diff --git a/src/media.js b/src/media.js
index becf7540..a5f98ba8 100644
--- a/src/media.js
+++ b/src/media.js
@@ -46,109 +46,152 @@ async function createActorMediaDirectory(profile, actor) {
     }
 }
 
+function curatePhotoEntries(files, domain = 'releases', role = 'photo', targetId, setAvatar = false) {
+    return files.map((file, index) => ({
+        path: file.filepath,
+        thumbnail: file.thumbpath,
+        mime: file.mimetype,
+        hash: file.hash,
+        source: file.source,
+        index,
+        domain,
+        target_id: targetId,
+        role: setAvatar && index === 0 ? 'avatar' : role,
+    }));
+}
+
+// before fetching
+async function filterSourceDuplicates(photos, domains = ['releases'], roles = ['photo'], identifier) {
+    const photoSourceEntries = await knex('media')
+        .whereIn('source', photos)
+        .whereIn('domain', [].concat(domains))
+        .whereIn('role', [].concat(roles)); // accept string argument
+
+    const photoSources = new Set(photoSourceEntries.map(photo => photo.source));
+    const newPhotos = photos.filter(source => !photoSources.has(source));
+
+    if (photoSourceEntries.length > 0) {
+        console.log(`Ignoring ${photoSourceEntries.length} ${roles} items already present by source for ${identifier}`);
+    }
+
+    return newPhotos;
+}
+
+// after fetching
+async function filterHashDuplicates(files, domains = ['releases'], roles = ['photo'], identifier) {
+    const photoHashEntries = await knex('media')
+        .whereIn('hash', files.map(file => file.hash))
+        .whereIn('domain', [].concat(domains))
+        .whereIn('role', [].concat(roles)); // accept string argument
+
+    const photoHashes = new Set(photoHashEntries.map(entry => entry.hash));
+
+    if (photoHashEntries.length > 0) {
+        console.log(`Ignoring ${photoHashEntries.length} ${roles} items already present by hash for ${identifier}`);
+    }
+
+    return files.filter(file => file && !photoHashes.has(file.hash));
+}
+
+async function fetchPhoto(photoUrl, index, identifier) {
+    const { pathname } = new URL(photoUrl);
+    const mimetype = mime.getType(pathname);
+
+    try {
+        const res = await bhttp.get(photoUrl);
+
+        if (res.statusCode === 200) {
+            const extension = mime.getExtension(mimetype);
+            const hash = getHash(res.body);
+
+            return {
+                photo: res.body,
+                mimetype,
+                extension,
+                hash,
+                source: photoUrl,
+            };
+        }
+
+        throw new Error(`Response ${res.statusCode} not OK`);
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.warn(`Failed to store photo ${index + 1} (${photoUrl}) for ${identifier}: ${error}`);
+
+        return null;
+    }
+}
+
+async function savePhotos(files, release, releaseId, actorSlug, isPoster = false) {
+    return Promise.map(files, async (file, index) => {
+        const timestamp = new Date().getTime();
+        const thumbnail = await getThumbnail(file.photo);
+
+        const filepath = actorSlug
+            ? path.join('actors', actorSlug, `${timestamp + index}.${file.extension}`)
+            : path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `${isPoster ? 'poster' : index + 1}.${file.extension}`);
+
+        const thumbpath = actorSlug
+            ? path.join('actors', actorSlug, `${timestamp + index}_thumb.${file.extension}`)
+            : path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `${isPoster ? 'poster' : index + 1}_thumb.${file.extension}`);
+
+        await Promise.all([
+            fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, filepath), file.photo),
+            fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, thumbpath), thumbnail),
+        ]);
+
+        return {
+            ...file,
+            thumbnail,
+            filepath,
+            thumbpath,
+        };
+    });
+}
+
 async function storePoster(release, releaseId) {
     if (!release.poster) {
         console.warn(`No poster available for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}}) "${release.title}"`);
         return;
     }
+    const [newPoster] = await filterSourceDuplicates([release.poster], 'releases', 'poster', `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 
-    console.log(`Storing poster for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
+    if (!newPoster) return;
 
-    const res = await bhttp.get(release.poster);
+    console.log(`Fetching poster for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 
-    if (res.statusCode === 200) {
-        const thumbnail = await getThumbnail(res.body);
+    const metaFile = await fetchPhoto(release.poster, null, `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
+    const [uniquePoster] = await filterHashDuplicates([metaFile], 'releases', 'poster', `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 
-        const { pathname } = new URL(release.poster);
-        const mimetype = res.headers['content-type'] || mime.getType(pathname) || 'image/jpeg';
-        const extension = mime.getExtension(mimetype);
+    if (!uniquePoster) return;
 
