[Issue]: "Airs before episode" Special Metadata Not Sorting Correctly #3620

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OVERLORD · 2026-02-06T23:38:26+03:00

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-06 23:38:26 +03:00

Originally created by @FlaringAfro on GitHub (Feb 23, 2022).

Please describe your bug

After editing a Special's metadata to be sorted in the middle of a season, the episode still appears at the beginning. Other Special sorts ("Airs before season" and "Airs after season") seem to work fine, even if implemented for the same episode. The Library is Shows. I didn't see any documentation on any kind of formatting so I tried multiple values. This happens for all shows, and another Reddit user has encountered the same issue.

Folder structure
TV Shows
├── Show Name
│ ├── Season 01
│ │ ├── Show Name S00E01.mkv
│ │ ├── Show Name S01E01.mkv
.
.
.
│ │ ├── Show Name S01E15.mkv

Airs before episode value attempts in UI (letters weren't accepted)
13
S01E13
01e13
01x13
0113

Jellyfin Version

10.7.7

if other:

No response

Environment

- OS: Windows 10
- Virtualization: None
- Browser: Chrome
- Plugins: AudioDB, MusicBrainz, OMDb
- Metadata Path: C:\ProgramData\Jellyfin\Server\metadata

Jellyfin logs

No response

FFmpeg logs

No response

Please attach any browser or client logs here

No response

Please attach any screenshots here

No response

Code of Conduct

I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

Originally created by @FlaringAfro on GitHub (Feb 23, 2022). ### Please describe your bug After editing a Special's metadata to be sorted in the middle of a season, the episode still appears at the beginning. Other Special sorts ("Airs before season" and "Airs after season") seem to work fine, even if implemented for the same episode. The Library is Shows. I didn't see any documentation on any kind of formatting so I tried multiple values. This happens for all shows, and another [Reddit user](https://www.reddit.com/r/jellyfin/comments/sgu6ip/special_airs_before_episode_functionality/) has encountered the same issue. **Folder structure** TV Shows ├── Show Name │ ├── Season 01 │ │ ├── Show Name S00E01.mkv │ │ ├── Show Name S01E01.mkv . . . │ │ ├── Show Name S01E15.mkv **Airs before episode value attempts in UI (letters weren't accepted)** 13 S01E13 01e13 01x13 0113 ### Jellyfin Version 10.7.7 ### if other: _No response_ ### Environment ```markdown - OS: Windows 10 - Virtualization: None - Browser: Chrome - Plugins: AudioDB, MusicBrainz, OMDb - Metadata Path: C:\ProgramData\Jellyfin\Server\metadata ``` ### Jellyfin logs _No response_ ### FFmpeg logs _No response_ ### Please attach any browser or client logs here _No response_ ### Please attach any screenshots here _No response_ ### Code of Conduct - [X] I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

OVERLORD added the bug stale labels 2026-02-06 23:38:26 +03:00

OVERLORD closed this issue

2026-02-06 23:38:27 +03:00

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-06 23:38:29 +03:00

@YodaQ commented on GitHub (May 30, 2022):

Do you also have the airs before season set to 1 and airs after season is blank. As far as i know the formatting is just a number as in 3. It would be great if the documentation was clearer on this though.

@YodaQ commented on GitHub (May 30, 2022): Do you also have the airs before season set to 1 and airs after season is blank. As far as i know the formatting is just a number as in 3. It would be great if the documentation was clearer on this though.

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-06 23:38:31 +03:00

@jellyfin-bot commented on GitHub (Mar 30, 2023):

This issue has gone 120 days without comment. To avoid abandoned issues, it will be closed in 21 days if there are no new comments.

If you're the original submitter of this issue, please comment confirming if this issue still affects you in the latest release or master branch, or close the issue if it has been fixed. If you're another user also affected by this bug, please comment confirming so. Either action will remove the stale label.

This bot exists to prevent issues from becoming stale and forgotten. Jellyfin is always moving forward, and bugs are often fixed as side effects of other changes. We therefore ask that bug report authors remain vigilant about their issues to ensure they are closed if fixed, or re-confirmed - perhaps with fresh logs or reproduction examples - regularly. If you have any questions you can reach us on Matrix or Social Media.

@jellyfin-bot commented on GitHub (Mar 30, 2023): This issue has gone 120 days without comment. To avoid abandoned issues, it will be closed in 21 days if there are no new comments. If you're the original submitter of this issue, please comment confirming if this issue still affects you in the latest release or master branch, or close the issue if it has been fixed. If you're another user also affected by this bug, please comment confirming so. Either action will remove the stale label. This bot exists to prevent issues from becoming stale and forgotten. Jellyfin is always moving forward, and bugs are often fixed as side effects of other changes. We therefore ask that bug report authors remain vigilant about their issues to ensure they are closed if fixed, or re-confirmed - perhaps with fresh logs or reproduction examples - regularly. If you have any questions you can reach us on [Matrix or Social Media](https://docs.jellyfin.org/general/getting-help.html).

OVERLORD commented

2026-02-06 23:38:32 +03:00

@Gaweringo commented on GitHub (Aug 1, 2023):

For anyone coming across this in the future: If you want the special to be in the first season between episode 12 and 13 for example, set:
Airs before series: 1 | Airs after series: | Airs before episode 13
In the metadata settings.
Airs before needs to be filled in. Airs after series needs to be empty (only used if special is after all episodes of a season). Airs before episode is used to position the special in the season it is set to air before, with "Airs before series".
A bit confusing, but it works.

@Gaweringo commented on GitHub (Aug 1, 2023): For anyone coming across this in the future: If you want the special to be in the first season between episode 12 and 13 for example, set: Airs before series: 1 | Airs after series: | Airs before episode 13 In the metadata settings. Airs before needs to be filled in. Airs after series needs to be empty (only used if special is after all episodes of a season). Airs before episode is used to position the special in the season it is set to air before, with "Airs before series". A bit confusing, but it works.

OVERLORD referenced this issue

2026-02-07 06:05:46 +03:00

[PR #3620] Fix for #3607 and #3515 #9632

OVERLORD referenced this issue

2026-02-07 06:10:16 +03:00

[PR #4113] [CLOSED] Fix chromecast behind reverse proxy #9889

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