diff --git a/CODESMELL.md b/CODESMELL.md
index 57fdbc4..0d9e596 100644
--- a/CODESMELL.md
+++ b/CODESMELL.md
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ This suggests data isn't normalized at boundaries. Prefer atoms for internal str
 ## Priority Order
 
 1. **Add `@spec` to public APIs of core contexts.** ✅ **DONE 2026-04-30.** See "Priority #1 Completion" section below.
-2. **Extract filesystem / Search side effects out of `Repo.transaction` in `BDS.Media`.** Real correctness bug under SQLite busy retries.
+2. **Extract filesystem / Search side effects out of `Repo.transaction` in `BDS.Media`.** ✅ **DONE 2026-04-30.** See "Priority #2 Completion" section below.
 3. **Fix `MCP.atomize_keys`** to use `String.to_existing_atom/1` with a string-fallback. Removes a real atom-table DoS vector.
 4. **Introduce `BDS.PostMedia` Ecto schema** and migrate the 6–8 raw `post_media` queries. Direct type-safety win.
 5. **Replace `Repo.get` calls in `ShellLive`** with context functions (add new context functions where needed).
@@ -322,6 +322,36 @@ Added `@spec` and `@type` declarations to the public APIs of all core contexts a
 
 ---
 
+## Priority #2 Completion (2026-04-30)
+
+Refactored every `Repo.transaction/1` block in [lib/bds/media.ex](lib/bds/media.ex) so that only DB writes run inside the transaction. Filesystem writes (`File.cp`, `write_sidecar`, `write_translation_sidecar`, `ensure_thumbnails`, `delete_file_if_present`) and `Search.sync_media/1` calls now run *after* the transaction commits, so the SQLite write lock is released as fast as possible.
+
+**Functions refactored:**
+
+- `import_media/1` — copies the source file into place *before* the transaction (so a DB rollback can still observe a stale file), then runs only the `Repo.insert!` inside the transaction, then writes sidecar / thumbnails / search index. On DB failure the copied file is removed.
+- `update_media/2` — DB update only inside the transaction; sidecar + search after.
+- `upsert_media_translation/3` — DB insert/update only inside; sidecar + search after.
+- `delete_media_translation/2` — DB delete only inside; sidecar deletion + search reindex + base sidecar rewrite after.
+- `replace_media_file/2` — moves the existing destination to a `.bak` *before* the transaction, copies the new file in place, runs only the DB update inside, then refreshes sidecar/thumbnails/search and removes the backup. On DB failure the original file is restored from the backup.
+- `link_media_to_post/2` and `unlink_media_from_post/2` — only the `post_media` raw INSERT/DELETE runs inside the transaction; sidecar rewrite happens after commit.
+
+**Why this matters:**
+
+SQLite has a single global write lock. Holding the transaction open while we copy files, regenerate Vix-backed thumbnails, and rebuild FTS5 indices makes that lock-hold time unbounded and proportional to image size. Other actors (the LiveView, background tasks, the CLI sync watcher) hit `:busy` retries that the existing `db_connection` busy-timeout cannot always cover. After this change the lock is held for milliseconds, regardless of file size.
+
+**Trade-offs accepted:**
+
+- The DB row and the filesystem are no longer atomically coupled. If the BEAM crashes between `Repo.insert!` and `write_sidecar/2`, the row exists without a sidecar. This is recoverable by the existing rebuild-from-database path (which re-emits sidecars), and is the same trade-off that exists everywhere else in the codebase that already runs side effects after transactions.
+- `import_media/1` and `replace_media_file/2` use the inverse approach — file IO *before* transaction with explicit cleanup on rollback — because the file is the larger of the two side effects and the DB row is a pointer to it. This keeps the destination consistent on rollback.
+
+**Spec correction surfaced by Dialyzer:**
+
+- `BDS.Media.delete_media_translation/2` actually returns `{:ok, boolean()} | {:error, :not_found | term()}` (the `:ok` payload is `false` when no translation exists for the language, `true` when one was deleted). The previous spec advertised `{:ok, :deleted}`, which never matched any code path.
+
+**Validation:** `mix compile --warnings-as-errors` clean, `mix dialyzer --format short` 0 errors, `mix test` 342/0/4.
+
+---
+
 ## Bottom Line
 
 The biggest risks are **module size** and **duplicated helpers**, followed by the **process dictionary i18n** and **side effects in transactions**. Fixing the top 5 anti-patterns would significantly improve maintainability, testability, and reliability of the desktop app over long-running sessions.
diff --git a/lib/bds/media.ex b/lib/bds/media.ex
index 1d30d93..9b0f875 100644
--- a/lib/bds/media.ex
+++ b/lib/bds/media.ex
@@ -33,42 +33,43 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
     destination = Path.join(Projects.project_data_dir(project), file_path)
     stat = File.stat!(source_path)
 
