diff --git a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/__tests__/duplicates.service.spec.ts b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/__tests__/duplicates.service.spec.ts
index f456c180e..06d7793a9 100644
--- a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/__tests__/duplicates.service.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/__tests__/duplicates.service.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Test, TestingModule } from '@nestjs/testing';
 import { NotFoundException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { DuplicatesService } from '../duplicates.service';
+import { PhotoService } from '../../photo/photo.service';
 import { DATABASE_CONNECTION } from '../../db/database.module';
 
 describe('DuplicatesService', () => {
@@ -110,6 +111,10 @@ describe('DuplicatesService', () => {
 					provide: DATABASE_CONNECTION,
 					useValue: mockDb,
 				},
+				{
+					provide: PhotoService,
+					useValue: { deletePhotoByUrl: jest.fn() },
+				},
 			],
 		}).compile();
 
diff --git a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.module.ts b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.module.ts
index c227a7580..6938aec09 100644
--- a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.module.ts
+++ b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.module.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { DuplicatesController } from './duplicates.controller';
 import { DuplicatesService } from './duplicates.service';
 import { DatabaseModule } from '../db/database.module';
+import { PhotoModule } from '../photo/photo.module';
 
 @Module({
-	imports: [DatabaseModule],
+	imports: [DatabaseModule, PhotoModule],
 	controllers: [DuplicatesController],
 	providers: [DuplicatesService],
 	exports: [DuplicatesService],
diff --git a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.service.ts b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.service.ts
index 7e4381d55..5de51cbbb 100644
--- a/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.service.ts
+++ b/apps/contacts/apps/backend/src/duplicates/duplicates.service.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { DATABASE_CONNECTION } from '../db/database.module';
 import { Database } from '../db/connection';
 import { contacts } from '../db/schema';
 import type { Contact } from '../db/schema';
+import { PhotoService } from '../photo/photo.service';
 
 export interface DuplicateGroup {
 	id: string;
@@ -19,7 +20,10 @@ export interface MergeResult {
 
 @Injectable()
 export class DuplicatesService {
-	constructor(@Inject(DATABASE_CONNECTION) private db: Database) {}
+	constructor(
+		@Inject(DATABASE_CONNECTION) private db: Database,
+		private readonly photoService: PhotoService
+	) {}
 
 	/** Maximum number of duplicate groups to return per match type */
 	private static readonly MAX_GROUPS_PER_TYPE = 50;
@@ -322,6 +326,13 @@ export class DuplicatesService {
 			.where(eq(contacts.id, primaryId))
 			.returning();
 
+		// Clean up photos of merged contacts (skip if photo was adopted by primary)
+		for (const mergedContact of contactsToMerge) {
+			if (mergedContact.photoUrl && mergedContact.photoUrl !== updatedContact.photoUrl) {
+				await this.photoService.deletePhotoByUrl(mergedContact.photoUrl);
+			}
+		}
+
 		// Delete merged contacts
 		await this.db
 			.delete(contacts)