diff --git a/backend/services/photo_service.py b/backend/services/photo_service.py
index 4d943c8..cdc919a 100644
--- a/backend/services/photo_service.py
+++ b/backend/services/photo_service.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import hashlib
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from datetime import datetime, date
-from typing import Callable, Optional, Tuple
+from typing import Callable, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
 from PIL import Image
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
@@ -15,6 +15,45 @@ from backend.config import SUPPORTED_IMAGE_FORMATS, SUPPORTED_VIDEO_FORMATS
 from backend.db.models import Photo
 
 
+def validate_date_taken(date_taken: Optional[Union[date, datetime]]) -> Optional[date]:
+    """Validate and normalize date_taken value.
+    
+    Ensures the date is:
+    - A valid date object (not datetime, not invalid type)
+    - Not in the future
+    - Not too old (before 1900)
+    
+    Returns:
+        Valid date object or None if invalid
+    """
+    if date_taken is None:
+        return None
+    
+    try:
+        # Convert datetime to date if needed
+        if isinstance(date_taken, datetime):
+            date_taken = date_taken.date()
+        elif not isinstance(date_taken, date):
+            # Invalid type
+            return None
+        
+        # Validate date is reasonable
+        if date_taken > date.today():
+            # Date in the future is invalid
+            return None
+        elif date_taken < date(1900, 1, 1):
+            # Date too old is likely invalid
+            return None
+        
+        return date_taken
+    except (ValueError, TypeError, AttributeError) as e:
+        # If any validation fails, return None
+        import logging
+        logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+        logger.warning(f"Invalid date_taken value: {date_taken}, error: {e}")
+        return None
+
+
 def extract_exif_date(image_path: str) -> Optional[date]:
     """Extract date taken from photo EXIF data - returns Date (not DateTime) to match desktop schema.
     
@@ -299,6 +338,8 @@ def import_photo_from_path(
                 date_taken = extract_video_date(photo_path)
             else:
                 date_taken = extract_photo_date(photo_path)
+            # Validate date_taken before setting
+            date_taken = validate_date_taken(date_taken)
             if date_taken:
                 existing.date_taken = date_taken
                 db.commit()
@@ -319,6 +360,8 @@ def import_photo_from_path(
                 date_taken = extract_video_date(photo_path)
             else:
                 date_taken = extract_photo_date(photo_path)
+            # Validate date_taken before setting
+            date_taken = validate_date_taken(date_taken)
             if date_taken:
                 existing_by_path.date_taken = date_taken
                 db.commit()
@@ -331,15 +374,23 @@ def import_photo_from_path(
     else:
         date_taken = extract_photo_date(photo_path)
 
+    # Validate date_taken - ensure it's a valid date object or None
+    # This prevents corrupted date data from being saved
+    date_taken = validate_date_taken(date_taken)
+
     # For videos, mark as processed immediately (we don't process videos for faces)
     # For images, start as unprocessed
     processed = media_type == "video"
 
+    # Explicitly set date_added to current UTC time to ensure it's always valid
+    date_added = datetime.utcnow()
+
     # Create new photo record with file_hash and media_type
     photo = Photo(
         path=photo_path,
         filename=filename,
-        date_taken=date_taken,
+        date_added=date_added,  # Explicitly set to ensure valid DateTime
+        date_taken=date_taken,  # Validated date or None
         processed=processed,
         file_hash=file_hash,
         media_type=media_type,