-    Repo.transaction(fn ->
-      media =
-        %Media{}
-        |> Media.changeset(%{
-          id: Ecto.UUID.generate(),
-          project_id: project.id,
-          filename: file_name,
-          original_name: original_name,
-          mime_type: mime_type,
-          size: stat.size,
-          width: attr(attrs, :width) || width,
-          height: attr(attrs, :height) || height,
-          title: attr(attrs, :title),
-          alt: attr(attrs, :alt),
-          caption: attr(attrs, :caption),
-          author: attr(attrs, :author),
-          language: attr(attrs, :language),
-          file_path: file_path,
-          sidecar_path: sidecar_path,
-          checksum: attr(attrs, :checksum),
-          tags: attr(attrs, :tags) || [],
-          created_at: now,
-          updated_at: now
-        })
-        |> Repo.insert!()
+    :ok = File.mkdir_p(Path.dirname(destination))
+    :ok = File.cp(source_path, destination)
 
-      :ok = File.mkdir_p(Path.dirname(destination))
-      :ok = File.cp(source_path, destination)
-      :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
-      :ok = ensure_thumbnails(project, media)
-      :ok = Search.sync_media(media)
-      media
-    end)
-    |> case do
-      {:ok, media} -> {:ok, media}
-      {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+    case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+           %Media{}
+           |> Media.changeset(%{
+             id: Ecto.UUID.generate(),
+             project_id: project.id,
+             filename: file_name,
+             original_name: original_name,
+             mime_type: mime_type,
+             size: stat.size,
+             width: attr(attrs, :width) || width,
+             height: attr(attrs, :height) || height,
+             title: attr(attrs, :title),
+             alt: attr(attrs, :alt),
+             caption: attr(attrs, :caption),
+             author: attr(attrs, :author),
+             language: attr(attrs, :language),
+             file_path: file_path,
+             sidecar_path: sidecar_path,
+             checksum: attr(attrs, :checksum),
+             tags: attr(attrs, :tags) || [],
+             created_at: now,
+             updated_at: now
+           })
+           |> Repo.insert!()
+         end) do
+      {:ok, media} ->
+        :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
+        :ok = ensure_thumbnails(project, media)
+        :ok = Search.sync_media(media)
+        {:ok, media}
+
+      {:error, reason} ->
+        _ = File.rm(destination)
+        {:error, reason}
     end
   end
 
@@ -94,19 +95,18 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
 
         project = Projects.get_project!(media.project_id)
 
-        Repo.transaction(fn ->
-          updated_media =
-            media
-            |> Media.changeset(updates)
-            |> Repo.update!()
+        case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+               media
+               |> Media.changeset(updates)
+               |> Repo.update!()
+             end) do
+          {:ok, updated_media} ->
+            :ok = write_sidecar(project, updated_media)
+            :ok = Search.sync_media(updated_media)
+            {:ok, updated_media}
 
-          :ok = write_sidecar(project, updated_media)
-          :ok = Search.sync_media(updated_media)
-          updated_media
-        end)
-        |> case do
-          {:ok, updated_media} -> {:ok, updated_media}
-          {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            {:error, reason}
         end
     end
   end
@@ -292,25 +292,24 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
           updated_at: now
         }
 
-        Repo.transaction(fn ->
-          updated_translation =
-            translation
-            |> Translation.changeset(translation_attrs)
-            |> Repo.insert_or_update!()
+        case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+               translation
+               |> Translation.changeset(translation_attrs)
+               |> Repo.insert_or_update!()
+             end) do
+          {:ok, updated_translation} ->
+            :ok = write_translation_sidecar(project, media, updated_translation)
+            :ok = Search.sync_media(media.id)
+            {:ok, updated_translation}
 
-          :ok = write_translation_sidecar(project, media, updated_translation)
-          :ok = Search.sync_media(media.id)
-          updated_translation
-        end)
-        |> case do
-          {:ok, updated_translation} -> {:ok, updated_translation}
-          {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            {:error, reason}
         end
     end
   end
 
   @spec delete_media_translation(String.t(), String.t() | atom()) ::
-          {:ok, :deleted} | {:error, :not_found}
+          {:ok, boolean()} | {:error, :not_found | term()}
   def delete_media_translation(media_id, language) do
     normalized_language = language |> to_string() |> String.trim() |> String.downcase()
 
@@ -326,16 +325,15 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
           translation ->
             project = Projects.get_project!(media.project_id)
 
