diff --git a/src/app/(app)/memories/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/memories/page.tsx
index 4a4675f..03ba0f9 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/memories/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/memories/page.tsx
@@ -563,9 +563,9 @@ function MemoryTile({ memory, folder, onClick }: { memory: Memory; folder: Folde
           <span className="text-white text-lg drop-shadow">⤢</span>
         </div>
         {memory.processingStatus === "processing" && (
-          <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-black/40 flex items-center justify-center rounded-xl">
-            <span className="text-white text-[9px] bg-black/50 px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full">Processing…</span>
-          </div>
+          <span className="absolute top-1 left-1 text-[8px] bg-black/60 text-white px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full leading-tight">
+            ⏳
+          </span>
         )}
         {memory.isPrivate && <span className="absolute top-1 right-1 text-[9px]">🔒</span>}
       </button>
diff --git a/src/app/api/img/route.ts b/src/app/api/img/route.ts
index 6999d01..32b2986 100644
--- a/src/app/api/img/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/img/route.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { S3Client, GetObjectCommand } from "@aws-sdk/client-s3";
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
 
-const ALLOWED_PREFIXES = ["avatars/", "profiles/", "memories/", "thumbnails/"];
+const ALLOWED_PREFIXES = ["avatars/", "profiles/", "memories/", "thumbnails/", "families/"];
 
 export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
   const key = req.nextUrl.searchParams.get("key");
diff --git a/src/app/api/memories/[id]/confirm/route.ts b/src/app/api/memories/[id]/confirm/route.ts
index 2262b04..3989c25 100644
--- a/src/app/api/memories/[id]/confirm/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/memories/[id]/confirm/route.ts
@@ -84,10 +84,12 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest, { params }: { params: Promise<{ id:
     }
   }
 
-  // Mark as processing and start the media pipeline
+  // Mark as processing and start the media pipeline.
+  // thumbnail failure is non-fatal — always proceed to vision, which marks 'ready'.
   await sql`UPDATE memories SET processing_status = 'processing', updated_at = now() WHERE id = ${id}`;
 
   generateThumbnail(id)
+    .catch(e => console.error(`[thumbnail] id=${id}`, e))   // swallow so vision always runs
     .then(() => processMemoryVision(id))
     .catch(e => console.error(`[memory pipeline] id=${id}`, e));
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ai/vision.ts b/src/lib/ai/vision.ts
index b36547e..4576015 100644
--- a/src/lib/ai/vision.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ai/vision.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ export async function processMemoryVision(memoryId: string): Promise<void> {
     `;
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(`[vision] Failed for memory ${memoryId}:`, e);
-    await sql`UPDATE memories SET processing_status = 'failed', updated_at = now() WHERE id = ${memoryId}`;
+    // Vision is optional — mark as ready so the image is still visible.
+    // Only the confirm step (HeadObject failure) should mark as 'failed'.
+    await sql`UPDATE memories SET processing_status = 'ready', updated_at = now() WHERE id = ${memoryId}`;
     await logAudit({
       action: "vision_processing_failed",
       metadata: { memoryId, error: String(e) },