diff --git a/cmd/server/tests/media_item_isbn_test.go b/cmd/server/tests/media_item_isbn_test.go
index 499bbfb..69c754c 100644
--- a/cmd/server/tests/media_item_isbn_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/tests/media_item_isbn_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -301,7 +302,7 @@ func TestMediaItemsPagination(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 1; i <= 5; i++ {
 		payload := map[string]interface{}{
 			"title":      fmt.Sprintf("Book %d", i),
-			"isbn":       fmt.Sprintf("978012345678%d", i),
+			"isbn":       fmt.Sprintf("978030640615%d", i),
 			"library_id": libID,
 			"file_path":  "/test/path.epub",
 			"file_size":  1024,
@@ -319,6 +320,9 @@ func TestMediaItemsPagination(t *testing.T) {
 		resp.Body.Close()
 	}
 
+	// Small delay to allow database to commit before pagination queries
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
 	t.Run("Valid pagination parameters", func(t *testing.T) {
 		req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", setup.Server.URL+"/api/media-items?library_id="+libID+"&limit=2&offset=0", nil)
 		req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+token)
diff --git a/internal/handlers/media.go b/internal/handlers/media.go
index 5cea9af..7110bc1 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/media.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/media.go
@@ -915,10 +915,16 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) CreateMediaItem(c echo.Context) error {
 
 	// Validate and normalize ISBN
 	normalizedISBN, err := utils.NormalizeISBN(req.ISBN)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && req.ISBN != "" {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, map[string]string{"error": "invalid ISBN format"})
 	}
 
+	// Use normalized ISBN if valid, otherwise empty string
+	isbnValue := normalizedISBN
+	if err != nil {
+		isbnValue = ""
+	}
+
 	_, err = mh.db.GetLibrary(c.Request().Context(), pgtype.UUID{Bytes: req.LibraryID, Valid: true})
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == pgx.ErrNoRows {
@@ -942,7 +948,7 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) CreateMediaItem(c echo.Context) error {
 		LibraryID:          pgtype.UUID{Bytes: req.LibraryID, Valid: true},
 		Title:              req.Title,
 		Author:             pgtype.Text{String: req.Author, Valid: req.Author != ""},
-		Isbn:               pgtype.Text{String: normalizedISBN, Valid: req.ISBN != ""},
+		Isbn:               pgtype.Text{String: isbnValue, Valid: req.ISBN != ""},
 		Description:        pgtype.Text{String: req.Description, Valid: req.Description != ""},
 		FilePath:           req.FilePath,
 		FileSize:           pgtype.Int8{Int64: req.FileSize, Valid: req.FileSize > 0},
@@ -1006,15 +1012,21 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) UpdateMediaItem(c echo.Context) error {
 
 	// Validate and normalize ISBN
 	normalizedISBN, err := utils.NormalizeISBN(req.ISBN)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && req.ISBN != "" {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, map[string]string{"error": "invalid ISBN format"})
 	}
 
+	// Use normalized ISBN if valid, otherwise empty string
+	isbnValue := normalizedISBN
+	if err != nil {
+		isbnValue = ""
+	}
+
 	item, err := mh.db.UpdateMediaItem(c.Request().Context(), database.UpdateMediaItemParams{
 		ID:                 pgtype.UUID{Bytes: mediaUUID, Valid: true},
 		Title:              req.Title,
 		Author:             pgtype.Text{String: req.Author, Valid: req.Author != ""},
-		Isbn:               pgtype.Text{String: normalizedISBN, Valid: req.ISBN != ""},
+		Isbn:               pgtype.Text{String: isbnValue, Valid: req.ISBN != ""},
 		Description:        pgtype.Text{String: req.Description, Valid: req.Description != ""},
 		CoverImagePath:     pgtype.Text{String: req.CoverImagePath, Valid: req.CoverImagePath != ""},
 		Series:             pgtype.Text{String: req.Series, Valid: req.Series != ""},