diff --git a/lib/pinchflat/media/media_item.ex b/lib/pinchflat/media/media_item.ex
index 99a53c0..f85fcfb 100644
--- a/lib/pinchflat/media/media_item.ex
+++ b/lib/pinchflat/media/media_item.ex
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.Media.MediaItem do
   alias Pinchflat.Media.MediaItemsSearchIndex
 
   @allowed_fields [
+    # these fields are only captured on index
+    :playlist_index,
     # these fields are captured on indexing (and again on download)
     :title,
     :media_id,
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.Media.MediaItem do
     field :uploaded_at, :utc_datetime
     field :upload_date_index, :integer, default: 0
     field :duration_seconds, :integer
+    field :playlist_index, :integer, default: 0
 
     field :media_filepath, :string
     field :media_size_bytes, :integer
diff --git a/lib/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser.ex b/lib/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser.ex
index 60456d8..258b95e 100644
--- a/lib/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser.ex
+++ b/lib/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser.ex
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.Metadata.MetadataParser do
         media_filepath: metadata["filepath"]
       }
     )
+    # This should only ever be written during indexing and this whole module gets run during download
+    |> Map.drop([:playlist_index])
   end
 
   defp parse_subtitle_metadata(metadata) do
diff --git a/lib/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media.ex b/lib/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media.ex
index 9dc0dad..eafa6f9 100644
--- a/lib/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media.ex
+++ b/lib/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media.ex
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.YtDlp.Media do
   @doc """
   Returns a map representing the media at the given URL.
 
-  Returns {:ok, [map()]} | {:error, any, ...}.
+  Returns {:ok, %Media{}} | {:error, any, ...}.
   """
   def get_media_attributes(url) do
     runner = Application.get_env(:pinchflat, :yt_dlp_runner)
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.YtDlp.Media do
       duration_seconds: response["duration"] && round(response["duration"]),
       short_form_content: response["webpage_url"] && short_form_content?(response),
       uploaded_at: response["upload_date"] && parse_uploaded_at(response),
-      playlist_index: response["playlist_index"] || 0
+      playlist_index: response["playlist_index"]
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/priv/repo/erd.png b/priv/repo/erd.png
index e88df38..50e0ec4 100644
Binary files a/priv/repo/erd.png and b/priv/repo/erd.png differ
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20240715212133_add_playlist_index_to_media_items.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20240715212133_add_playlist_index_to_media_items.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e629efd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20240715212133_add_playlist_index_to_media_items.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+defmodule Pinchflat.Repo.Migrations.AddPlaylistIndexToMediaItems do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    alter table(:media_items) do
+      add :playlist_index, :integer, null: false, default: 0
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser_test.exs b/test/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser_test.exs
index 48015b1..7153358 100644
--- a/test/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser_test.exs
+++ b/test/pinchflat/metadata/metadata_parser_test.exs
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.Metadata.MetadataParserTest do
 
       assert result.duration_seconds == round(metadata["duration"])
     end
+
+    test "drops the playlist_index` field", %{metadata: metadata} do
+      metadata = Map.put(metadata, "playlist_index", 1)
+
+      result = Parser.parse_for_media_item(metadata)
+
+      assert Map.get(result, :playlist_index) == nil
+    end
   end
 
   describe "parse_for_media_item/1 when testing subtitle metadata" do
diff --git a/test/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media_test.exs b/test/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media_test.exs
index e775cf6..1e8b110 100644
--- a/test/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media_test.exs
+++ b/test/pinchflat/yt_dlp/media_test.exs
@@ -221,6 +221,17 @@ defmodule Pinchflat.YtDlp.MediaTest do
 
       assert %Media{livestream: false} = Media.response_to_struct(response)
     end
+
+    test "doesn't blow up if playlist_index is missing" do
+      response = %{
+        "webpage_url" => "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiZPUDkDYbk",
+        "aspect_ratio" => 1.0,
+        "duration" => nil,
+        "upload_date" => "20210101"
+      }
+
+      assert %Media{playlist_index: 0} = Media.response_to_struct(response)
+    end
   end
 
   describe "response_to_struct/1 when testing uploaded_at" do