diff --git a/gen/main.go b/gen/main.go
index 7de1a11..07282a3 100644
--- a/gen/main.go
+++ b/gen/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	base := "../testdata"
 
-	if err := filepath.Walk(base, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+	if err := filepath.Walk(filepath.Join(base, "images"), func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/11b4836f396ea129.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/11b4836f396ea129.json
deleted file mode 100644
index c7a3de9..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/11b4836f396ea129.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/11b4836f396ea129",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "11b4836f396ea129",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG",
-    "FileSize": 255743,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 1152
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/1ccacf70a7af5b48.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/1ccacf70a7af5b48.json
deleted file mode 100644
index a4ed9d2..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/1ccacf70a7af5b48.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/1ccacf70a7af5b48",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "1ccacf70a7af5b48",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG",
-    "FileSize": 333742,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 1729
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/9c46786602e37dac.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/9c46786602e37dac.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c99c15..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/9c46786602e37dac.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/9c46786602e37dac",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "9c46786602e37dac",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG",
-    "FileSize": 172821,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 261
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/be5ae98210f88f5a.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/be5ae98210f88f5a.json
deleted file mode 100644
index bc71799..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/be5ae98210f88f5a.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/be5ae98210f88f5a",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "be5ae98210f88f5a",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG",
-    "FileSize": 57371,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 100
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/c6c20bc8145eb1ca.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/c6c20bc8145eb1ca.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 2df9580..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/c6c20bc8145eb1ca.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG/c6c20bc8145eb1ca",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "c6c20bc8145eb1ca",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeJPG",
-    "FileSize": 57545,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 102
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/1d4b3e6d8e083b46.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/1d4b3e6d8e083b46.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 9455708..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/1d4b3e6d8e083b46.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/1d4b3e6d8e083b46",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "1d4b3e6d8e083b46",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG",
-    "FileSize": 317,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "us-ascii",
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 9
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/c99a254e79433054.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/c99a254e79433054.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 1017035..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/c99a254e79433054.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/c99a254e79433054",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "c99a254e79433054",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG",
-    "FileSize": 314,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "us-ascii",
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 8
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/cd66d0b7410fd5c5.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/cd66d0b7410fd5c5.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 30c5351..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/cd66d0b7410fd5c5.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/cd66d0b7410fd5c5",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "cd66d0b7410fd5c5",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG",
-    "FileSize": 64,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "us-ascii",
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 8
