diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v0/product_images_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v0/product_images_controller.rb
index f2263e6ba2b..7ce6c8e78ea 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v0/product_images_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v0/product_images_controller.rb
@@ -9,14 +9,17 @@ def update_product_image
         product = Spree::Product.find(params[:product_id])
         authorize! :update, product
 
-        image = product.image || Spree::Image.new(
+        previous_image = product.image
+        image = Spree::Image.new(
           viewable_id: product.id,
           viewable_type: 'Spree::Product'
         )
+        image.attachment.attach(params[:file])
 
-        success_status = image.persisted? ? :ok : :created
+        success_status = previous_image.present? ? :ok : :created
 
-        if image.update(attachment: params[:file])
+        if image.save
+          previous_image&.destroy!
           render json: image, serializer: ImageSerializer, status: success_status
         else
           error_json = { errors: image.errors.full_messages }
diff --git a/app/controllers/spree/admin/images_controller.rb b/app/controllers/spree/admin/images_controller.rb
index 193b0135625..b6ebffb7536 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spree/admin/images_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spree/admin/images_controller.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+# rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
 module Spree
   module Admin
     class ImagesController < ::Admin::ResourceController
@@ -43,15 +44,20 @@ def create
             format.turbo_stream { render :update }
           end
         else
-          respond_with_error(@object.errors)
+          respond_with_error((@error_target || @object).errors)
         end
       end
 
       def update
         @url_filters = ::ProductFilters.new.extract(request.query_parameters)
-        set_viewable
-
-        if @object.update(permitted_resource_params)
+        update_successful = if permitted_resource_params[:attachment].present?
+                              replace_image_without_destroy
+                            else
+                              set_viewable
+                              @object.update(permitted_resource_params)
+                            end
+
+        if update_successful
           flash[:success] = flash_message_for(@object, :successfully_updated)
 
           respond_to do |format|
@@ -114,10 +120,33 @@ def permitted_resource_params
       def respond_with_error(errors)
         @errors = errors.map(&:full_message)
         respond_to do |format|
-          format.html { respond_with(@object) }
-          format.turbo_stream { render :edit }
+          format.html {
+            render action_name == 'create' ? :new : :edit, status: :unprocessable_entity
+          }
+          format.turbo_stream { render :edit, status: :unprocessable_entity }
+        end
+      end
+
+      def replace_image_without_destroy
+        previous_image = @object
+        replacement_image = Spree::Image.new(viewable: previous_image.viewable)
+
+        replacement_image.alt = previous_image.alt
+        replacement_image.position = previous_image.position
+        replacement_image.attributes = permitted_resource_params.except(:attachment, :viewable_id)
+        replacement_image.viewable_type = 'Spree::Product'
+        replacement_image.viewable_id = params[:image][:viewable_id]
+        replacement_image.attachment.attach(permitted_resource_params[:attachment])
+
+        unless replacement_image.save
+          @error_target = replacement_image
+          return false
         end
+
+        previous_image.destroy!
+        @object = @image = replacement_image
       end
     end
   end
 end
+# rubocop:enable Metrics/ClassLength
diff --git a/app/models/spree/image.rb b/app/models/spree/image.rb
index 431b1679b03..ce80aaf00e4 100644
--- a/app/models/spree/image.rb
+++ b/app/models/spree/image.rb
@@ -4,13 +4,18 @@ module Spree
   class Image < Asset
     ACCEPTED_CONTENT_TYPES = %r{\Aimage/(png|jpeg|gif|jpg|svg\+xml|webp)\Z}
 
-    has_one_attached :attachment, service: image_service do |attachment|
+    acts_as_paranoid
+
+    has_one_attached :attachment, service: image_service, dependent: false do |attachment|
       attachment.variant :mini, resize_to_fill: [48, 48]
       attachment.variant :small, resize_to_fill: [227, 227]
       attachment.variant :product, resize_to_limit: [240, 240]
       attachment.variant :large, resize_to_limit: [600, 600]
     end
 
+    attachment_reflection = _reflections["attachment_attachment"]
+    attachment_reflection.options[:dependent] = nil
+
     validates :attachment,
               attached: true,
               processable_file: true,
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.html.haml b/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.html.haml
index 40ff067b0a3..9d27bae6428 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.html.haml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 = render partial: 'spree/admin/shared/product_sub_menu'
 = render partial: 'spree/admin/shared/product_tabs', locals: { current: 'Images' }
-= render partial: 'spree/shared/error_messages', locals: { target: @image }
+= render partial: 'spree/shared/error_messages', locals: { target: @error_target || @image }
 
