diff --git a/backend/app/services/download_service.py b/backend/app/services/download_service.py
index 66e960b..0fc04e6 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/download_service.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/download_service.py
@@ -269,6 +269,11 @@ class DownloadService:
         source_row = self.sync_session.get(Source, ctx["source_id"])
 
         import_summary = {"attached": 0, "skipped": 0, "errors": 0}
+        # Archives detected but captured WITHOUT extracting any image (probe
+        # rejected / corrupt / missing extractor backend). Surfaced on the event
+        # so a post showing "no images" beside a zip is diagnosable (plan
+        # follow-up 2026-06-06 — the recurring archive-association report).
+        unextracted_archives: list[dict] = []
         bytes_downloaded = 0
 
         loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
@@ -322,6 +327,17 @@ class DownloadService:
                 # mirror duplicate_hash cleanup so we don't keep two copies.
                 # Operator-flagged 2026-06-02 (Lustria OST zip).
                 import_summary["attached"] += 1
+                # An archive captured WITHOUT extracting any image carries a
+                # reason on result.error — record it so the event explains the
+                # "no images beside a zip" symptom instead of staying silent.
+                if result.error:
+                    unextracted_archives.append(
+                        {"file": path.name, "reason": result.error}
+                    )
+                    log.warning(
+                        "archive captured unextracted (%s): %s",
+                        path.name, result.error,
+                    )
                 try:
                     bytes_downloaded += path.stat().st_size  # noqa: ASYNC240
                 except OSError:
@@ -403,6 +419,10 @@ class DownloadService:
             "duration_seconds": dl_result.duration_seconds,
             "quarantined_paths": dl_result.quarantined_paths or None,
             "import_summary": import_summary,
+            # Archives detected but captured without extracting an image — the
+            # recurring "post shows a zip but no images" report. Each entry is
+            # {file, reason}; None when every archive extracted cleanly.
+            "unextracted_archives": unextracted_archives or None,
         }
         await self._update_source_health(
             source_id=ctx["source_id"], status=status, error_message=ev.error,
diff --git a/backend/app/services/importer.py b/backend/app/services/importer.py
index e1acc6e..c954bfe 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/importer.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/importer.py
@@ -430,13 +430,17 @@ class Importer:
             self._capture_attachment(
                 source, post=post, artist=artist_use, resolved=True,
             )
-            return ImportResult(status="attached")
+            reason = f"archive probe rejected, captured unextracted: {probe.reason}"
+            log.warning("%s: %s", source.name, reason)
+            return ImportResult(status="attached", error=reason)
 
         artist_use = artist if artist is not None else self._resolve_artist(source)
         post = self._post_for_sidecar(source, artist_use)
         member_ids: list[int] = []
+        member_total = 0
         with extract_archive(source) as members:
             for _name, member_path in members:
+                member_total += 1
                 if not is_supported(member_path):
                     continue  # non-media preserved via the stored archive
                 res = self._import_media(
@@ -453,7 +457,19 @@ class Importer:
                 status="imported", image_id=member_ids[0],
                 member_image_ids=member_ids,
             )
-        return ImportResult(status="attached")
+        # No images landed — surface WHY so a post showing "no images" beside an
+        # archive is diagnosable instead of silent. Zero members usually means
+        # the extractor backend is missing/failed (unar for rar, py7zr for 7z)
+        # or the file is corrupt; non-zero-but-no-images means it held only
+        # non-media files.
+        reason = (
+            "archive extracted but held no supported image/video members"
+            if member_total
+            else "archive yielded no members (unsupported/corrupt, or the "
+            "extractor backend failed)"
+        )
+        log.warning("%s: %s", source.name, reason)
+        return ImportResult(status="attached", error=reason)
 
     def _import_media(
         self, source: Path, attribution_path: Path,