-            Repo.transaction(fn ->
-              Repo.delete!(translation)
-              delete_file_if_present(media.project_id, translation_sidecar_path(media, normalized_language))
-              :ok = Search.sync_media(media)
-              :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
-              true
-            end)
-            |> case do
-              {:ok, deleted?} -> {:ok, deleted?}
-              {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+            case Repo.transaction(fn -> Repo.delete!(translation) end) do
+              {:ok, _deleted} ->
+                delete_file_if_present(media.project_id, translation_sidecar_path(media, normalized_language))
+                :ok = Search.sync_media(media)
+                :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
+                {:ok, true}
+
+              {:error, reason} ->
+                {:error, reason}
             end
         end
     end
@@ -361,29 +359,31 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
           else
             mime_type = media.mime_type || detect_mime(media.original_name || media.filename)
             {width, height} = image_dimensions(new_source_path, mime_type)
+            previous_destination_backup = destination <> ".bak"
+            _ = File.rename(destination, previous_destination_backup)
+            :ok = File.cp(new_source_path, destination)
 
-            Repo.transaction(fn ->
-              :ok = File.cp(new_source_path, destination)
+            case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+                   media
+                   |> Media.changeset(%{
+                     size: stat.size,
+                     width: width || media.width,
+                     height: height || media.height,
+                     checksum: checksum,
+                     updated_at: Persistence.now_ms()
+                   })
+                   |> Repo.update!()
+                 end) do
+              {:ok, updated_media} ->
+                _ = File.rm(previous_destination_backup)
+                :ok = write_sidecar(project, updated_media)
+                :ok = ensure_thumbnails(project, updated_media)
+                :ok = Search.sync_media(updated_media)
+                {:ok, updated_media}
 
-              updated_media =
-                media
-                |> Media.changeset(%{
-                  size: stat.size,
-                  width: width || media.width,
-                  height: height || media.height,
-                  checksum: checksum,
-                  updated_at: Persistence.now_ms()
-                })
-                |> Repo.update!()
-
-              :ok = write_sidecar(project, updated_media)
-              :ok = ensure_thumbnails(project, updated_media)
-              :ok = Search.sync_media(updated_media)
-              updated_media
-            end)
-            |> case do
-              {:ok, updated_media} -> {:ok, updated_media}
-              {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+              {:error, reason} ->
+                _ = File.rename(previous_destination_backup, destination)
+                {:error, reason}
             end
           end
         end
@@ -428,29 +428,29 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
       {%Media{} = media, %BDS.Posts.Post{} = post} ->
         project = Projects.get_project!(media.project_id)
 
-        Repo.transaction(fn ->
-          case Repo.query("SELECT 1 FROM post_media WHERE post_id = ? AND media_id = ? LIMIT 1", [post.id, media.id]) do
-            {:ok, %{rows: [[1]]}} ->
-              :already_linked
+        case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+               case Repo.query("SELECT 1 FROM post_media WHERE post_id = ? AND media_id = ? LIMIT 1", [post.id, media.id]) do
+                 {:ok, %{rows: [[1]]}} ->
+                   :already_linked
 
-            _other ->
-              sort_order = next_sort_order(media.id)
+                 _other ->
+                   sort_order = next_sort_order(media.id)
 
-              {:ok, _result} =
-                Repo.query(
-                  "INSERT INTO post_media (id, project_id, post_id, media_id, sort_order, created_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
-                  [Ecto.UUID.generate(), media.project_id, post.id, media.id, sort_order, Persistence.now_ms()]
-                )
+                   {:ok, _result} =
+                     Repo.query(
+                       "INSERT INTO post_media (id, project_id, post_id, media_id, sort_order, created_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                       [Ecto.UUID.generate(), media.project_id, post.id, media.id, sort_order, Persistence.now_ms()]
+                     )
 
-              :linked
-          end
+                   :linked
+               end
+             end) do
+          {:ok, _result} ->
+            :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
+            {:ok, :linked}
 
-          :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
-          :ok
-        end)
-        |> case do
-          {:ok, :ok} -> {:ok, :linked}
-          {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            {:error, reason}
         end
     end
   end
@@ -465,14 +465,18 @@ defmodule BDS.Media do
       %Media{} = media ->
         project = Projects.get_project!(media.project_id)
 
-        Repo.transaction(fn ->
-          {:ok, _result} = Repo.query("DELETE FROM post_media WHERE media_id = ? AND post_id = ?", [media.id, post_id])
-          :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
-          :ok
-        end)
-        |> case do
-          {:ok, :ok} -> {:ok, :unlinked}
-          {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+        case Repo.transaction(fn ->
+               {:ok, _result} =
+                 Repo.query("DELETE FROM post_media WHERE media_id = ? AND post_id = ?", [media.id, post_id])
+
+               :ok
+             end) do
+          {:ok, :ok} ->
+            :ok = write_sidecar(project, media)
+            {:ok, :unlinked}
+
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            {:error, reason}
         end
     end
   end