 - content_for :page_actions do
   %li= button_link_to t('spree.back_to_images_list'), admin_product_images_url(@product, @url_filters), icon: 'icon-arrow-left'
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.turbo_stream.haml b/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.turbo_stream.haml
index b3ca87329b2..e73b9be32b6 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.turbo_stream.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/images/edit.turbo_stream.haml
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 = turbo_stream.update "edit_image_modal" do
   = render ModalComponent.new id: "#modal_edit_product_image", instant: true, close_button: false, modal_class: :fit do
     %h2= t(".title")
+    - error_target = @error_target || @image
 
     -# Display image in the same way it appears in the shopfront popup
-    - if defined?(@errors) && !@errors.empty?
-      - @errors.each do |error|
+    - if error_target&.errors&.any?
+      - error_target.errors.full_messages.each do |error|
         %p
           = error
     - else
diff --git a/app/views/spree/admin/images/index.html.haml b/app/views/spree/admin/images/index.html.haml
index c7955c0255d..eb440c4f9e6 100644
--- a/app/views/spree/admin/images/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/spree/admin/images/index.html.haml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 = render partial: 'spree/admin/shared/product_sub_menu'
 = render partial: 'spree/admin/shared/product_tabs', locals: { current: 'Images'}
 
-- content_for :page_actions do
-  %li= link_to_with_icon('icon-plus', t('spree.new_image'), new_admin_product_image_url(@product, @url_filters), id: 'new_image_link', class: 'button')
-
 #images
 
 - unless @product.image.present?
diff --git a/db/migrate/20260602222924_ensure_single_product_image.rb b/db/migrate/20260602222924_ensure_single_product_image.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..74dbc266930
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20260602222924_ensure_single_product_image.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class EnsureSingleProductImage < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.1]
+  class SpreeImage < ActiveRecord::Base
+    self.table_name = "spree_assets"
+    self.inheritance_column = :_type_disabled
+  end
+
+  def up
+    product_ids = SpreeImage
+      .where(viewable_type: "Spree::Product")
+      .group(:viewable_id)
+      .having("COUNT(*) > 1")
+      .pluck(:viewable_id)
+
+    product_ids.each do |product_id|
+      images = SpreeImage
+        .where(
+          viewable_type: "Spree::Product",
+          viewable_id: product_id
+        )
+        .order(:id)
+
+      image_to_keep = images.first
+
+      images.where.not(id: image_to_keep.id).update_all(deleted_at: Time.current)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def down
+    raise ActiveRecord::IrreversibleMigration
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20260611223814_add_deleted_at_to_assets.rb b/db/migrate/20260611223814_add_deleted_at_to_assets.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0e0657d0180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20260611223814_add_deleted_at_to_assets.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+class AddDeletedAtToAssets < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.1]
+  def change
+    add_column :spree_assets, :deleted_at, :datetime
+    add_index :spree_assets, :deleted_at
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index e9600d14a4d..8be13a2e880 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema[7.1].define(version: 2026_06_01_031443) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema[7.1].define(version: 2026_06_11_223814) do
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "pg_stat_statements"
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
@@ -500,6 +500,8 @@
     t.string "viewable_type", limit: 50
     t.string "type", limit: 75
     t.text "alt"
+    t.datetime "deleted_at"
+    t.index ["deleted_at"], name: "index_spree_assets_on_deleted_at"
     t.index ["viewable_id"], name: "index_assets_on_viewable_id"
     t.index ["viewable_type", "type"], name: "index_assets_on_viewable_type_and_type"
   end
diff --git a/spec/migrations/ensure_single_product_image_spec.rb b/spec/migrations/ensure_single_product_image_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..caf11aa670b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/migrations/ensure_single_product_image_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative '../../db/migrate/20260602222924_ensure_single_product_image'
+
+RSpec.describe EnsureSingleProductImage, type: :migration do
+  let(:migration) { described_class.new }
+  let(:attachment) { Rack::Test::UploadedFile.new(Rails.root.join('app/webpacker/images/logo-white.png'), "image/png") }
+
+  describe '#up' do
+    let(:product) { create(:product) }
+
+    it 'keeps the first image and soft deletes additional images for a product' do
+      first_image = Spree::Image.create(attachment:,
+                                        viewable_id: product.id,
+                                        viewable_type: 'Spree::Product')
+
+      second_image = Spree::Image.create(attachment:,
+                                         viewable_id: product.id,
+                                         viewable_type: 'Spree::Product')
+
+      expect do
+        migration.up
+      end.to change {
+        Spree::Image.where(
+          viewable_type: 'Spree::Product', viewable_id: product.id
+        ).count
+      }.from(2).to(1)
+
+      remaining_ids = Spree::Image.where(
+        viewable_type: 'Spree::Product',
+        viewable_id: product.id
+      ).pluck(:id)
+
+      expect(remaining_ids).to contain_exactly(first_image.id)
+      expect(remaining_ids).not_to include(second_image.id)
+
+      # Verify second image is soft deleted, not hard deleted
+      soft_deleted_image = Spree::Image.unscoped.find(second_image.id)
+      expect(soft_deleted_image.deleted_at).not_to be_nil
+    end
+
+    it 'does not remove an image when a product already has a single image' do
+      image = Spree::Image.create(attachment:,
+                                  viewable_id: product.id,
+                                  viewable_type: 'Spree::Product')
+
+      expect do
+        migration.up
+      end.not_to change {
+        Spree::Image.where(
+          viewable_type: 'Spree::Product', viewable_id: product.id
+        ).count
+      }
+
+      expect(Spree::Image.exists?(image.id)).to be(true)
+    end
+
+    it 'does not remove assets for non-product viewables' do
+      variant = create(:variant)
+      first_variant_image = Spree::Image.create!(attachment:,
+                                                 viewable_id: variant.id,
+                                                 viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant')
+      second_variant_image = Spree::Image.create!(attachment:,
+                                                  viewable_id: variant.id,
+                                                  viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant')
+
+      expect do
+        migration.up
+      end.not_to change {
+        Spree::Image.where(
+          viewable_type: 'Spree::Variant', viewable_id: variant.id
+        ).count
+      }
+
+      # Verify both variant images are not deleted
+      expect(Spree::Image.unscoped.find(first_variant_image.id).deleted_at).to be_nil
+      expect(Spree::Image.unscoped.find(second_variant_image.id).deleted_at).to be_nil
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/requests/admin/images_spec.rb b/spec/requests/admin/images_spec.rb
index 7eaedad45ea..d31a6aebce2 100644
--- a/spec/requests/admin/images_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/admin/images_spec.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,28 @@
     }
 
