diff --git a/app/assets/services/ingest.py b/app/assets/services/ingest.py
index 81a81ae03..f6391e1a9 100644
--- a/app/assets/services/ingest.py
+++ b/app/assets/services/ingest.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from app.assets.database.queries import (
     upsert_reference,
     validate_tags_exist,
 )
-from app.assets.helpers import normalize_tags
+from app.assets.helpers import get_utc_now, normalize_tags
 from app.assets.services.bulk_ingest import batch_insert_seed_assets
 from app.assets.services.file_utils import get_size_and_mtime_ns
 from app.assets.services.path_utils import (
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ def register_output_files(
         if not os.path.isfile(abs_path):
             continue
         try:
-            ingest_existing_file(abs_path, user_metadata=user_metadata, job_id=job_id)
-            registered += 1
+            if ingest_existing_file(abs_path, user_metadata=user_metadata, job_id=job_id):
+                registered += 1
         except Exception:
             logging.exception("Failed to register output: %s", abs_path)
     return registered
@@ -158,33 +158,59 @@ def ingest_existing_file(
     extra_tags: Sequence[str] = (),
     owner_id: str = "",
     job_id: str | None = None,
-) -> None:
+) -> bool:
     """Register an existing on-disk file as an asset stub.
 
-    Inserts a stub record (hash=NULL) for immediate UX visibility.
-    The caller is responsible for triggering background enrichment
-    (hash computation, metadata extraction) via the asset seeder.
+    If a reference already exists for this path, updates mtime_ns, job_id,
+    size_bytes, and resets enrichment so the enricher will re-hash it.
+
+    For brand-new paths, inserts a stub record (hash=NULL) for immediate
+    UX visibility.
+
+    Returns True if a row was inserted or updated, False otherwise.
     """
+    locator = os.path.abspath(abs_path)
     size_bytes, mtime_ns = get_size_and_mtime_ns(abs_path)
     mime_type = mimetypes.guess_type(abs_path, strict=False)[0]
     name, path_tags = get_name_and_tags_from_asset_path(abs_path)
     tags = list(dict.fromkeys(path_tags + list(extra_tags)))
 
-    spec = {
-        "abs_path": abs_path,
-        "size_bytes": size_bytes,
-        "mtime_ns": mtime_ns,
-        "info_name": name,
-        "tags": tags,
-        "fname": os.path.basename(abs_path),
-        "metadata": user_metadata,
-        "hash": None,
-        "mime_type": mime_type,
-        "job_id": job_id,
-    }
     with create_session() as session:
-        batch_insert_seed_assets(session, [spec], owner_id=owner_id)
+        existing_ref = get_reference_by_file_path(session, locator)
+        if existing_ref is not None:
+            now = get_utc_now()
+            existing_ref.mtime_ns = mtime_ns
+            existing_ref.job_id = job_id
+            existing_ref.is_missing = False
+            existing_ref.deleted_at = None
+            existing_ref.updated_at = now
+            # Reset enrichment so the enricher re-hashes
+            existing_ref.enrichment_level = 0
+            # Clear the asset hash so enrich recomputes it
+            asset = existing_ref.asset
+            if asset:
+                asset.hash = None
+                asset.size_bytes = size_bytes
+                if mime_type:
+                    asset.mime_type = mime_type
+            session.commit()
+            return True
+
+        spec = {
+            "abs_path": abs_path,
+            "size_bytes": size_bytes,
+            "mtime_ns": mtime_ns,
+            "info_name": name,
+            "tags": tags,
+            "fname": os.path.basename(abs_path),
+            "metadata": user_metadata,
+            "hash": None,
+            "mime_type": mime_type,
+            "job_id": job_id,
+        }
+        result = batch_insert_seed_assets(session, [spec], owner_id=owner_id)
         session.commit()
+        return result.won_paths > 0
 
 
 def _register_existing_asset(