diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/tag/TagService.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/tag/TagService.java
index 23bb2cb5..e6a5dfa8 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/tag/TagService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/tag/TagService.java
@@ -220,6 +220,11 @@ public class TagService {
                 if (ancestor != null && ancestor.getParentId() == null) return ancestor;
             }
         }
+        // No null-parent ancestor surfaced — the parent is orphaned or the chain is deeper than the
+        // findAncestorIds CTE's depth guard. Fall back to the tag as its own root, but surface it:
+        // a silently mislabeled root would otherwise be invisible. UUIDs only (no tag names logged).
+        log.warn("Tag {} has parent {} but no root surfaced from its ancestry; "
+                + "treating it as its own root.", tag.getId(), tag.getParentId());
         return tag;
     }