diff --git a/release/migrate_cleanup_inactive_identities.sql b/release/migrate_cleanup_inactive_identities.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e647e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/migrate_cleanup_inactive_identities.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+-- Identity Inactive Cleanup Migration
+-- Date: 2026-05-14
+-- Purpose: Mark auto-generated identities with no face_detection references as 'inactive'
+-- Run after pipeline completes to clean up orphaned auto identities
+
+BEGIN;
+
+-- Mark auto identities as inactive if they have zero face_detection references
+UPDATE identities
+SET status = 'inactive',
+    metadata = metadata || jsonb_build_object('inactivated_at', NOW()::text, 'reason', 'no_face_references')
+WHERE source = 'auto'
+  AND status != 'inactive'
+  AND id NOT IN (
+    SELECT DISTINCT identity_id FROM face_detections WHERE identity_id IS NOT NULL
+  );
+
+-- Delete identity_bindings pointing to newly inactive identities
+DELETE FROM identity_bindings
+WHERE identity_id IN (
+    SELECT id FROM identities WHERE status = 'inactive'
+);
+
+-- Log
+DO $$
+DECLARE
+    marked INT;
+BEGIN
+    SELECT COUNT(*) INTO marked FROM identities WHERE status = 'inactive' AND metadata->>'reason' = 'no_face_references';
+    RAISE NOTICE 'Marked % auto identities as inactive (no face references)', marked;
+END $$;
+
+COMMIT;
diff --git a/src/bin/release.rs b/src/bin/release.rs
index d3edc4a..874a457 100644
--- a/src/bin/release.rs
+++ b/src/bin/release.rs
@@ -406,12 +406,12 @@ async fn cmd_package(db: &PostgresDb, uuid: &str) -> Result<()> {
 
     // Export identities with file_uuid (direct column, no JOIN needed)
     // FILE LOCAL: file_uuid = '{uuid}'
-    // GLOBAL (cross-file): tmdb identities + user-defined (exclude inactive auto)
+    // GLOBAL (cross-file): tmdb identities + user-defined (exclude inactive auto + status='inactive')
     let idents_name = "dev_identities";
     let idents_path = sql_dir.join(format!("{}.sql", idents_name));
     {
         let idents_query = format!(
-            "COPY (SELECT * FROM dev.identities WHERE file_uuid = '{}' OR (file_uuid IS NULL AND source IN ('tmdb', 'merged', 'user_defined'))) TO STDOUT WITH CSV HEADER", uuid
+            "COPY (SELECT * FROM dev.identities WHERE (file_uuid = '{}' OR (file_uuid IS NULL AND source IN ('tmdb', 'merged', 'user_defined'))) AND status IS DISTINCT FROM 'inactive') TO STDOUT WITH CSV HEADER", uuid
         );
         let cols = psql_exec(&format!(
             "SELECT string_agg(column_name, ', ' ORDER BY ordinal_position) FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_schema='dev' AND table_name='identities' AND is_updatable='YES'"