diff --git a/assets/diary/diary-day.html b/assets/diary/diary-day.html
index 7c069c6..42a5bd6 100644
--- a/assets/diary/diary-day.html
+++ b/assets/diary/diary-day.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {{if .Photos}}
 <div class="photo-grid">
   {{range .Photos}}
-  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="{{.Name}}" loading="lazy"></a>
+  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="" loading="lazy"></a>
   {{end}}
 </div>
 {{end}}
diff --git a/assets/diary/diary-month.html b/assets/diary/diary-month.html
index 74f5475..bc3ef0e 100644
--- a/assets/diary/diary-month.html
+++ b/assets/diary/diary-month.html
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 {{if .Photos}}
 <div class="photo-grid">
   {{range .Photos}}
-  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="{{.Name}}" loading="lazy"></a>
+  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="" loading="lazy"></a>
   {{end}}
 </div>
 {{end}}
diff --git a/assets/diary/diary-year.html b/assets/diary/diary-year.html
index f7b609b..6ea8ab5 100644
--- a/assets/diary/diary-year.html
+++ b/assets/diary/diary-year.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<h2 id="months">Months</h2>
+<h2 id="months">Monate</h2>
 {{range .Months}}
 <h3 id="{{.ID}}">
   <a href="{{.URL}}">{{.Name}}</a>
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 {{if .Photos}}
 <div class="photo-grid">
   {{range .Photos}}
-  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="{{.Name}}" loading="lazy"></a>
+  <a href="{{.URL}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{.ThumbURL}}" alt="" loading="lazy"></a>
   {{end}}
 </div>
 {{end}}
diff --git a/assets/icons/thumb-placeholder.svg b/assets/icons/thumb-placeholder.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7364d89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/icons/thumb-placeholder.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16"
+     fill="none" stroke="#cfcfcf" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="miter" shape-rendering="crispEdges">
+  <rect x="1" y="2" width="14" height="12"/>
+  <path d="M1 11l4-4 3 3 2-2 5 5"/>
+  <rect x="10" y="4" width="2" height="2" fill="#cfcfcf" stroke="none"/>
+</svg>
diff --git a/assets/style.css b/assets/style.css
index 462c8cf..65f5530 100644
--- a/assets/style.css
+++ b/assets/style.css
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ textarea {
     height: 140px;
     object-fit: cover;
     display: block;
+    background: var(--bg-panel) url("/_/icons/thumb-placeholder.svg") center/2rem no-repeat;
 }
 
 /* === Empty state === */
diff --git a/diary.go b/diary.go
index 85f348a..7c69cf2 100644
--- a/diary.go
+++ b/diary.go
@@ -401,20 +401,36 @@ func renderDiaryYear(fsPath, urlPath string) template.HTML {
 
 	photos := yearPhotos(fsPath, urlPath)
 
-	entries, err := os.ReadDir(fsPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return ""
-	}
-
-	var months []diaryMonthSummary
+	// Collect month numbers from both subdirectories and photo filenames so
+	// years that contain only photos (no diary entries) still list months.
+	monthSet := map[int]bool{}
+	monthDirs := map[int]string{}
+	entries, _ := os.ReadDir(fsPath)
 	for _, e := range entries {
 		if !e.IsDir() {
 			continue
 		}
-		monthNum, err := strconv.Atoi(e.Name())
-		if err != nil || monthNum < 1 || monthNum > 12 {
+		n, err := strconv.Atoi(e.Name())
+		if err != nil || n < 1 || n > 12 {
 			continue
 		}
+		monthSet[n] = true
+		monthDirs[n] = e.Name()
+	}
+	for _, p := range photos {
+		if p.Date.Year() == year {
+			monthSet[int(p.Date.Month())] = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	monthNums := make([]int, 0, len(monthSet))
+	for m := range monthSet {
+		monthNums = append(monthNums, m)
+	}
+	sort.Ints(monthNums)
+
+	var months []diaryMonthSummary
+	for _, monthNum := range monthNums {
 		var monthPhotos []diaryPhoto
 		for _, p := range photos {
 			if p.Date.Year() == year && int(p.Date.Month()) == monthNum {
@@ -422,10 +438,14 @@ func renderDiaryYear(fsPath, urlPath string) template.HTML {
 			}
 		}
 		monthDate := time.Date(year, time.Month(monthNum), 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+		dirName, ok := monthDirs[monthNum]
+		if !ok {
+			dirName = fmt.Sprintf("%02d", monthNum)
+		}
 		months = append(months, diaryMonthSummary{
 			ID:     monthDate.Format("2006-01"),
 			Name:   fmt.Sprintf("%s %d", germanMonths[monthDate.Month()], year),
-			URL:    path.Join(urlPath, e.Name()) + "/",
+			URL:    path.Join(urlPath, dirName) + "/",
 			Photos: monthPhotos,
 		})
 	}