diff --git a/server/src/routes/memories.ts b/server/src/routes/memories.ts
index 5a6f1cf..1b1fac3 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/memories.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/memories.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
     removeTripPhoto,
     setTripPhotoSharing,
     notifySharedTripPhotos,
+    normalizeSelections,
 } from '../services/memoriesService';
 
 const router = express.Router();
@@ -44,13 +45,14 @@ router.delete('/trips/:tripId/album-links/:linkId', authenticate, (req: Request,
 router.post('/trips/:tripId/photos', authenticate, (req: Request, res: Response) => {
     const authReq = req as AuthRequest;
     const { tripId } = req.params;
+    
+    const selections = normalizeSelections(req.body?.selections, req.body?.provider, req.body?.asset_ids);
+    const shared = req.body?.shared === undefined ? true : !!req.body?.shared;
     const result = addTripPhotos(
         tripId,
         authReq.user.id,
-        req.body?.shared,
-        req.body?.selections,
-        req.body?.provider,
-        req.body?.asset_ids,
+        shared,
+        selections,
     );
     if ('error' in result) return res.status(result.status).json({ error: result.error });
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/immichService.ts b/server/src/services/immichService.ts
index baef3bb..4550b2a 100644
--- a/server/src/services/immichService.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/immichService.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { db } from '../db/database';
 import { maybe_encrypt_api_key, decrypt_api_key } from './apiKeyCrypto';
 import { checkSsrf } from '../utils/ssrfGuard';
 import { writeAudit } from './auditLog';
+import { addTripPhotos, getAlbumIdFromLink, Selection, updateSyncTimeForAlbumLink } from './memoriesService';
 
 // ── Credentials ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -313,15 +314,14 @@ export async function syncAlbumAssets(
   linkId: string,
   userId: number
 ): Promise<{ success?: boolean; added?: number; total?: number; error?: string; status?: number }> {
-  const link = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM trip_album_links WHERE id = ? AND trip_id = ? AND user_id = ? AND provider = ?')
-    .get(linkId, tripId, userId, 'immich') as any;
-  if (!link) return { error: 'Album link not found', status: 404 };
+  const albumId = getAlbumIdFromLink(tripId, linkId, userId);
+  if (!albumId) return { error: 'Album link not found', status: 404 };
 
   const creds = getImmichCredentials(userId);
   if (!creds) return { error: 'Immich not configured', status: 400 };
 
   try {
-    const resp = await fetch(`${creds.immich_url}/api/albums/${link.album_id}`, {
+    const resp = await fetch(`${creds.immich_url}/api/albums/${albumId}`, {
       headers: { 'x-api-key': creds.immich_api_key, 'Accept': 'application/json' },
       signal: AbortSignal.timeout(15000),
     });
@@ -329,16 +329,17 @@ export async function syncAlbumAssets(
     const albumData = await resp.json() as { assets?: any[] };
     const assets = (albumData.assets || []).filter((a: any) => a.type === 'IMAGE');
 
-    const insert = db.prepare("INSERT OR IGNORE INTO trip_photos (trip_id, user_id, asset_id, provider, shared) VALUES (?, ?, ?, 'immich', 1)");
-    let added = 0;
-    for (const asset of assets) {
-      const r = insert.run(tripId, userId, asset.id);
-      if (r.changes > 0) added++;
-    }
+    const selection: Selection = {
+      provider: 'immich',
+      asset_ids: assets.map((a: any) => a.id),
+    };
 
-    db.prepare('UPDATE trip_album_links SET last_synced_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = ?').run(linkId);
+    const addResult = addTripPhotos(tripId, userId, true, [selection]);
+    if ('error' in addResult) return { error: addResult.error, status: addResult.status };
 
-    return { success: true, added, total: assets.length };
+    updateSyncTimeForAlbumLink(linkId);
+
+    return { success: true, added: addResult.added, total: assets.length };
   } catch {
     return { error: 'Could not reach Immich', status: 502 };
   }
diff --git a/server/src/services/memoriesService.ts b/server/src/services/memoriesService.ts
index 3886c8d..0470559 100644
--- a/server/src/services/memoriesService.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/memoriesService.ts
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@ function accessDeniedIfMissing(tripId: string, userId: number): ServiceError | n
   return null;
 }
 
-type Selection = {
+export type Selection = {
   provider: string;
-  asset_ids: unknown[];
+  asset_ids: string[];
 };
 
-function normalizeSelections(selectionsRaw: unknown, providerRaw: unknown, assetIdsRaw: unknown): Selection[] {
+
+//fallback for old clients that don't send selections as an array of provider/asset_id groups
+export function normalizeSelections(selectionsRaw: unknown, providerRaw: unknown, assetIdsRaw: unknown): Selection[] {
   const selectionsFromBody = Array.isArray(selectionsRaw) ? selectionsRaw : null;
   const provider = String(providerRaw || '').toLowerCase();
 
@@ -145,40 +147,54 @@ export function removeAlbumLink(tripId: string, linkId: string, userId: number):
   return { success: true };
 }
 
+function addTripPhoto(tripId: string, userId: number, provider: string, assetId: string, shared: boolean): boolean {
+  const result = db.prepare(
+    'INSERT OR IGNORE INTO trip_photos (trip_id, user_id, asset_id, provider, shared) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)'
+  ).run(tripId, userId, assetId, provider, shared ? 1 : 0);
+  return result.changes > 0;
+}
+
 export function addTripPhotos(
   tripId: string,
   userId: number,
-  sharedRaw: unknown,
-  selectionsRaw: unknown,
-  providerRaw: unknown,
-  assetIdsRaw: unknown,
+  shared: boolean,
+  selections: Selection[],
 ): { success: true; added: number; shared: boolean } | ServiceError {
   const denied = accessDeniedIfMissing(tripId, userId);
   if (denied) return denied;
 
