diff --git a/src/components/mixed/ImageLightbox.tsx b/src/components/mixed/ImageLightbox.tsx
index c49c52e..02e600d 100644
--- a/src/components/mixed/ImageLightbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/mixed/ImageLightbox.tsx
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ export default function ImageLightbox({ url, name, onClose, onPrev, onNext, item
                       </div>
                     )}
 
+<<<<<<< Updated upstream
                     <button
                       onClick={async () => {
                         setRetranslating(true)
@@ -336,6 +337,46 @@ export default function ImageLightbox({ url, name, onClose, onPrev, onNext, item
                           if (!res.ok) {
                             const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}))
                             throw new Error((data as { error?: string }).error ?? 'Failed to translate')
+=======
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 flex-wrap">
+                      <input
+                        type="text"
+                        value={sourceLanguage}
+                        onChange={(e) => setSourceLanguage(e.target.value)}
+                        placeholder="Source lang…"
+                        className="text-xs px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full outline-none"
+                        style={{
+                          backgroundColor: 'var(--background)',
+                          border: '1px solid var(--border)',
+                          color: 'var(--text-primary)',
+                          width: 100,
+                        }}
+                      />
+                      <button
+                        onClick={async () => {
+                          setRetranslating(true)
+                          try {
+                            const res = await fetch('/api/ai-tagging/translate', {
+                              method: 'POST',
+                              headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+                              body: JSON.stringify({ itemKey, ...(sourceLanguage.trim() && { sourceLanguage: sourceLanguage.trim() }) }),
+                            })
+                            if (!res.ok) {
+                              const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}))
+                              throw new Error((data as { error?: string }).error ?? 'Failed to translate')
+                            }
+                            if (res.status === 202) {
+                              setExtractError('Queued — check AI Integrations for progress')
+                              setTimeout(() => setExtractError(null), 4000)
+                            } else {
+                              const result = await res.json()
+                              setTranslatedText(result.translatedText || null)
+                            }
+                          } catch {
+                            // ignore
+                          } finally {
+                            setRetranslating(false)
+>>>>>>> Stashed changes
                           }
                           const result = await res.json()
                           setTranslatedText(result.translatedText || null)
diff --git a/src/lib/ai-jobs.ts b/src/lib/ai-jobs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1efa905
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/ai-jobs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,352 @@
+import crypto from 'crypto'
+import { getDb } from './db'
+import { getAiMaxRetries } from './app-settings'
+import { tagSingleItem, generateItemDescription, extractItemText, translateItemText } from './ai-tagger'
+
+export type AiJobType = 'tag' | 'describe' | 'extract' | 'translate'
+export type AiJobStatus = 'queued' | 'running' | 'completed' | 'failed'
+
+export interface AiJob {
+  id: string
+  itemKey: string
+  libraryId: string
+  jobType: AiJobType
+  status: AiJobStatus
+  error: string | null
+  attempt: number
+  maxRetries: number
+  createdAt: number
+  startedAt: number | null
+  completedAt: number | null
+  itemTitle: string | null
+}
+
+interface AiJobRow {
+  id: string
+  item_key: string
+  library_id: string
+  job_type: string
+  status: string
+  error: string | null
+  attempt: number
+  max_retries: number
+  created_at: number
+  started_at: number | null
+  completed_at: number | null
+  item_title: string | null
+}
+
+function rowToJob(row: AiJobRow): AiJob {
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    itemKey: row.item_key,
+    libraryId: row.library_id,
+    jobType: row.job_type as AiJobType,
+    status: row.status as AiJobStatus,
+    error: row.error,
+    attempt: row.attempt,
+    maxRetries: row.max_retries,
+    createdAt: row.created_at,
+    startedAt: row.started_at,
+    completedAt: row.completed_at,
+    itemTitle: row.item_title,
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Look up the title of a media item for display purposes.
+ */
+function resolveItemTitle(itemKey: string): string | null {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const row = db
+    .prepare('SELECT title FROM media_items WHERE item_key = ?')
+    .get(itemKey) as { title: string | null } | undefined
+  return row?.title ?? null
+}
+
+// ─── Enqueue ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Enqueue an AI job. Deduplicates: if a queued/running job with the same
+ * item_key + job_type already exists, returns its ID instead.
