diff --git a/internal/db/dbq/system_playlists.sql.go b/internal/db/dbq/system_playlists.sql.go
index f76d10ff..d8fa1ae4 100644
--- a/internal/db/dbq/system_playlists.sql.go
+++ b/internal/db/dbq/system_playlists.sql.go
@@ -452,6 +452,7 @@ SELECT COALESCE(
        FROM tracks t
        JOIN albums a ON a.id = t.album_id
       WHERE t.artist_id = $2
+        AND t.missing_since IS NULL  -- #2701: the play branch filters; this one must too
       ORDER BY a.release_date DESC NULLS LAST,
                t.disc_number NULLS LAST,
                t.track_number NULLS LAST,
@@ -497,6 +498,7 @@ alltime AS (
 liked AS (
     SELECT gl.track_id AS id, 0::bigint AS c, 2 AS tier
       FROM general_likes gl
+      JOIN tracks t ON t.id = gl.track_id AND t.missing_since IS NULL
      WHERE gl.user_id = $1
 ),
 chosen AS (
@@ -526,6 +528,10 @@ SELECT id
 // Widened from a hard 7-day window, which made For-You disappear
 // after a week of not listening and never recover on a self-hosted
 // library with sparse history.
+// A likes-only read still joins tracks: a like outlives its file, and a
+// seed whose file is gone points For You at something the user can't hear
+// (#2701). The other two tiers get the same filter from their play_events
+// join.
 func (q *Queries) PickTopPlayedTracksForUser(ctx context.Context, userID pgtype.UUID) ([]pgtype.UUID, error) {
 	rows, err := q.db.Query(ctx, pickTopPlayedTracksForUser, userID)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/db/queries/system_playlists.sql b/internal/db/queries/system_playlists.sql
index 41c1cff5..7c97a7a1 100644
--- a/internal/db/queries/system_playlists.sql
+++ b/internal/db/queries/system_playlists.sql
@@ -161,9 +161,14 @@ alltime AS (
        AND pe.was_skipped = false
      GROUP BY t.id
 ),
+-- A likes-only read still joins tracks: a like outlives its file, and a
+-- seed whose file is gone points For You at something the user can't hear
+-- (#2701). The other two tiers get the same filter from their play_events
+-- join.
 liked AS (
     SELECT gl.track_id AS id, 0::bigint AS c, 2 AS tier
       FROM general_likes gl
+      JOIN tracks t ON t.id = gl.track_id AND t.missing_since IS NULL
      WHERE gl.user_id = $1
 ),
 chosen AS (
@@ -201,6 +206,7 @@ SELECT COALESCE(
        FROM tracks t
        JOIN albums a ON a.id = t.album_id
       WHERE t.artist_id = $2
+        AND t.missing_since IS NULL  -- #2701: the play branch filters; this one must too
       ORDER BY a.release_date DESC NULLS LAST,
                t.disc_number NULLS LAST,
                t.track_number NULLS LAST,
diff --git a/internal/playlists/seed_missing_db_test.go b/internal/playlists/seed_missing_db_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25826b09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/playlists/seed_missing_db_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package playlists_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgtype"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
+
+	"git.fabledsword.com/bvandeusen/minstrel/internal/db/dbq"
+)
+
+func likeTrack(t *testing.T, pool *pgxpool.Pool, userID, trackID pgtype.UUID) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(context.Background(),
+		`INSERT INTO general_likes (user_id, track_id) VALUES ($1, $2)`,
+		userID, trackID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("like track: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func markMissing(t *testing.T, pool *pgxpool.Pool, trackID pgtype.UUID) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(context.Background(),
+		`UPDATE tracks SET missing_since = now() WHERE id = $1`, trackID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("mark missing: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPickTopPlayedTracksForUser_LikedTierSkipsMissing: with no plays, For
+// You seeds from likes. A liked track whose file is gone is not a seed (#2701).
+func TestPickTopPlayedTracksForUser_LikedTierSkipsMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	pool := newPool(t)
+	u := seedUser(t, pool, "seedmissing")
+	present := seedTrack(t, pool, "Present", "Seed Artist A")
+	gone := seedTrack(t, pool, "Gone", "Seed Artist B")
+	likeTrack(t, pool, u.ID, present.ID)
+	likeTrack(t, pool, u.ID, gone.ID)
+	markMissing(t, pool, gone.ID)
+
+	seeds, err := dbq.New(pool).PickTopPlayedTracksForUser(context.Background(), u.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pick seeds: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(seeds) != 1 || seeds[0] != present.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("seeds = %v, want only the present liked track %v", seeds, present.ID)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPickTopPlayedTrackForArtistByUser_FallbackSkipsMissing: with no plays,
+// Songs-like seeds from the artist's newest album. When that album's track is
+// missing, the seed comes from the next album rather than the missing file.
+func TestPickTopPlayedTrackForArtistByUser_FallbackSkipsMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	pool := newPool(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	u := seedUser(t, pool, "songslikemissing")
+	older := seedTrack(t, pool, "Older", "Songs Like Artist")
+	newerAlbum := seedAlbumForArtist(t, pool, "Newer Album", older.ArtistID)
+	newer := seedTrackForArtist(t, pool, "Newer", newerAlbum, older.ArtistID)
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(ctx, `UPDATE albums SET release_date = '2010-01-01' WHERE id = $1`, older.AlbumID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("date older album: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(ctx, `UPDATE albums SET release_date = '2020-01-01' WHERE id = $1`, newerAlbum); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("date newer album: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	q := dbq.New(pool)
+	args := dbq.PickTopPlayedTrackForArtistByUserParams{UserID: u.ID, ArtistID: older.ArtistID}
+	got, err := q.PickTopPlayedTrackForArtistByUser(ctx, args)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pick seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != newer.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("before marking: seed = %v, want the newest album's track %v", got, newer.ID)
+	}
+
+	markMissing(t, pool, newer.ID)
+	got, err = q.PickTopPlayedTrackForArtistByUser(ctx, args)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pick seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != older.ID {
+		t.Fatalf("after marking: seed = %v, want the present older track %v", got, older.ID)
+	}
+}