diff --git a/server/src/database.ts b/server/src/database.ts
index c37a98b094..78a826373b 100644
--- a/server/src/database.ts
+++ b/server/src/database.ts
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ export type Person = {
   color: string | null;
   faceAssetId: string | null;
   isHidden: boolean;
-  thumbnailPath: string;
+  thumbnailPath: string | null;
 };
 
 export type AssetFace = {
diff --git a/server/src/dtos/person.dto.ts b/server/src/dtos/person.dto.ts
index fa56ded176..b1408198bb 100644
--- a/server/src/dtos/person.dto.ts
+++ b/server/src/dtos/person.dto.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export const PersonResponseSchema = z
     name: z.string().describe('Person name'),
     // TODO: use `isoDateToDate` when using `ZodSerializerDto` on the controllers.
     birthDate: z.string().meta({ format: 'date' }).describe('Person date of birth').nullable(),
-    thumbnailPath: z.string().describe('Thumbnail path'),
+    thumbnailPath: z.string().nullable().describe('Thumbnail path'),
     isHidden: z.boolean().describe('Is hidden'),
     // TODO: use `isoDatetimeToDate` when using `ZodSerializerDto` on the controllers.
     updatedAt: z
diff --git a/server/src/schema/migrations/1784554467506-ConvertPersonThumbnailPathEmptyStringToNull.ts b/server/src/schema/migrations/1784554467506-ConvertPersonThumbnailPathEmptyStringToNull.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8abeda8cb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/schema/migrations/1784554467506-ConvertPersonThumbnailPathEmptyStringToNull.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { Kysely, sql } from 'kysely';
+
+export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await sql`ALTER TABLE "person" ALTER COLUMN "thumbnailPath" DROP NOT NULL;`.execute(db);
+  await sql`ALTER TABLE "person" ALTER COLUMN "thumbnailPath" SET DEFAULT NULL;`.execute(db);
+  await sql`UPDATE "person" SET "thumbnailPath" = NULL WHERE "thumbnailPath" = '';`.execute(db);
+}
+
+export async function down(): Promise<void> {
+  await sql`UPDATE "person" SET "thumbnailPath" = '' WHERE "thumbnailPath" IS NULL;`.execute(db);
+  await sql`ALTER TABLE "person" ALTER COLUMN "thumbnailPath" SET DEFAULT '';`.execute(db);
+  await sql`ALTER TABLE "person" ALTER COLUMN "thumbnailPath" SET NOT NULL;`.execute(db);
+}
diff --git a/server/src/schema/tables/person.table.ts b/server/src/schema/tables/person.table.ts
index 35447acfd0..4600702ed0 100644
--- a/server/src/schema/tables/person.table.ts
+++ b/server/src/schema/tables/person.table.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ export class PersonTable {
   @Column({ default: '' })
   name!: Generated<string>;
 
-  @Column({ default: '' })
-  thumbnailPath!: Generated<string>;
+  @Column({ nullable: true, default: null })
+  thumbnailPath!: string | null;
 
   @Column({ type: 'boolean', default: false })
   isHidden!: Generated<boolean>;