-  const shared = sharedRaw === undefined ? true : !!sharedRaw;
-  const selections = normalizeSelections(selectionsRaw, providerRaw, assetIdsRaw);
   if (selections.length === 0) {
-    return { error: 'selections required', status: 400 };
+    return { error: 'No photos selected', status: 400 };
   }
 
-  const insert = db.prepare(
-    'INSERT OR IGNORE INTO trip_photos (trip_id, user_id, asset_id, provider, shared) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)'
-  );
-
   let added = 0;
   for (const selection of selections) {
     for (const raw of selection.asset_ids) {
       const assetId = String(raw || '').trim();
       if (!assetId) continue;
-      const result = insert.run(tripId, userId, assetId, selection.provider, shared ? 1 : 0);
-      if (result.changes > 0) added++;
+      if (addTripPhoto(tripId, userId, selection.provider, assetId, shared)) {
+        added++;
+      }
     }
   }
-
   return { success: true, added, shared };
 }
 
+export function getAlbumIdFromLink(tripId: string, linkId: string, userId: number): string {
+  const denied = accessDeniedIfMissing(tripId, userId);
+  if (denied) return null;
+
+  const { album_id } = db.prepare('SELECT album_id FROM trip_album_links WHERE id = ? AND trip_id = ? AND user_id = ?').get(linkId, tripId, userId) as { album_id: string } | null;
+
+  return album_id;
+}
+
+export function updateSyncTimeForAlbumLink(linkId: string): void {
+  db.prepare('UPDATE trip_album_links SET last_synced_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = ?').run(linkId);
+}
+
+
+
 export function removeTripPhoto(
   tripId: string,
   userId: number,
@@ -256,3 +272,5 @@ export async function notifySharedTripPhotos(
     count: String(added),
   });
 }
+
+
diff --git a/server/src/services/synologyService.ts b/server/src/services/synologyService.ts
index 0cb3308..7a01c1c 100644
--- a/server/src/services/synologyService.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/synologyService.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import { Readable } from 'node:stream';
 import { pipeline } from 'node:stream/promises';
-import { Request, Response as ExpressResponse } from 'express';
+import { Response as ExpressResponse } from 'express';
 import { db } from '../db/database';
 import { decrypt_api_key, maybe_encrypt_api_key } from './apiKeyCrypto';
 import { checkSsrf } from '../utils/ssrfGuard';
+import { addTripPhotos, getAlbumIdFromLink, Selection, updateSyncTimeForAlbumLink } from './memoriesService';
+import { error } from 'node:console';
 
 const SYNOLOGY_API_TIMEOUT_MS = 30000;
 const SYNOLOGY_PROVIDER = 'synologyphotos';
@@ -401,10 +403,8 @@ export async function listSynologyAlbums(userId: number): Promise<{ albums: Arra
 
 
 export async function syncSynologyAlbumLink(userId: number, tripId: string, linkId: string): Promise<{ added: number; total: number }> {
-    const link = db.prepare(`SELECT * FROM trip_album_links WHERE id = ? AND trip_id = ? AND user_id = ? AND provider = ?`)
-        .get(linkId, tripId, userId, SYNOLOGY_PROVIDER) as { album_id?: string | number } | undefined;
-
-    if (!link) {
+    const albumId = getAlbumIdFromLink(tripId, linkId, userId);
+    if (!albumId) {
         throw new SynologyServiceError(404, 'Album link not found');
     }
 
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ export async function syncSynologyAlbumLink(userId: number, tripId: string, link
             api: 'SYNO.Foto.Browse.Item',
             method: 'list',
             version: 1,
-            album_id: Number(link.album_id),
+            album_id: Number(albumId),
             offset,
             limit: pageSize,
             additional: ['thumbnail'],
@@ -433,22 +433,17 @@ export async function syncSynologyAlbumLink(userId: number, tripId: string, link
         offset += pageSize;
     }
 
-    const insert = db.prepare(
-        "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO trip_photos (trip_id, user_id, asset_id, provider, shared) VALUES (?, ?, ?, 'synologyphotos', 1)"
-    );
+    const selection: Selection = {
+        provider: SYNOLOGY_PROVIDER,
+        asset_ids: allItems.map(item => String(item.additional?.thumbnail?.cache_key || '')).filter(id => id),
+    };
 
-    let added = 0;
-    for (const item of allItems) {
-        const transformed = normalizeSynologyPhotoInfo(item);
-        const assetId = String(transformed?.id || '').trim();
-        if (!assetId) continue;
-        const result = insert.run(tripId, userId, assetId);
-        if (result.changes > 0) added++;
-    }
+    const addResult = addTripPhotos(tripId, userId, true, [selection]);
+    if ('error' in addResult) throw new SynologyServiceError(addResult.status, addResult.error);
 
-    db.prepare('UPDATE trip_album_links SET last_synced_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = ?').run(linkId);
+    updateSyncTimeForAlbumLink(linkId);
 
-    return { added, total: allItems.length };
+    return { added: addResult.added, total: allItems.length };
 }
 
 export async function searchSynologyPhotos(userId: number, from?: string, to?: string, offset = 0, limit = 300): Promise<{ assets: SynologyPhotoInfo[]; total: number; hasMore: boolean }> {