-        const filepath = path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `poster.${extension}`);
-        const thumbpath = path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `poster_thumb.${extension}`);
-        const hash = getHash(res.body);
+    const savedPosters = await savePhotos([uniquePoster], release, releaseId, null, true);
 
-        await Promise.all([
-            fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, filepath), res.body),
-            fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, thumbpath), thumbnail),
-        ]);
-
-        await knex('media').insert({
-            path: filepath,
-            thumbnail: thumbpath,
-            mime: mimetype,
-            hash,
-            source: release.poster,
-            domain: 'releases',
-            target_id: releaseId,
-            role: 'poster',
-        });
-
-        return;
-    }
-
-    console.warn(`Failed to store poster for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}": ${res.statusCode}`);
+    await knex('media').insert(curatePhotoEntries(savedPosters, 'releases', 'poster', releaseId));
 }
 
+
 async function storePhotos(release, releaseId) {
     if (!release.photos || release.photos.length === 0) {
-        console.warn(`No photos available for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}}) "${release.title}"`);
+        console.warn(`No photos available for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
         return;
     }
 
-    console.log(`Storing ${release.photos.length} photos for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
+    const newPhotos = await filterSourceDuplicates(release.photos, 'releases', 'photo', `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 
-    const files = await Promise.map(release.photos, async (photoUrl, index) => {
-        const { pathname } = new URL(photoUrl);
-        const mimetype = mime.getType(pathname);
+    if (newPhotos.length === 0) return;
 
-        try {
-            const res = await bhttp.get(photoUrl);
+    console.log(`Fetching ${newPhotos.length} photos for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 
-            if (res.statusCode === 200) {
-                const thumbnail = await getThumbnail(res.body);
-                const extension = mime.getExtension(mimetype);
-
-                const filepath = path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `${index + 1}.${extension}`);
-                const thumbpath = path.join('releases', release.site.network.slug, release.site.slug, releaseId.toString(), `${index + 1}_thumb.${extension}`);
-                const hash = getHash(res.body);
-
-                await Promise.all([
-                    fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, filepath), res.body),
-                    fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, thumbpath), thumbnail),
-                ]);
-
-                return {
-                    filepath,
-                    thumbpath,
-                    mimetype,
-                    hash,
-                    source: photoUrl,
-                };
-            }
-
-            throw new Error(`Response ${res.statusCode} not OK`);
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.warn(`Failed to store photo ${index + 1} for "${release.title}" (${photoUrl}, ${release.url}, ${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}): ${error}`);
-
-            return null;
-        }
-    }, {
+    const metaFiles = await Promise.map(newPhotos, async (photoUrl, index) => fetchPhoto(photoUrl, index, `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`), {
         concurrency: 10,
     });
 
-    await knex('media')
-        .insert(files.filter(file => file)
-            .map((file, index) => ({
-                path: file.filepath,
-                thumbnail: file.thumbpath,
-                mime: file.mimetype,
-                hash: file.hash,
-                source: file.source,
-                index,
-                domain: 'releases',
-                target_id: releaseId,
-                role: 'photo',
-            })));
+    const uniquePhotos = await filterHashDuplicates(metaFiles, 'releases', 'photo', `(${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
+    const savedPhotos = await savePhotos(uniquePhotos, release, releaseId);
+
+    await knex('media').insert(curatePhotoEntries(savedPhotos, 'releases', 'photo', releaseId));
+
+    console.log(`Stored ${newPhotos.length} photos for (${release.site.name}, ${releaseId}) "${release.title}"`);
 }
 
 async function storeTrailer(release, releaseId) {
@@ -185,69 +228,28 @@ async function storeAvatars(profile, actor) {
         return;
     }
 
-    console.log(`Storing ${profile.avatars.length} avatars for '${profile.name}'`);
+    const newPhotos = await filterSourceDuplicates(profile.avatars, 'actors', ['avatar', 'photo'], actor.name);
 
-    const files = await Promise.map(profile.avatars, async (avatarUrl, index) => {
-        try {
-            const { pathname } = new URL(avatarUrl);
-            const mimetype = mime.getType(pathname);
+    if (newPhotos.length === 0) return;
 
