diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/MediaController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/MediaController.php
index 14418e2..75355db 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/MediaController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/MediaController.php
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@
 use App\Models\Category;
 use App\Models\SubCategory;
 use App\Models\Tag;
+use App\Traits\HandlesImageUpload;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 
 class MediaController extends Controller
 {
+    use HandlesImageUpload;
+
     // CREATE media
     public function store(Request $request)
     {
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ public function store(Request $request)
             'subcategory_ids' => 'nullable|array',
             'subcategory_ids.*' => 'integer|exists:sub_categories,id',
             'image_id' => 'nullable|exists:images,id',
+            'image' => 'nullable|image|max:8192',
             'duration' => 'nullable|integer',
             'is_premium' => 'nullable|boolean',
             'file' => 'nullable|mimes:mp3,wav,mp4,mov|max:512000',
@@ -40,6 +44,9 @@ public function store(Request $request)
             $path = $request->file('file')->store('media', 'public');
         }
 
+        // An uploaded image file takes precedence over a provided image_id.
+        $imageId = $this->uploadedImageId($request) ?? ($data['image_id'] ?? null);
+
         $media = Media::create([
             'user_id' => auth()->id(),
             'title' => $data['title'],
@@ -47,7 +54,7 @@ public function store(Request $request)
             'type' => $data['type'],
             'file_path' => $path,
             'external_url' => $data['external_url'] ?? null,
-            'image_id' => $data['image_id'] ?? null,
+            'image_id' => $imageId,
             'duration' => $data['duration'] ?? null,
             'visibility' => $data['visibility'] ?? 'public',
             'is_premium'=> $data['is_premium'] ?? false
@@ -469,6 +476,7 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
         'subcategory_ids.*' => 'integer|exists:sub_categories,id',
         'is_premium' => 'nullable|boolean',
         'image_id' => 'nullable|exists:images,id',
+        'image' => 'nullable|image|max:8192',
         'duration' => 'nullable|integer',
         'file' => 'nullable|mimes:mp3,wav,mp4,mov|max:512000',
         'external_url' => 'nullable|string',
@@ -495,10 +503,13 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
         'file_path' => $data['file_path'] ?? $media->file_path,
     ];
 
-    // --- Handle image_id specifically ---
-    // If image_id is provided in request, use it (even if null to remove association)
-    // If not provided, keep the existing value
-    if (array_key_exists('image_id', $data)) {
+    // --- Handle image ---
+    // An uploaded image file wins; otherwise an explicit image_id (even null to
+    // clear) is honored; otherwise the existing value is kept.
+    $uploadedImageId = $this->uploadedImageId($request);
+    if ($uploadedImageId !== null) {
+        $updateData['image_id'] = $uploadedImageId;
+    } elseif (array_key_exists('image_id', $data)) {
         $updateData['image_id'] = $data['image_id'];
     } else {
         $updateData['image_id'] = $media->image_id;
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/MusicController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/MusicController.php
index bc1fe3b..e834eb0 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/MusicController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/MusicController.php
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use App\Models\MusicPlaylist;
 use App\Models\Music;
+use App\Traits\HandlesImageUpload;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 
 class MusicController extends Controller
 {
+    use HandlesImageUpload;
 
     // Add this new method to your MusicController
     public function getAllMusic()
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ public function store(Request $request)
                 'file' => 'required|mimes:mp3,wav,ogg,flac|max:20971520',
                 'type' => 'nullable|in:public,private',
                 'image_id' => 'nullable|exists:images,id',
+                'image' => 'nullable|image|max:8192',
                 'playlist_id' => 'nullable|exists:music_playlists,id', // single (backward compatible)
                 'playlist_ids' => 'nullable|array',                    // multiple
                 'playlist_ids.*' => 'integer|exists:music_playlists,id',
@@ -165,13 +168,16 @@ public function store(Request $request)
                 ], 500);
             }
 
+            // An uploaded image file takes precedence over a provided image_id.
+            $imageId = $this->uploadedImageId($request) ?? ($data['image_id'] ?? null);
+
             $music = Music::create([
                 'user_id' => auth()->id(),
                 'title' => $data['title'],
                 'artist' => $data['artist'] ?? null,
                 'file_path' => $path,
                 'type' => $data['type'] ?? 'private',
-                'image_id' => $data['image_id'] ?? null,
+                'image_id' => $imageId,
                 'duration' => $data['duration'] ?? null, // Store as string
                 'is_active' => true,
             ]);
@@ -234,6 +240,7 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
                 'type' => 'nullable|in:public,private',
                 'file' => 'nullable|mimes:mp3,wav,ogg,flac|max:20971520',
                 'image_id' => 'nullable|exists:images,id',
+                'image' => 'nullable|image|max:8192',
                 'duration' => 'nullable|integer|min:1',
                 'is_active' => 'nullable|boolean',
             ]);
@@ -245,8 +252,15 @@ public function update(Request $request, $id)
                 $music->file_path = $path;
             }
 
-            // Update only provided fields
-            $music->fill($data);
+            // Update only provided fields (drop the raw file input from mass-assign).
+            $music->fill(collect($data)->except('image')->toArray());
+
+            // An uploaded image file takes precedence over a provided image_id.
+            $uploadedImageId = $this->uploadedImageId($request);
+            if ($uploadedImageId !== null) {
+                $music->image_id = $uploadedImageId;
+            }
+
             $music->save();
 
             return response()->json([
diff --git a/app/Traits/HandlesImageUpload.php b/app/Traits/HandlesImageUpload.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0dfd570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Traits/HandlesImageUpload.php
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Traits;
+
+use App\Models\Image;
+use Illuminate\Http\Request;
+
+trait HandlesImageUpload
+{
+    /**
+     * If the request carries an uploaded image file, store it, create an Image
+     * record for it, and return that record's id. Returns null when no file is
+     * present so callers can fall back to a provided image_id.
+     */
+    protected function uploadedImageId(Request $request, string $field = 'image'): ?int
+    {
+        if (!$request->hasFile($field)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $path = $request->file($field)->store('images', 'public');
+
+        return Image::create([
+            'user_id' => auth()->id(),
+            'path' => $path,
+            'type' => 'public',
+        ])->id;
+    }
+}