diff --git a/src/worker/job_worker.rs b/src/worker/job_worker.rs
index ef41a67..b474ce9 100644
--- a/src/worker/job_worker.rs
+++ b/src/worker/job_worker.rs
@@ -2102,29 +2102,53 @@ impl JobWorker {
                 if tkg_done {
                     info!("✅ TKG already built for {}, skipping spawn", uuid);
                 } else {
-                    // Check if face_traced.json exists (store_traced_faces.py completed)
-                    let traced_path = format!(
-                        "{}{}.face_traced.json",
+                    // Check face.json status first
+                    let face_json_path = format!(
+                        "{}{}.face.json",
                         crate::core::config::OUTPUT_DIR.as_str().trim_end_matches('/'),
                         uuid
                     );
                     
-                    if !std::path::Path::new(&traced_path).exists() {
-                        info!(
-                            "⏳ TKG build waiting for face_traced.json: {} (file_uuid={})",
-                            traced_path, uuid
-                        );
-                        // Don't spawn TKG yet, wait for next poll
+                    let has_faces = if std::path::Path::new(&face_json_path).exists() {
+                        if let Ok(content) = std::fs::read_to_string(&face_json_path) {
+                            if let Ok(face_data) = serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&content) {
+                                face_data.get("status")
+                                    .and_then(|s| s.as_str())
+                                    .map(|s| s == "has_faces")
+                                    .unwrap_or(false)
+                            } else {
+                                false
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            false
+                        }
                     } else {
-                        info!(
-                            "📝 Prerequisites met for TKG Build (face_traced.json exists): {}",
+                        false
+                    };
+                    
+                    if has_faces {
+                        // Has faces - wait for face_traced.json
+                        let traced_path = format!(
+                            "{}{}.face_traced.json",
+                            crate::core::config::OUTPUT_DIR.as_str().trim_end_matches('/'),
                             uuid
                         );
-                        let db_clone = self.db.clone();
-                        let redis_clone = self.redis.clone();
-                        let uuid_clone = uuid.to_string();
-                        let output_dir_clone = crate::core::config::OUTPUT_DIR.clone();
-                        tokio::spawn(async move {
+                        
+                        if !std::path::Path::new(&traced_path).exists() {
+                            info!(
+                                "⏳ TKG build waiting for face_traced.json: {} (file_uuid={})",
+                                traced_path, uuid
+                            );
+                        } else {
+                            info!(
+                                "📝 Prerequisites met for TKG Build (face_traced.json exists): {}",
+                                uuid
+                            );
+                            let db_clone = self.db.clone();
+                            let redis_clone = self.redis.clone();
+                            let uuid_clone = uuid.to_string();
+                            let output_dir_clone = crate::core::config::OUTPUT_DIR.clone();
+                            tokio::spawn(async move {
                         match crate::core::processor::tkg::build_tkg(
                             &db_clone,
                             &uuid_clone,
@@ -2209,6 +2233,52 @@ impl JobWorker {
                         }
                     });
                     }
+                    } else {
+                        // No faces detected - spawn TKG without waiting for face_traced.json
+                        info!(
+                            "📝 TKG Build proceeding without face_traced.json (no faces detected): {}",
+                            uuid
+                        );
+                        let db_clone = self.db.clone();
+                        let redis_clone = self.redis.clone();
+                        let uuid_clone = uuid.to_string();
+                        let output_dir_clone = crate::core::config::OUTPUT_DIR.clone();
+                        tokio::spawn(async move {
+                            match crate::core::processor::tkg::build_tkg(
+                                &db_clone,
+                                &uuid_clone,
+                                &output_dir_clone,
+                                Some(redis_clone.clone()),
+                            )
+                            .await
+                            {
+                                Ok(r) => {
+                                    let total_nodes = r.face_track_nodes
+                                        + r.gaze_track_nodes
+                                        + r.lip_track_nodes
+                                        + r.text_region_nodes
+                                        + r.appearance_trace_nodes
+                                        + r.accessory_nodes
+                                        + r.object_nodes
+                                        + r.hand_nodes
+                                        + r.speaker_nodes;
+                                    let total_edges = r.co_occurrence_edges
+                                        + r.speaker_face_edges
+                                        + r.face_face_edges
+                                        + r.mutual_gaze_edges
+                                        + r.lip_sync_edges
+                                        + r.has_appearance_edges
+                                        + r.wears_edges
+                                        + r.hand_object_edges;
+                                    info!(
+                                        "✅ TKG build completed (no faces) for {}: {} nodes, {} edges",
+                                        uuid_clone, total_nodes, total_edges
+                                    );
+                                }
+                                Err(e) => error!("❌ TKG build failed for {}: {}", uuid_clone, e),
+                            }
+                        });
+                    }
                 }
             }