diff --git a/internal/media/ffmpeg.go b/internal/media/ffmpeg.go
index 41727b3d9..ad76e5198 100644
--- a/internal/media/ffmpeg.go
+++ b/internal/media/ffmpeg.go
@@ -37,27 +37,25 @@ import (
 )
 
 // ffmpegClearMetadata generates a copy (in-place) of input media with all metadata cleared.
-func ffmpegClearMetadata(ctx context.Context, filepath string, ext string) error {
+func ffmpegClearMetadata(ctx context.Context, filepath string) error {
+	var outpath string
+
 	// Get directory from filepath.
 	dirpath := path.Dir(filepath)
 
-	// Update filepath to add extension.
-	filepathExt := filepath + "." + ext
-
-	// First we need to rename filepath to have extension.
-	if err := os.Rename(filepath, filepathExt); err != nil {
-		return gtserror.Newf("error renaming to %s - >%s: %w", filepath, filepathExt, err)
+	// Generate cleaned output path MAINTAINING extension.
+	if i := strings.IndexByte(filepath, '.'); i != -1 {
+		outpath = filepath[:i] + "_cleaned" + filepath[i:]
+	} else {
+		return gtserror.New("input file missing extension")
 	}
 
-	// Generate cleaned output path with ext.
-	outpath := filepath + "_cleaned." + ext
-
 	// Clear metadata with ffmpeg.
 	if err := ffmpeg(ctx, dirpath,
 		"-loglevel", "error",
 
 		// Input file path.
-		"-i", filepathExt,
+		"-i", filepath,
 
 		// Drop all metadata.
 		"-map_metadata", "-1",
@@ -85,13 +83,18 @@ func ffmpegClearMetadata(ctx context.Context, filepath string, ext string) error
 
 // ffmpegGenerateThumb generates a thumbnail webp from input media of any type, useful for any media.
 func ffmpegGenerateThumb(ctx context.Context, filepath string, width, height int) (string, error) {
+	var outpath string
+
+	// Generate thumb output path REPLACING extension.
+	if i := strings.IndexByte(filepath, '.'); i != -1 {
+		outpath = filepath[:i] + "_thumb.webp"
+	} else {
+		return "", gtserror.New("input file missing extension")
+	}
 
 	// Get directory from filepath.
 	dirpath := path.Dir(filepath)
 
-	// Generate output frame file path.
-	outpath := filepath + "_thumb.webp"
-
 	// Thumbnail size scaling argument.
 	scale := strconv.Itoa(width) + ":" +
 		strconv.Itoa(height)
@@ -141,12 +144,18 @@ func ffmpegGenerateThumb(ctx context.Context, filepath string, width, height int
 
 // ffmpegGenerateStatic generates a static png from input image of any type, useful for emoji.
 func ffmpegGenerateStatic(ctx context.Context, filepath string) (string, error) {
+	var outpath string
+
+	// Generate thumb output path REPLACING extension.
+	if i := strings.IndexByte(filepath, '.'); i != -1 {
+		outpath = filepath[:i] + "_static.png"
+	} else {
+		return "", gtserror.New("input file missing extension")
+	}
+
 	// Get directory from filepath.
 	dirpath := path.Dir(filepath)
 
-	// Generate output static file path.
-	outpath := filepath + "_static.png"
-
 	// Generate static with ffmpeg.
 	if err := ffmpeg(ctx, dirpath,
 		"-loglevel", "error",
diff --git a/internal/media/processingemoji.go b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
index b4e96a946..696b78ed3 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingemoji.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingemoji.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package media
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 
 	errorsv2 "codeberg.org/gruf/go-errors/v2"
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-runners"
@@ -169,6 +170,18 @@ func (p *ProcessingEmoji) store(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return gtserror.Newf("unsupported emoji filetype: %s (%s)", fileType, ext)
 	}
 
+	// Add file extension to path.
+	newpath := temppath + "." + ext
+
+	// Before ffmpeg processing, rename to set file ext.
+	if err := os.Rename(temppath, newpath); err != nil {
+		return gtserror.Newf("error renaming to %s - >%s: %w", temppath, newpath, err)
+	}
+
+	// Update path var
+	// AFTER successful.
+	temppath = newpath
+
 	// Generate a static image from input emoji path.
 	staticpath, err = ffmpegGenerateStatic(ctx, temppath)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/media/processingmedia.go b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
index a5c60900b..32c0531bc 100644
--- a/internal/media/processingmedia.go
+++ b/internal/media/processingmedia.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package media
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 
 	errorsv2 "codeberg.org/gruf/go-errors/v2"
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-runners"
@@ -185,15 +186,24 @@ func (p *ProcessingMedia) store(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	// Set media type from ffprobe format data.
 	p.media.Type, ext = result.GetFileType()
-	switch p.media.Type {
 
+	// Add file extension to path.
+	newpath := temppath + "." + ext
+
+	// Before ffmpeg processing, rename to set file ext.
+	if err := os.Rename(temppath, newpath); err != nil {
+		return gtserror.Newf("error renaming to %s - >%s: %w", temppath, newpath, err)
+	}
+
+	// Update path var
+	// AFTER successful.
+	temppath = newpath
+
+	switch p.media.Type {
 	case gtsmodel.FileTypeImage,
 		gtsmodel.FileTypeVideo:
-		// Pass file through ffmpeg clearing
-		// any excess metadata (e.g. EXIF).
-		if err := ffmpegClearMetadata(ctx,
-			temppath, ext,
-		); err != nil {
+		// Pass file through ffmpeg clearing metadata (e.g. EXIF).
+		if err := ffmpegClearMetadata(ctx, temppath); err != nil {
 			return gtserror.Newf("error cleaning metadata: %w", err)
 		}