diff --git a/e2e/src/api/specs/library.e2e-spec.ts b/e2e/src/api/specs/library.e2e-spec.ts
index 2f6274d1fc..8d98e86630 100644
--- a/e2e/src/api/specs/library.e2e-spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/src/api/specs/library.e2e-spec.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ describe('/libraries', () => {
           refreshedAt: null,
           assetCount: 0,
           importPaths: [],
-          exclusionPatterns: [],
+          exclusionPatterns: expect.any(Array),
         }),
       );
     });
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ describe('/libraries', () => {
           refreshedAt: null,
           assetCount: 0,
           importPaths: [],
-          exclusionPatterns: [],
+          exclusionPatterns: expect.any(Array),
         }),
       );
     });
diff --git a/server/src/services/library.service.spec.ts b/server/src/services/library.service.spec.ts
index 2d4e1d5776..36bdfd05dc 100644
--- a/server/src/services/library.service.spec.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/library.service.spec.ts
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ describe(LibraryService.name, () => {
           expect.objectContaining({
             name: expect.any(String),
             importPaths: [],
-            exclusionPatterns: [],
+            exclusionPatterns: expect.any(Array),
           }),
         );
       });
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ describe(LibraryService.name, () => {
           expect.objectContaining({
             name: 'My Awesome Library',
             importPaths: [],
-            exclusionPatterns: [],
+            exclusionPatterns: expect.any(Array),
           }),
         );
       });
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ describe(LibraryService.name, () => {
           expect.objectContaining({
             name: expect.any(String),
             importPaths: ['/data/images', '/data/videos'],
-            exclusionPatterns: [],
+            exclusionPatterns: expect.any(Array),
           }),
         );
       });
diff --git a/server/src/services/library.service.ts b/server/src/services/library.service.ts
index 2aa0df402a..3dd81dd613 100644
--- a/server/src/services/library.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/library.service.ts
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ export class LibraryService {
       ownerId: dto.ownerId,
       name: dto.name ?? 'New External Library',
       importPaths: dto.importPaths ?? [],
-      exclusionPatterns: dto.exclusionPatterns ?? [],
+      exclusionPatterns: dto.exclusionPatterns ?? ['**/@eaDir/**', '**/._*'],
     });
     return mapLibrary(library);
   }