diff --git a/src/indexer.rs b/src/indexer.rs
index 2cdcca4..b0ee7a8 100644
--- a/src/indexer.rs
+++ b/src/indexer.rs
@@ -65,9 +65,10 @@ async fn process_file(
 
     // Upsert artist (use album_artist if available, fall back to artist)
     let artist_name = meta.album_artist.as_deref().or(meta.artist.as_deref());
+    let artist_mbid = meta.musicbrainz_artist_id.as_deref();
     let artist_id = match artist_name {
         Some(name) if !name.is_empty() => {
-            Some(queries::artists::upsert(conn, name, None).await?.id)
+            Some(queries::artists::upsert(conn, name, artist_mbid).await?.id)
         }
         _ => None,
     };
diff --git a/src/metadata.rs b/src/metadata.rs
index 6feb438..07c0cee 100644
--- a/src/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/metadata.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pub struct MusicMetadata {
     pub codec: Option<String>,
     pub bitrate: Option<i32>,
     pub musicbrainz_recording_id: Option<String>,
+    pub musicbrainz_artist_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Map lofty FileType to a human-readable codec string.
@@ -79,6 +80,10 @@ pub fn extract_metadata(path: &Path) -> IndexResult<MusicMetadata> {
         meta.musicbrainz_recording_id = tag
             .get_string(&lofty::tag::ItemKey::MusicBrainzRecordingId)
             .map(|s| s.to_string());
+
+        meta.musicbrainz_artist_id = tag
+            .get_string(&lofty::tag::ItemKey::MusicBrainzArtistId)
+            .map(|s| s.to_string());
     }
 
     Ok(meta)