     it_behaves_like "updating images", 302
+
+    context "when attachment is not provided" do
+      let(:params) do
+        {
+          image: {
+            viewable_id: product.id,
+            alt: "Updated alt text",
+          }
+        }
+      end
+
+      it "updates image metadata in place" do
+        expect {
+          subject
+          product.reload
+        }.not_to change { Spree::Image.count }
+
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:found)
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(spree.admin_product_images_path(product))
+        expect(product.image.alt).to eq("Updated alt text")
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe "PATCH /admin/products/:product_id/images/:id with turbo" do
diff --git a/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
index 93a699892b8..9b9afbac9a4 100644
--- a/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/admin/products_spec.rb
@@ -514,43 +514,9 @@
     describe "image page" do
       let!(:product) { create(:simple_product, supplier_id: supplier2.id) }
 
-      it "loading new product image page" do
+      it "loading image page with no image" do
         visit spree.admin_product_images_path(product)
         expect(page).to have_selector ".no-objects-found"
-
-        page.find('a#new_image_link').click
-        expect(page).to have_selector "#image_attachment"
-      end
-
-      it "loading new product image page including url filters" do
-        visit spree.admin_product_images_path(product, filter)
-
-        page.find('a#new_image_link').click
-
-        expected_cancel_link = Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(spree.admin_product_images_path(product,
-                                                                                        filter)))
-        expect(page).to have_link('Cancel', href: expected_cancel_link)
-      end
-
-      it "upload a new product image including url filters" do
-        visit spree.admin_product_images_path(product, filter)
-
-        page.find('a#new_image_link').click
-
-        attach_file('image_attachment', image_file_path)
-        click_button "Create"
-
-        uri = URI.parse(current_url)
-        expect("#{uri.path}?#{uri.query}").to eq spree.admin_product_images_path(product, filter)
-      end
-
-      it "loading image page including url filter" do
-        visit spree.admin_product_images_path(product, filter)
-
-        expected_new_image_link = Regexp.new(Regexp.escape(spree.new_admin_product_image_path(
-                                                             product, filter
-                                                           )))
-        expect(page).to have_link('New Image', href: expected_new_image_link)
       end
 
       it "loading edit product image page including url filter" do
@@ -599,9 +565,9 @@
                             alt: "position 1", attachment: image, position: 1)
 
         visit spree.admin_product_images_path(product)
-        page.find('a#new_image_link').click
+        page.find("a.icon-edit").click
         attach_file('image_attachment', unsupported_image_file_path)
-        click_button "Create"
+        click_button "Update"
 
         expect(page).to have_text "Attachment has an invalid content type"
         expect(page).to have_text "Attachment is not identified as a valid media file"
diff --git a/spec/system/admin/products_v3/update_spec.rb b/spec/system/admin/products_v3/update_spec.rb
index 4ddeff1578c..7e403ad22da 100644
--- a/spec/system/admin/products_v3/update_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/admin/products_v3/update_spec.rb
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@
         end
 
         expect(page).to have_content /Image has been successfully (updated|created)/
-        expect(product.image.reload.url(:large)).to match /500.jpg$/
+        expect(product.reload.image.attachment.filename.to_s).to eq("500.jpg")
 
         within row_containing_name("Apples") do
           expect_page_to_have_image('500.jpg')