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/e24f658a5bbdb019.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/e24f658a5bbdb019.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 8b91e6a..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/e24f658a5bbdb019.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG/e24f658a5bbdb019",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "e24f658a5bbdb019",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodePNG",
-    "FileSize": 320,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "us-ascii",
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 8
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeWebP/cd8c6f6742f1c6a7.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeWebP/cd8c6f6742f1c6a7.json
deleted file mode 100644
index d50d063..0000000
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/fuzz/FuzzDecodeWebP/cd8c6f6742f1c6a7.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeWebP/cd8c6f6742f1c6a7",
-  "ExifTool": {
-    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
-  },
-  "File": {
-    "FileName": "cd8c6f6742f1c6a7",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/fuzz/FuzzDecodeWebP",
-    "FileSize": 212890,
-    "FilePermissions": 100644,
-    "FileType": "TXT",
-    "FileTypeExtension": "TXT",
-    "MIMEType": "text/plain",
-    "MIMEEncoding": "utf-8",
-    "ByteOrderMark": 0,
-    "Newlines": "\n",
-    "LineCount": 2,
-    "WordCount": 1403
-  }
-}]
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json
similarity index 78%
rename from gen/testdata_exiftool/images/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json
rename to gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json
index 8c39535..f120df2 100644
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json
+++ b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/huge_tag_exif.jpg.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 [{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/huge_tag_exif.jpg",
+  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/corrupt/huge_tag_exif.jpg",
   "ExifTool": {
     "ExifToolVersion": 12.76,
     "Warning": "JPEG format error"
   },
   "File": {
     "FileName": "huge_tag_exif.jpg",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/images",
+    "Directory": "../testdata/images/corrupt",
     "FileSize": 65536,
     "FilePermissions": 100644,
     "FileType": "JPEG",
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json
similarity index 95%
rename from gen/testdata_exiftool/images/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json
rename to gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json
index 7b565da..4297291 100644
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json
+++ b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/infinite_loop_exif.jpg.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 [{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/infinite_loop_exif.jpg",
+  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/corrupt/infinite_loop_exif.jpg",
   "ExifTool": {
     "ExifToolVersion": 12.76,
     "Warning": "Suspicious IFD0 offset for XResolution"
   },
   "File": {
     "FileName": "infinite_loop_exif.jpg",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/images",
+    "Directory": "../testdata/images/corrupt",
     "FileSize": 3738,
     "FilePermissions": 100644,
     "FileType": "JPEG",
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json
similarity index 77%
rename from gen/testdata_exiftool/images/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json
rename to gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json
index 1fc3680..fc371da 100644
--- a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json
+++ b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/corrupt/max_uint32_exif.jpg.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 [{
-  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/max_uint32_exif.jpg",
+  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/corrupt/max_uint32_exif.jpg",
   "ExifTool": {
     "ExifToolVersion": 12.76,
     "Warning": "JPEG format error"
   },
   "File": {
     "FileName": "max_uint32_exif.jpg",
-    "Directory": "../testdata/images",
+    "Directory": "../testdata/images/corrupt",
     "FileSize": 65536,
     "FilePermissions": 100644,
     "FileType": "JPEG",
diff --git a/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg.json b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a88a34a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gen/testdata_exiftool/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+[{
+  "SourceFile": "../testdata/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg",
+  "ExifTool": {
+    "ExifToolVersion": 12.76
+  },
+  "File": {
+    "FileName": "hugo-issue-12669.jpg",
+    "Directory": "../testdata/images",
+    "FileSize": 5772106,
