diff --git a/app/assets/database/queries/__init__.py b/app/assets/database/queries/__init__.py
index 9b04baf17..17ea8f27a 100644
--- a/app/assets/database/queries/__init__.py
+++ b/app/assets/database/queries/__init__.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from app.assets.database.queries.asset_reference import (
     get_unenriched_references,
     get_unreferenced_unhashed_asset_ids,
     insert_reference,
+    list_all_file_paths_by_asset_id,
     list_references_by_asset_id,
     list_references_page,
     mark_references_missing_outside_prefixes,
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "get_unenriched_references",
     "get_unreferenced_unhashed_asset_ids",
     "insert_reference",
+    "list_all_file_paths_by_asset_id",
     "list_references_by_asset_id",
     "list_references_page",
     "list_tag_counts_for_filtered_assets",
diff --git a/app/assets/database/queries/asset_reference.py b/app/assets/database/queries/asset_reference.py
index c63d39fd6..24e7743a2 100644
--- a/app/assets/database/queries/asset_reference.py
+++ b/app/assets/database/queries/asset_reference.py
@@ -549,6 +549,8 @@ def list_references_by_asset_id(
         session.execute(
             select(AssetReference)
             .where(AssetReference.asset_id == asset_id)
+            .where(AssetReference.is_missing == False)  # noqa: E712
+            .where(AssetReference.deleted_at.is_(None))
             .order_by(AssetReference.id.asc())
         )
         .scalars()
@@ -556,6 +558,25 @@ def list_references_by_asset_id(
     )
 
 
+def list_all_file_paths_by_asset_id(
+    session: Session,
+    asset_id: str,
+) -> list[str]:
+    """Return every file_path for an asset, including soft-deleted/missing refs.
+
+    Used for orphan cleanup where all on-disk files must be removed.
+    """
+    return list(
+        session.execute(
+            select(AssetReference.file_path)
+            .where(AssetReference.asset_id == asset_id)
+            .where(AssetReference.file_path.isnot(None))
+        )
+        .scalars()
+        .all()
+    )
+
+
 def upsert_reference(
     session: Session,
     asset_id: str,
diff --git a/app/assets/database/queries/tags.py b/app/assets/database/queries/tags.py
index 05acbdbd9..fbca80743 100644
--- a/app/assets/database/queries/tags.py
+++ b/app/assets/database/queries/tags.py
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ def list_tags_with_usage(
         .select_from(AssetReferenceTag)
         .join(AssetReference, AssetReference.id == AssetReferenceTag.asset_reference_id)
         .where(build_visible_owner_clause(owner_id))
+        .where(AssetReference.is_missing == False)  # noqa: E712
         .where(AssetReference.deleted_at.is_(None))
         .group_by(AssetReferenceTag.tag_name)
         .subquery()
@@ -311,6 +312,7 @@ def list_tags_with_usage(
             select(AssetReferenceTag.tag_name)
             .join(AssetReference, AssetReference.id == AssetReferenceTag.asset_reference_id)
             .where(build_visible_owner_clause(owner_id))
+            .where(AssetReference.is_missing == False)  # noqa: E712
             .where(AssetReference.deleted_at.is_(None))
             .group_by(AssetReferenceTag.tag_name)
         )
diff --git a/app/assets/services/asset_management.py b/app/assets/services/asset_management.py
index b02490871..a51f0f48f 100644
--- a/app/assets/services/asset_management.py
+++ b/app/assets/services/asset_management.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from app.assets.database.queries import (
     get_reference_by_id,
     get_reference_with_owner_check,
     list_references_page,
+    list_all_file_paths_by_asset_id,
     list_references_by_asset_id,
     set_reference_metadata,
     set_reference_preview,
@@ -176,11 +177,9 @@ def delete_asset_reference(
             session.commit()
             return True
 
-        # Orphaned asset - delete it and its files
-        refs = list_references_by_asset_id(session, asset_id=asset_id)
-        file_paths = [
-            r.file_path for r in (refs or []) if getattr(r, "file_path", None)
-        ]
+        # Orphaned asset - gather ALL file paths (including
+        # soft-deleted / missing refs) so their on-disk files get cleaned up.
+        file_paths = list_all_file_paths_by_asset_id(session, asset_id=asset_id)
         # Also include the just-deleted file path
         if file_path:
             file_paths.append(file_path)