diff --git a/website/photos/admin.py b/website/photos/admin.py
index 213511d91..58befe00a 100644
--- a/website/photos/admin.py
+++ b/website/photos/admin.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django.contrib import admin, messages
+from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.models import Count
 from django.dispatch import Signal
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
@@ -56,7 +57,10 @@ def save_model(self, request, obj, form, change):
         archive = form.cleaned_data.get("album_archive", None)
         if archive is not None:
             try:
-                extract_archive(request, obj, archive)
+                with transaction.atomic():
+                    # We make the upload atomic separately, so we can keep using the db if it fails.
+                    # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/topics/db/transactions/#handling-exceptions-within-postgresql-transactions.
+                    extract_archive(request, obj, archive)
                 album_uploaded.send(sender=None, album=obj)
             except Exception:
                 raise
diff --git a/website/photos/services.py b/website/photos/services.py
index 2f5253bef..c2809aa59 100644
--- a/website/photos/services.py
+++ b/website/photos/services.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 from django.http import Http404
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 
+from PIL import UnidentifiedImageError
+
 from photos.models import Photo
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ def _try_save_photo(request, album, file, filename):
     instance.file = File(file, filename)
     try:
         instance.full_clean()
+        instance.save()
     except ValidationError as e:
         errors = e.message_dict
         if "This photo already exists in this album." in errors.get("file", []):
@@ -117,6 +120,9 @@ def _try_save_photo(request, album, file, filename):
                 messages.WARNING,
                 f"{filename} cannot be opened.",
             )
-        return
-
-    instance.save()
+    except UnidentifiedImageError:
+        messages.add_message(
+            request,
+            messages.WARNING,
+            f"{filename} cannot be opened.",
+        )