-            const res = await bhttp.get(avatarUrl);
+    console.log(`Fetching ${newPhotos.length} avatars for '${actor.name}'`);
 
-            if (res.statusCode === 200) {
-                const thumbnail = await getThumbnail(res.body);
-                const extension = mime.getExtension(mimetype);
-
-                const timestamp = new Date().getTime();
-
-                const filepath = path.join('actors', actor.slug, `${timestamp + index}.${extension}`);
-                const thumbpath = path.join('actors', actor.slug, `${timestamp + index}_thumb.${extension}`);
-                const hash = getHash(res.body);
-
-                await Promise.all([
-                    fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, filepath), res.body),
-                    fs.writeFile(path.join(config.media.path, thumbpath), thumbnail),
-                ]);
-
-                return {
-                    filepath,
-                    thumbpath,
-                    mimetype,
-                    hash,
-                    source: avatarUrl,
-                };
-            }
-
-            throw new Error(`Response ${res.statusCode} not OK`);
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.warn(`Failed to store avatar ${index + 1} for '${profile.name}': ${avatarUrl}`);
-
-            return null;
-        }
-    }, {
+    const metaFiles = await Promise.map(newPhotos, async (photoUrl, index) => fetchPhoto(photoUrl, index, actor.name), {
         concurrency: 10,
     });
 
-    const avatars = files.filter(file => file);
-
-    const existingAvatars = await knex('media')
-        .whereIn('hash', avatars.map(file => file.hash));
-
-    const newAvatars = avatars.filter(file => !existingAvatars.some(avatar => file.hash === avatar.hash));
-    const hasAvatar = existingAvatars.some(avatar => avatar.role === 'avatar');
-
-    await knex('media')
-        .insert(newAvatars.map((file, index) => ({
-            path: file.filepath,
-            thumbnail: file.thumbpath,
-            mime: file.mimetype,
-            hash: file.hash,
-            source: file.source,
-            index,
-            domain: 'actors',
+    const uniquePhotos = await filterHashDuplicates(metaFiles, 'actors', ['avatar', 'photo'], actor.name);
+    const [savedPhotos, avatarEntry] = await Promise.all([
+        savePhotos(uniquePhotos, null, null, actor.slug),
+        knex('media').where({
             target_id: actor.id,
-            role: index === 0 && !hasAvatar ? 'avatar' : 'photo',
-        })));
+            domain: 'actors',
+            role: 'avatar',
+        }).first(),
+    ]);
+
+    // if no avatar entry is present, curatePhotoEntries will store the first photo as avatar
+    await knex('media').insert(curatePhotoEntries(savedPhotos, 'actors', 'photo', actor.id, !avatarEntry));
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/src/releases.js b/src/releases.js
index be802527..e5b17fe5 100644
--- a/src/releases.js
+++ b/src/releases.js
@@ -225,13 +225,13 @@ async function storeReleaseAssets(release, releaseId) {
 
     try {
         await Promise.all([
-            associateTags(release, releaseId),
+            // associateTags(release, releaseId),
             storePhotos(release, releaseId),
             storePoster(release, releaseId),
             storeTrailer(release, releaseId),
         ]);
     } catch (error) {
-        console.log(release, error);
+        console.log(release.url, error);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/scrape-release.js b/src/scrape-release.js
index 5537358d..74747dfb 100644
--- a/src/scrape-release.js
+++ b/src/scrape-release.js
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ async function findSite(url, release) {
 async function scrapeRelease(url, release, deep = false) {
     const site = await findSite(url, release);
 
-    console.log(url, site);
-
     if (!site) {
         throw new Error('Could not find site in database');
     }
diff --git a/src/tags.js b/src/tags.js
index da8cfa4a..9f0cd0a7 100644
--- a/src/tags.js
+++ b/src/tags.js
@@ -66,14 +66,10 @@ async function associateTags(release, releaseId) {
         ? await matchTags(release.tags) // scraper returned raw tags
         : release.tags; // tags already matched by scraper
 
-    try {
-        await knex('tags_associated').insert(tags.map(tagId => ({
-            tag_id: tagId,
-            release_id: releaseId,
-        })));
-    } catch (error) {
-        console.log(release, error);
-    }
+    await knex('tags_associated').insert(tags.map(tagId => ({
+        tag_id: tagId,
+        release_id: releaseId,
+    })));
 }
 
 async function fetchTags(queryObject, groupsQueryObject, limit = 100) {