+ */
+export function enqueueJob(
+  itemKey: string,
+  jobType: AiJobType,
+  libraryId: string,
+  sourceLanguage?: string,
+): string {
+  const db = getDb()
+
+  // Deduplication: check for existing queued/running job
+  const existing = db
+    .prepare(
+      `SELECT id FROM ai_jobs
+       WHERE item_key = ? AND job_type = ? AND status IN ('queued', 'running')`
+    )
+    .get(itemKey, jobType) as { id: string } | undefined
+  if (existing) return existing.id
+
+  const id = crypto.randomUUID()
+  const maxRetries = getAiMaxRetries()
+  const title = resolveItemTitle(itemKey)
+
+  // Store sourceLanguage in the error field temporarily for translate jobs
+  // (it's null at creation, so we repurpose it briefly — cleared when the job runs)
+  const metadata = jobType === 'translate' && sourceLanguage ? sourceLanguage : null
+
+  db.prepare(
+    `INSERT INTO ai_jobs (id, item_key, library_id, job_type, status, error, attempt, max_retries, created_at, item_title)
+     VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, 'queued', ?, 0, ?, ?, ?)`
+  ).run(id, itemKey, libraryId, jobType, metadata, maxRetries, Date.now(), title)
+
+  // Wake the processor
+  wakeProcessor()
+
+  return id
+}
+
+/**
+ * Enqueue jobs for all media items in a directory (for bulk operations).
+ * Returns the list of job IDs created.
+ */
+export function enqueueBulkJobs(
+  libraryId: string,
+  dirPath: string,
+  jobType: AiJobType,
+  itemTypeFilter?: string,
+  extFilter?: Set<string>,
+): string[] {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const prefix = dirPath
+    ? `${libraryId}:mixed_file:${encodeURIComponent(dirPath + '/')}`
+    : `${libraryId}:mixed_file:`
+
+  const items = db
+    .prepare('SELECT item_key, item_type, file_path FROM media_items WHERE item_key LIKE ? AND item_type = ?')
+    .all(`${prefix}%`, itemTypeFilter ?? 'mixed_file') as Array<{ item_key: string; item_type: string; file_path: string | null }>
+
+  const path = require('path')
+  const jobIds: string[] = []
+
+  for (const item of items) {
+    if (!item.file_path) continue
+    if (extFilter) {
+      const ext = path.extname(item.file_path).toLowerCase()
+      if (!extFilter.has(ext)) continue
+    }
+    const jobId = enqueueJob(item.item_key, jobType, libraryId)
+    jobIds.push(jobId)
+  }
+
+  return jobIds
+}
+
+// ─── Query ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export function getJobQueue(): AiJob[] {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const rows = db
+    .prepare(
+      `SELECT * FROM ai_jobs
+       WHERE status IN ('running', 'queued')
+       ORDER BY
+         CASE status WHEN 'running' THEN 0 ELSE 1 END,
+         created_at ASC`
+    )
+    .all() as AiJobRow[]
+  return rows.map(rowToJob)
+}
+
+export function getJobHistory(limit = 50): AiJob[] {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const rows = db
+    .prepare(
+      `SELECT * FROM ai_jobs
+       WHERE status IN ('completed', 'failed')
+       ORDER BY completed_at DESC
+       LIMIT ?`
+    )
+    .all(limit) as AiJobRow[]
+  return rows.map(rowToJob)
+}
+
+export function getJob(jobId: string): AiJob | null {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const row = db
+    .prepare('SELECT * FROM ai_jobs WHERE id = ?')
+    .get(jobId) as AiJobRow | undefined
+  return row ? rowToJob(row) : null
+}
+
+// ─── Actions ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export function retryJob(jobId: string): boolean {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const result = db
+    .prepare(
+      `UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'queued', error = NULL, attempt = 0, started_at = NULL, completed_at = NULL
+       WHERE id = ? AND status = 'failed'`
+    )
+    .run(jobId)
+  if (result.changes > 0) {
+    wakeProcessor()
+    return true
+  }
+  return false
+}
+
+export function cancelJob(jobId: string): boolean {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const result = db
+    .prepare("DELETE FROM ai_jobs WHERE id = ? AND status = 'queued'")
+    .run(jobId)
+  return result.changes > 0
+}
+
+export function cancelAllQueued(): number {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const result = db
+    .prepare("DELETE FROM ai_jobs WHERE status = 'queued'")
+    .run()
+  return result.changes
+}
+
+export function clearJobHistory(): number {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const result = db
+    .prepare("DELETE FROM ai_jobs WHERE status IN ('completed', 'failed')")
+    .run()
+  return result.changes
+}
+
+// ─── Processor ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+let processorRunning = false
+let processorWake: (() => void) | null = null
+
+function wakeProcessor(): void {
+  if (processorWake) {
+    processorWake()
+  } else if (!processorRunning) {
+    runProcessor()
+  }
+}
+
+async function processNextJob(): Promise<boolean> {
+  const db = getDb()
+
+  const row = db
+    .prepare(
+      `SELECT * FROM ai_jobs
+       WHERE status = 'queued'
+       ORDER BY created_at ASC
+       LIMIT 1`
+    )
+    .get() as AiJobRow | undefined
+
+  if (!row) return false
+
+  const now = Date.now()
+
+  // Extract sourceLanguage for translate jobs (stored in error field at enqueue)
+  const sourceLanguage = row.job_type === 'translate' ? row.error : null
+
+  db.prepare(
+    "UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'running', started_at = ?, error = NULL WHERE id = ?"
