diff --git a/svc/routes/product_images.go b/svc/routes/product_images.go
index a45b8dd..1348ec0 100644
--- a/svc/routes/product_images.go
+++ b/svc/routes/product_images.go
@@ -150,9 +150,16 @@ WHERE b.typ = 'img'
   AND (
         -- exact code match (spaces ignored)
         UPPER(REPLACE(COALESCE(i.code,''), ' ', '')) = UPPER(REPLACE(COALESCE($1,''), ' ', ''))
-        -- or exact core-code match after last '-' (e.g. S901-DMY18252 -> DMY18252)
-        OR UPPER(REPLACE(REGEXP_REPLACE(COALESCE(i.code,''), '^.*-', ''), ' ', '')) =
-           UPPER(REPLACE(REGEXP_REPLACE(COALESCE($1,''), '^.*-', ''), ' ', ''))
+        -- core-code fallback only when there is no exact item code for the input
+        OR (
+          NOT EXISTS (
+            SELECT 1
+            FROM mmitem ix
+            WHERE UPPER(REPLACE(COALESCE(ix.code,''), ' ', '')) = UPPER(REPLACE(COALESCE($1,''), ' ', ''))
+          )
+          AND UPPER(REPLACE(REGEXP_REPLACE(COALESCE(i.code,''), '^.*-', ''), ' ', '')) =
+              UPPER(REPLACE(REGEXP_REPLACE(COALESCE($1,''), '^.*-', ''), ' ', ''))
+        )
       )
 ORDER BY
   COALESCE(b.sort_order,999999),