diff --git a/web/src/lib/stores/filters.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/stores/filters.svelte.ts
index 40f7ab0..4212eb5 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/stores/filters.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/stores/filters.svelte.ts
@@ -97,8 +97,20 @@ export function filtersToQ(f: FilterState = filters): string {
 	// express "exact root match" (path:"" / path:/ both fall back to "no
 	// filter"), so we leave the server query unfiltered and let the
 	// timeline post-filter to `Path === ''` client-side.
+	//
+	// For any non-root folder we want EVERY photo under that subtree, not
+	// just photos whose `photo_path` is an exact match. PhotoPrism's
+	// `path:` operator is exact-by-default but supports a trailing `*`
+	// wildcard:
+	//   path:"2024"     →  matches only photos directly at `2024/` (none,
+	//                       if all files live in date-stamped sub-folders)
+	//   path:"2024*"    →  matches `2024`, `2024/01`, `2024/02/...`, etc.
+	//   path:"2024/01*" →  matches `2024/01` plus descendants — still
+	//                       correct for a leaf folder.
+	// Always append `*` so internal tree nodes return the union of all
+	// descendant photos and leaves keep returning their direct contents.
 	if (f.folderPath && f.folderPath !== '/') {
-		parts.push(`path:${quoteIfNeeded(f.folderPath)}`);
+		parts.push(`path:${quoteIfNeeded(f.folderPath + '*')}`);
 	}
 	if (f.search) parts.push(quoteIfNeeded(f.search));
 	return parts.join(' ');