+  ).run(now, row.id)
+
+  try {
+    console.log(`[ai-jobs] Processing job ${row.id}: ${row.job_type} for "${row.item_key}"`)
+    switch (row.job_type) {
+      case 'tag':
+        await tagSingleItem(row.item_key)
+        break
+      case 'describe':
+        await generateItemDescription(row.item_key)
+        break
+      case 'extract':
+        await extractItemText(row.item_key)
+        break
+      case 'translate':
+        await translateItemText(row.item_key, sourceLanguage || undefined)
+        break
+    }
+
+    db.prepare(
+      "UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'completed', completed_at = ? WHERE id = ?"
+    ).run(Date.now(), row.id)
+  } catch (err) {
+    const errorMessage = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)
+    const attempt = row.attempt + 1
+
+    if (attempt < row.max_retries) {
+      // Re-queue for retry
+      db.prepare(
+        "UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'queued', attempt = ?, error = ?, started_at = NULL WHERE id = ?"
+      ).run(attempt, errorMessage, row.id)
+    } else {
+      // Final failure
+      db.prepare(
+        "UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'failed', attempt = ?, error = ?, completed_at = ? WHERE id = ?"
+      ).run(attempt, errorMessage, Date.now(), row.id)
+    }
+
+    console.warn(
+      `[ai-jobs] Job ${row.id} (${row.job_type} for "${row.item_key}") failed (attempt ${attempt}/${row.max_retries}):`,
+      errorMessage
+    )
+  }
+
+  return true
+}
+
+async function runProcessor(): Promise<void> {
+  if (processorRunning) return
+  processorRunning = true
+  console.log('[ai-jobs] Processor started')
+
+  try {
+    while (true) {
+      const hadWork = await processNextJob()
+      if (!hadWork) {
+        // Wait for a wake signal or timeout after 60s (then check again for safety)
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+          processorWake = resolve
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            processorWake = null
+            resolve()
+          }, 60_000)
+        })
+        processorWake = null
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[ai-jobs] Processor crashed:', err)
+  } finally {
+    processorRunning = false
+    console.log('[ai-jobs] Processor stopped')
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Initialize the job processor. Called on server startup.
+ * Resets any jobs stuck in 'running' state (from a previous crash) back to 'queued'.
+ */
+export function initJobProcessor(): void {
+  const db = getDb()
+  const result = db
+    .prepare("UPDATE ai_jobs SET status = 'queued', started_at = NULL WHERE status = 'running'")
+    .run()
+  if (result.changes > 0) {
+    console.log(`[ai-jobs] Reset ${result.changes} stuck running job(s) to queued`)
+  }
+
+  // Check if there are any queued jobs and start the processor
+  const pending = db
+    .prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) as count FROM ai_jobs WHERE status = 'queued'")
+    .get() as { count: number }
+  if (pending.count > 0) {
+    runProcessor()
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/ai-tagger.ts b/src/lib/ai-tagger.ts
index da2b951..82b7ab1 100644
--- a/src/lib/ai-tagger.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ai-tagger.ts
@@ -639,11 +639,13 @@ export async function translateItemText(itemKey: string): Promise<string | null>
     throw Object.assign(new Error(`Item not found: ${itemKey}`), { code: 'NOT_FOUND' })
   }
   if (!row.extracted_text) {
-    return null
+    throw Object.assign(new Error('No extracted text to translate'), { code: 'NO_TEXT' })
   }
 
   const preferredLanguage = getPreferredLanguage()
-  if (!preferredLanguage) return null
+  if (!preferredLanguage) {
+    throw Object.assign(new Error('No preferred language configured'), { code: 'NO_LANGUAGE' })
+  }
 
   const translatedText = await translateText(config.endpoint, translateModel, row.extracted_text, preferredLanguage, config.promptTranslate)
   if (translatedText) {