orphanCount: orphans.count)
+        let (baseIndex, baseManifest): (ManifestIndex, BackupManifest) = await Task.detached(priority: .userInitiated) {
+            guard let data = manifestData,
+                  let manifest = try? JSONDecoder.kisani.decode(BackupManifest.self, from: data)
+            else { return (ManifestIndex(nasListing: []), BackupManifest()) }
+            return (ManifestIndex(manifest: manifest), manifest)
         }.value
 
-        signposter.endInterval("ManifestLoad", spManifest,
-                               "\(loadResult.index.totalCount) entries, orphans=\(loadResult.orphanCount)")
-        logger.info("Manifest: \(loadResult.index.totalCount) entries (\(loadResult.orphanCount) orphans healed)")
+        signposter.endInterval("ManifestLoad", spManifest, "\(baseIndex.totalCount) entries")
+        logger.info("Manifest: \(baseIndex.totalCount) entries")
 
-        // If the manifest gained entries from healing, write it back to NAS now
-        // so the gallery reflects actual NAS contents even before uploads start.
-        if loadResult.orphanCount > 0, let encoded = try? JSONEncoder.kisani.encode(loadResult.manifest) {
-            try? await transfer.writeData(encoded, to: manifestPath)
-        }
-
-        // Always seed local cache with the current (healed) state.
-        await NASManifestCache.shared.update(loadResult.manifest)
+        // Seed local cache so BackupStatusService fast-path sees current NAS state.
+        await NASManifestCache.shared.update(baseManifest)
 
         try Task.checkCancellation()
 
         // ── 4. Build pending queue off the main actor ──────────────────────
         let spFilter = signposter.beginInterval("BuildPendingQueue")
-        let currentIndex = loadResult.index
         let pendingAssets: [PhotoAsset] = await Task.detached(priority: .userInitiated) {
             assets.filter { asset in
-                !currentIndex.matches(localIdentifier: asset.localIdentifier) &&
-                !(currentIndex.isFilenameOnly && currentIndex.matches(filename: asset.filename)) &&
-                !currentIndex.matchesUnclaimed(filename: asset.filename)
+                !baseIndex.matches(localIdentifier: asset.localIdentifier) &&
+                !(baseIndex.isFilenameOnly && baseIndex.matches(filename: asset.filename)) &&
+                !baseIndex.matchesUnclaimed(filename: asset.filename)
             }
         }.value
         signposter.endInterval("BuildPendingQueue", spFilter, "\(pendingAssets.count) pending")
@@ -222,6 +179,16 @@ final class BackupEngine: ObservableObject {
                     queueItems[assetIdx].status = .skipped
                     queueItems[assetIdx].completedAt = Date()
                 }
+                // Record in manifest even though we didn't upload — the file is on NAS.
+                // Without this, skipped files stay "pending" forever and trigger backup loops.
+                manifestEntries.append(ManifestEntry(
+                    localIdentifier: asset.localIdentifier,
+                    filename: asset.filename,
+                    creationDate: asset.creationDate,
+                    fileSize: 0,
+                    remotePath: remotePath,
+                    uploadedAt: Date()
+                ))
                 logger.debug("Skipped (NAS exists): \(asset.filename, privacy: .public)")
                 continue
             }
@@ -302,7 +269,7 @@ final class BackupEngine: ObservableObject {
                     // Uses the same open connection so no extra connect/disconnect overhead.
                     if uploaded - lastCheckpointAt >= checkpointInterval {
                         lastCheckpointAt = uploaded
-                        var checkpoint = loadResult.manifest
+                        var checkpoint = baseManifest
                         checkpoint.merge(entries: manifestEntries)
                         if let encoded = try? JSONEncoder.kisani.encode(checkpoint) {
                             try? await transfer.writeData(encoded, to: manifestPath)