diff --git a/server/scanner.js b/server/scanner.js
index e90db7c..91007b0 100644
--- a/server/scanner.js
+++ b/server/scanner.js
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ function scanDir(parent, path) {
       parent: parent || null
     };
 
+  /* Ensure that top level images are placed into an album with a root path */
+  replacements.path = replacements.path || "/";
+
   let query = "SELECT id FROM albums WHERE path=:path AND ";
   if (!parent) {
     query += "parentId IS NULL";
@@ -345,6 +348,9 @@ function triggerWatcher() {
             added: moment().format()
           };
 
+          /* Ensure that top level images are placed into an album with a root path */
+          replacements.path = replacements.path || "/";
+
           if (metadata.exif && metadata.exif.exif && metadata.exif.exif.DateTimeOriginal && !isNaN(metadata.exif.exif.DateTimeOriginal.valueOf())) {
             replacements.taken = moment(metadata.exif.exif.DateTimeOriginal).format();
             replacements.modified = moment(metadata.exif.exif.DateTimeOriginal).format();