diff --git a/src/lyric_search.cpp b/src/lyric_search.cpp
index dbe6942f..88620d64 100644
--- a/src/lyric_search.cpp
+++ b/src/lyric_search.cpp
@@ -190,13 +190,17 @@ void LyricAutosearchManager::on_playback_new_track(metadb_handle_ptr track)
 
     const bool search_postponed_for_dynamic_info = track_is_remote(
         track); // If this is an internet radio then don't search until we get dynamic track info
-    const bool should_search = track_changed && !search_postponed_for_dynamic_info;
+    const bool search_skipped_for_missing_local_file = !search_postponed_for_dynamic_info && !track_exists_on_filesystem(
+        track); // Skip search for missing local files as it can create lyric files and directories for missing paths
+    const bool should_search = track_changed && !search_postponed_for_dynamic_info && !search_skipped_for_missing_local_file;
     if(!should_search)
     {
-        LOG_INFO("Skipping new-playback search. %s, %s",
+        LOG_INFO("Skipping new-playback search. %s, %s, %s",
                  track_changed ? "The track has changed" : "The track didn't change",
                  search_postponed_for_dynamic_info ? "the search is being postponed waiting for dynamic info"
-                                                   : "we're not waiting for dynamic track info");
+                                                   : "we're not waiting for dynamic track info",
+                 search_skipped_for_missing_local_file ? "the search is being skipped due to a missing local file"
+                                                       : "the search is not being skipped due to a missing local file");
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index af8b0173..5bf9f7c4 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ namespace
         out += "\nChangelog:\n";
         // out += "Version " OPENLYRICS_VERSION " (" __DATE__ "):\n"
         // "\n";
+        out += "Version " OPENLYRICS_VERSION " (" __DATE__ "):\n"
+               "- Fix auto-search triggering for missing local files\n"
+               "\n";
         out += "Version 1.13 (2026-01-17):\n"
                "- Enable searching local sources with no visible panels by default\n"
                "- Add some clarifying help to the 'Exclude trailing brackets' search option\n"
diff --git a/src/tag_util.cpp b/src/tag_util.cpp
index 34d0af39..6bac04d4 100644
--- a/src/tag_util.cpp
+++ b/src/tag_util.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,19 @@ bool track_is_remote(metadb_handle_ptr track)
 #endif
 }
 
+bool track_exists_on_filesystem(metadb_handle_ptr track)
+{
+    try
+    {
+        const char* path = track->get_path();
+        return filesystem::g_exists(path, fb2k::noAbort);
+    }
+    catch(const std::exception&)
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
 bool starts_with_ignore_case(std::string_view input, std::string_view prefix)
 {
     if(input.length() < prefix.length())
diff --git a/src/tag_util.h b/src/tag_util.h
index fdb79f73..9637fe32 100644
--- a/src/tag_util.h
+++ b/src/tag_util.h
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ bool tag_values_match(std::string_view tagA, std::string_view tagB);
 std::optional<int> track_duration_in_seconds(const metadb_v2_rec_t& track);
 
 bool track_is_remote(metadb_handle_ptr track);
+bool track_exists_on_filesystem(metadb_handle_ptr track);