diff --git a/app/cabinet/routes/admin_news_media.py b/app/cabinet/routes/admin_news_media.py
index d126a71e..7aeb639a 100644
--- a/app/cabinet/routes/admin_news_media.py
+++ b/app/cabinet/routes/admin_news_media.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ async def upload_media(
     # Read slightly over the max allowed size so we can detect oversized files.
     absolute_max_bytes = settings.MEDIA_MAX_VIDEO_SIZE_MB * _BYTES_PER_MB + 1
     data = await file.read(absolute_max_bytes)
+    await file.close()
     if not data:
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ async def upload_media(
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_415_UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE,
             detail='Unsupported file type. Allowed: JPEG, PNG, WebP, MP4, WebM',
-        )
+        ) from None
 
     # Enforce per-type size limits
     max_size_mb = (
@@ -110,12 +111,12 @@ async def upload_media(
             )
         else:
             saved = await save_video(data, upload_path)
-    except Exception:
-        logger.exception('Failed to save uploaded media', media_type=media_type)
+    except (ValueError, OSError) as exc:
+        logger.warning('Failed to save uploaded media', media_type=media_type, error=str(exc))
         raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+            status_code=status.HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY,
             detail='Failed to process uploaded file',
-        )
+        ) from None
 
     logger.info(
         'Media uploaded',
diff --git a/app/services/news_media_service.py b/app/services/news_media_service.py
index c5aba3fd..c51f779a 100644
--- a/app/services/news_media_service.py
+++ b/app/services/news_media_service.py
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ def ensure_upload_dirs(upload_path: Path) -> None:
         (upload_path / subdir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
 
-def detect_file_type(data: bytes) -> tuple[str, str]:
+MediaType = Literal['image', 'video']
+
+
+def detect_file_type(data: bytes) -> tuple[MediaType, str]:
     """Detect media type and extension from magic bytes.
 
     Returns:
@@ -88,8 +91,10 @@ def detect_file_type(data: bytes) -> tuple[str, str]:
         if data[: len(signature)] == signature:
             return 'image', ext
 
-    # Check MP4: bytes 4-7 must be 'ftyp'
-    if len(data) >= 8 and data[4:8] == b'ftyp':
+    # Check MP4: bytes 4-7 must be 'ftyp', bytes 8-12 must be a known video brand.
+    # Rejects HEIC/HEIF images (ftypheic, ftypmif1, etc.) which share the ftyp box format.
+    _MP4_VIDEO_BRANDS = {b'isom', b'mp41', b'mp42', b'M4V ', b'avc1', b'iso5', b'iso6', b'mmp4', b'dash', b'mp71'}
+    if data[4:8] == b'ftyp' and data[8:12] in _MP4_VIDEO_BRANDS:
         return 'video', '.mp4'
 
     # Check standard video signatures
@@ -170,7 +175,7 @@ def _process_and_save_image(
         except Exception:
             tmp_thumb.unlink(missing_ok=True)
             # Non-fatal: log and continue without thumbnail
-            logger.warning('Failed to generate thumbnail', filename=filename)
+            logger.warning('Failed to generate thumbnail', filename=filename, exc_info=True)
             thumbnail_filename = None
 
         relative_path = f'{_IMAGES_DIR}/{filename}'