+    "FilePermissions": 100644,
+    "FileType": "JPEG",
+    "FileTypeExtension": "JPG",
+    "MIMEType": "image/jpeg",
+    "ExifByteOrder": "II",
+    "ImageWidth": 4032,
+    "ImageHeight": 2268,
+    "EncodingProcess": 0,
+    "BitsPerSample": 8,
+    "ColorComponents": 3,
+    "YCbCrSubSampling": "2 2"
+  },
+  "EXIF": {
+    "ImageWidth": 4032,
+    "ImageHeight": 2268,
+    "Make": "samsung",
+    "Model": "SM-G950U",
+    "Orientation": 1,
+    "XResolution": 72,
+    "YResolution": 72,
+    "ResolutionUnit": 2,
+    "Software": "G950USQS8DTJ1",
+    "ModifyDate": "2021:01:17 11:34:47",
+    "YCbCrPositioning": 1,
+    "ExposureTime": 0.0003172588832,
+    "FNumber": 1.7,
+    "ExposureProgram": 2,
+    "ISO": 50,
+    "ExifVersion": "0220",
+    "DateTimeOriginal": "2021:01:17 11:34:47",
+    "CreateDate": "2021:01:17 11:34:47",
+    "ComponentsConfiguration": "1 2 3 0",
+    "ShutterSpeedValue": "0.000317270278919785",
+    "ApertureValue": 1.6993699982773,
+    "BrightnessValue": 8.98,
+    "ExposureCompensation": 0,
+    "MaxApertureValue": 1.6993699982773,
+    "MeteringMode": 2,
+    "LightSource": 0,
+    "Flash": 0,
+    "FocalLength": 4.25,
+    "UserComment": "\n",
+    "FlashpixVersion": "0100",
+    "ColorSpace": 1,
+    "ExifImageWidth": 4032,
+    "ExifImageHeight": 2268,
+    "InteropIndex": "R98",
+    "InteropVersion": "0100",
+    "SensingMethod": 2,
+    "SceneType": 1,
+    "ExposureMode": 0,
+    "WhiteBalance": 0,
+    "FocalLengthIn35mmFormat": 26,
+    "SceneCaptureType": 0,
+    "ImageUniqueID": "F12QSJA00SM F12QSKB01SB",
+    "GPSVersionID": "2 2 0 0",
+    "GPSLatitudeRef": "N",
+    "GPSLatitude": 0,
+    "GPSLongitudeRef": "E",
+    "GPSLongitude": 0,
+    "GPSAltitudeRef": 0,
+    "GPSAltitude": 0,
+    "GPSTimeStamp": "18:34:47",
+    "GPSDateStamp": "2021:01:17",
+    "Compression": 6,
+    "ThumbnailOffset": 6312,
+    "ThumbnailLength": 16863
+  },
+  "MakerNotes": {
+    "MakerNoteVersion": "0100",
+    "DeviceType": 73728,
+    "RawDataByteOrder": 0,
+    "RawDataCFAPattern": 1,
+    "FaceDetect": 0,
+    "TimeStamp": "2021:01:17 19:34:47.374+01:00",
+    "MCCData": 310
+  }
+}]
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index e1dde3c..c301ee4 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -276,6 +276,31 @@ func (vc) convertStringToInt(ctx valueConverterContext, v any) any {
 	return i
 }
 
+func (c vc) convertUserComment(ctx valueConverterContext, v any) any {
+	// UserComment tag is identified based on an ID code in a fixed 8-byte area at the start of the tag data area.
+	b, ok := typeAssert[[]byte](ctx, v)
+	if !ok {
+		return ""
+	}
+	if len(b) < 8 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	id := string(b[:8])
+
+	switch id {
+	case "ASCII\x00\x00\x00":
+		s := printableString(string(trimBytesNulls(b[8:])))
+		if !isASCII(s) {
+			return ""
+		}
+		return s
+	case "UNICODE\x00":
+		return printableString(string(trimBytesNulls(b[8:])))
+	default:
+		return ""
+	}
+}
+
 func (vc) ratNum(v any) any {
 	switch vv := v.(type) {
 	case Rat[uint32]:
@@ -357,6 +382,15 @@ func (c vc) toDegrees(v any) (float64, error) {
 	}
 }
 
+func isASCII(s string) bool {
+	for i := 0; i < len(s); i++ {
+		if s[i] > unicode.MaxASCII {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 func printableString(s string) string {
 	ss := strings.Map(func(r rune) rune {
 		if unicode.IsGraphic(r) {
diff --git a/imagemeta_test.go b/imagemeta_test.go
index ce8f7e7..1241d38 100644
--- a/imagemeta_test.go
+++ b/imagemeta_test.go
@@ -384,6 +384,10 @@ func TestDecodeErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	c.Assert(imagemeta.Decode(imagemeta.Options{R: strings.NewReader("foo"), ImageFormat: imagemeta.ImageFormat(1234)}), qt.ErrorMatches, "unsupported image format")
 }
 
+func TestGoldenEXIFHugoIssue12669(t *testing.T) {
+	compareWithExiftoolOutput(t, "hugo-issue-12669.jpg", imagemeta.EXIF)
+}
+
 func TestGoldenEXIF(t *testing.T) {
 	withGolden(t, imagemeta.EXIF)
 }
diff --git a/metadecoder_exif.go b/metadecoder_exif.go
index 0a8ffb9..1265d55 100644
--- a/metadecoder_exif.go
+++ b/metadecoder_exif.go
@@ -98,9 +98,7 @@ var (
 		"ComponentsConfiguration": exifConverters.convertBytesToStringSpaceDelim,
 		"LensInfo":                exifConverters.convertRatsToSpaceLimited,
 		"Padding":                 exifConverters.convertBinaryData,
-		"UserComment": func(ctx valueConverterContext, v any) any {
-			return strings.TrimPrefix(printableString(toString(v)), "ASCII")
-		},
+		"UserComment":             exifConverters.convertUserComment,
 		"CFAPattern": func(ctx valueConverterContext, v any) any {
 			b := v.([]byte)
 			horizontalRepeat := ctx.s.byteOrder.Uint16(b[:2])
diff --git a/testdata/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg b/testdata/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9c2545
Binary files /dev/null and b/testdata/images/hugo-issue-12669.jpg differ