diff --git a/client/components/modals/authors/EditModal.vue b/client/components/modals/authors/EditModal.vue
index 4b2229046..84c20399f 100644
--- a/client/components/modals/authors/EditModal.vue
+++ b/client/components/modals/authors/EditModal.vue
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
                 <ui-text-input-with-label v-model="authorCopy.asin" :disabled="processing" label="ASIN" />
               </div>
             </div>
-            <div class="p-2" v-show="!author.imagePath">
-              <ui-text-input-with-label v-model="authorCopy.imageUrl" :disabled="processing" label="Photo URL" />
+            <div class="p-2">
+              <ui-text-input-with-label v-model="authorCopy.imagePath" :disabled="processing" label="Photo Path/URL" />
             </div>
             <div class="p-2">
               <ui-textarea-with-label v-model="authorCopy.description" :disabled="processing" label="Description" :rows="8" />
@@ -46,20 +46,13 @@
 
 <script>
 export default {
-  // props: {
-  //   value: Boolean,
-  //   author: {
-  //     type: Object,
-  //     default: () => {}
-  //   }
-  // },
   data() {
     return {
       authorCopy: {
         name: '',
         asin: '',
         description: '',
-        imageUrl: undefined
+        imagePath: ''
       },
       processing: false
     }
@@ -99,9 +92,10 @@ export default {
       this.authorCopy.name = this.author.name
       this.authorCopy.asin = this.author.asin
       this.authorCopy.description = this.author.description
+      this.authorCopy.imagePath = this.author.imagePath
     },
     async submitForm() {
-      var keysToCheck = ['name', 'asin', 'description', 'imageUrl']
+      var keysToCheck = ['name', 'asin', 'description', 'imagePath']
       var updatePayload = {}
       keysToCheck.forEach((key) => {
         if (this.authorCopy[key] !== this.author[key]) {
@@ -122,7 +116,6 @@ export default {
         if (result.updated) {
           this.$toast.success('Author updated')
           this.show = false
-          this.authorCopy.imageUrl = undefined
         } else this.$toast.info('No updates were needed')
       }
       this.processing = false
diff --git a/server/controllers/AuthorController.js b/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
index 97082ca2d..419f24778 100644
--- a/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
+++ b/server/controllers/AuthorController.js
@@ -63,9 +63,20 @@ class AuthorController {
     // If updating or removing cover image then clear cache
     if (payload.imagePath !== undefined && req.author.imagePath && payload.imagePath !== req.author.imagePath) {
       this.cacheManager.purgeImageCache(req.author.id)
+
       if (!payload.imagePath) { // If removing image then remove file
         var currentImagePath = req.author.imagePath
         await this.coverManager.removeFile(currentImagePath)
+      } else if (payload.imagePath.startsWith('http')) { // Check if image path is a url
+        var imageData = await this.authorFinder.saveAuthorImage(req.author.id, payload.imagePath)
+        if (imageData) {
+          req.author.imagePath = imageData.path
+          req.author.relImagePath = imageData.relPath
+          hasUpdated = hasUpdated || true;
+        } else {
+          req.author.imagePath = null
+          req.author.relImagePath = null
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -73,16 +84,6 @@ class AuthorController {
 
     var hasUpdated = req.author.update(payload)
 
-    // Fetch author image from remote URL if no current image exists
-    if (payload.imageUrl !== undefined && !req.author.imagePath) {
-      var imageData = await this.authorFinder.saveAuthorImage(req.author.id, payload.imageUrl)
-      if (imageData) {
-        req.author.imagePath = imageData.path
-        req.author.relImagePath = imageData.relPath
-        hasUpdated = hasUpdated || true;
-      }
-    }
-
     if (hasUpdated) {
       if (authorNameUpdate) { // Update author name on all books
         var itemsWithAuthor = this.db.libraryItems.filter(li => li.mediaType === 'book' && li.media.metadata.hasAuthor(req.author.id))
diff --git a/server/finders/AuthorFinder.js b/server/finders/AuthorFinder.js
index 04308012e..aac7150c2 100644
--- a/server/finders/AuthorFinder.js
+++ b/server/finders/AuthorFinder.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const Path = require('path')
 const Audnexus = require('../providers/Audnexus')
 
 const { downloadFile } = require('../utils/fileUtils')
+const filePerms = require('../utils/filePerms')
 
 class AuthorFinder {
   constructor() {
@@ -38,7 +39,11 @@ class AuthorFinder {
   async saveAuthorImage(authorId, url) {
     var authorDir = this.AuthorPath
     var relAuthorDir = Path.posix.join('/metadata', 'authors')
-    await fs.ensureDir(authorDir)
+
+    if (!await fs.pathExists(authorDir)) {
+      await fs.ensureDir(authorDir)
+      await filePerms.setDefault(authorDir)
+    }
 
     var imageExtension = url.toLowerCase().split('.').pop()
     var ext = imageExtension === 'png' ? 'png' : 'jpg'