diff --git a/pkg/api/resolver_model_studio.go b/pkg/api/resolver_model_studio.go
index cfe7d5cc5..d701a884f 100644
--- a/pkg/api/resolver_model_studio.go
+++ b/pkg/api/resolver_model_studio.go
@@ -24,6 +24,19 @@ func (r *studioResolver) URL(ctx context.Context, obj *models.Studio) (*string,
 func (r *studioResolver) ImagePath(ctx context.Context, obj *models.Studio) (*string, error) {
 	baseURL, _ := ctx.Value(BaseURLCtxKey).(string)
 	imagePath := urlbuilders.NewStudioURLBuilder(baseURL, obj.ID).GetStudioImageURL()
+
+	qb := models.NewStudioQueryBuilder()
+	hasImage, err := qb.HasStudioImage(obj.ID)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// indicate that image is missing by setting default query param to true
+	if !hasImage {
+		imagePath = imagePath + "?default=true"
+	}
+
 	return &imagePath, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/api/routes_studio.go b/pkg/api/routes_studio.go
index d1c2b51c9..e8c72e5c1 100644
--- a/pkg/api/routes_studio.go
+++ b/pkg/api/routes_studio.go
@@ -26,10 +26,14 @@ func (rs studioRoutes) Routes() chi.Router {
 func (rs studioRoutes) Image(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	studio := r.Context().Value(studioKey).(*models.Studio)
 	qb := models.NewStudioQueryBuilder()
-	image, _ := qb.GetStudioImage(studio.ID, nil)
-
+	var image []byte
 	defaultParam := r.URL.Query().Get("default")
-	if len(image) == 0 || defaultParam == "true" {
+
+	if defaultParam != "true" {
+		image, _ = qb.GetStudioImage(studio.ID, nil)
+	}
+
+	if len(image) == 0 {
 		_, image, _ = utils.ProcessBase64Image(models.DefaultStudioImage)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/models/querybuilder_studio.go b/pkg/models/querybuilder_studio.go
index 39528811a..83bdfb67a 100644
--- a/pkg/models/querybuilder_studio.go
+++ b/pkg/models/querybuilder_studio.go
@@ -296,3 +296,12 @@ func (qb *StudioQueryBuilder) GetStudioImage(studioID int, tx *sqlx.Tx) ([]byte,
 	query := `SELECT image from studios_image WHERE studio_id = ?`
 	return getImage(tx, query, studioID)
 }
+
+func (qb *StudioQueryBuilder) HasStudioImage(studioID int) (bool, error) {
+	ret, err := runCountQuery(buildCountQuery("SELECT studio_id from studios_image WHERE studio_id = ?"), []interface{}{studioID})
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	return ret == 1, nil
+}
diff --git a/ui/v2.5/src/components/Changelog/versions/v050.md b/ui/v2.5/src/components/Changelog/versions/v050.md
index c48a121ac..a8e26e1b8 100644
--- a/ui/v2.5/src/components/Changelog/versions/v050.md
+++ b/ui/v2.5/src/components/Changelog/versions/v050.md
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ### 🎨 Improvements
+* Show scene studio as text where image is missing.
 * Use natural sort for titles and movie names.
 * Support optional preview and sprite generation during scanning.
 * Support configurable number of threads for scanning and generation.
diff --git a/ui/v2.5/src/components/Scenes/SceneCard.tsx b/ui/v2.5/src/components/Scenes/SceneCard.tsx
index 38fb18dd4..9e441f4bc 100644
--- a/ui/v2.5/src/components/Scenes/SceneCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/v2.5/src/components/Scenes/SceneCard.tsx
@@ -69,8 +69,14 @@ export const SceneCard: React.FC<ISceneCardProps> = (
   props: ISceneCardProps
 ) => {
   const config = useConfiguration();
+
+  // studio image is missing if it uses the default
+  const missingStudioImage = props.scene.studio?.image_path?.endsWith(
+    "?default=true"
+  );
   const showStudioAsText =
-    config?.data?.configuration.interface.showStudioAsText ?? false;
+    missingStudioImage ||
+    (config?.data?.configuration.interface.showStudioAsText ?? false);
 
   function maybeRenderRatingBanner() {
     if (!props.scene.rating) {