diff --git a/backend/app/database/images.py b/backend/app/database/images.py
index 5c6057b98..b2725726b 100644
--- a/backend/app/database/images.py
+++ b/backend/app/database/images.py
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ def db_delete_images_by_ids(image_ids: List[ImageId]) -> bool:
 
 
 def db_toggle_image_favourite_status(image_id: str) -> bool:
-    conn = sqlite3.connect(DATABASE_PATH)
+    conn = _connect()
     cursor = conn.cursor()
     try:
         cursor.execute("SELECT id FROM images WHERE id = ?", (image_id,))
diff --git a/backend/app/utils/images.py b/backend/app/utils/images.py
index dde078fff..3b011b0bf 100644
--- a/backend/app/utils/images.py
+++ b/backend/app/utils/images.py
@@ -443,19 +443,12 @@ def image_util_find_folder_id_for_image(
 
 def image_util_is_valid_image(file_path: str) -> bool:
     """Check if the file is a valid image with allowed extensions."""
-    # Check file extension first
     allowed_extensions = {".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png"}
-    file_extension = Path(file_path).suffix.lower()
-
-    if file_extension not in allowed_extensions:
+    if Path(file_path).suffix.lower() not in allowed_extensions:
         return False
-
-    # Then verify it's a valid image
     try:
-        with Image.open(file_path) as img:
-            img.verify()
-        return True
-    except Exception:
+        return os.path.isfile(file_path) and os.path.getsize(file_path) > 0
+    except OSError:
         return False
 
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_images.py b/backend/tests/test_images.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..63225ec1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_images.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+from app.utils.images import image_util_is_valid_image
+
+
+def test_image_util_is_valid_image(tmp_path):
+    # Setup valid image (e.g., non-zero size, correct extension)
+    valid_img = tmp_path / "valid.jpg"
+    valid_img.write_text("dummy content")
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(valid_img)) is True
+
+    # Setup valid image with uppercase extension
+    valid_img_upper = tmp_path / "VALID.JPG"
+    valid_img_upper.write_text("dummy content")
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(valid_img_upper)) is True
+
+    # Setup unsupported extension
+    invalid_ext = tmp_path / "invalid.txt"
+    invalid_ext.write_text("dummy content")
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(invalid_ext)) is False
+
+    # Setup zero-byte file
+    zero_byte_img = tmp_path / "empty.jpg"
+    zero_byte_img.touch()
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(zero_byte_img)) is False
+
+    # Missing file
+    missing_img = tmp_path / "missing.jpg"
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(missing_img)) is False
+
+    # Directory with an image extension
+    directory_img = tmp_path / "folder.jpg"
+    directory_img.mkdir()
+    assert image_util_is_valid_image(str(directory_img)) is False