diff --git a/mealie/db/models/_model_utils/auto_init.py b/mealie/db/models/_model_utils/auto_init.py
index 6b36faded..26e914af7 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/_model_utils/auto_init.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/_model_utils/auto_init.py
@@ -168,14 +168,20 @@ def auto_init():  # sourcery no-metrics
                         setattr(self, key, instance)
 
                     elif relation_dir == MANYTOONE and not use_list:
+                        lookup_attr = get_attr
                         if isinstance(val, dict):
-                            val = val.get(get_attr)
+                            # Prefer primary key when provided to avoid ambiguous alternate-key lookups
+                            if "id" in val and val["id"] is not None:
+                                lookup_attr = "id"
+                                val = val["id"]
+                            else:
+                                val = val.get(get_attr)
 
                             if val is None:
-                                raise ValueError(f"Expected 'id' to be provided for {key}")
+                                raise ValueError(f"Expected '{lookup_attr}' to be provided for {key}")
 
                         if isinstance(val, str | int | UUID):
-                            stmt = select(relation_cls).filter_by(**{get_attr: val})
+                            stmt = select(relation_cls).filter_by(**{lookup_attr: val})
                             instance = session.execute(stmt).scalars().one_or_none()
                             setattr(self, key, instance)
                         else:
diff --git a/mealie/services/recipe/recipe_service.py b/mealie/services/recipe/recipe_service.py
index bf5e45c1b..1e38a388a 100644
--- a/mealie/services/recipe/recipe_service.py
+++ b/mealie/services/recipe/recipe_service.py
@@ -463,9 +463,34 @@ class RecipeService(RecipeServiceBase):
 
         return recipe
 
+    def _resolve_ingredient_sub_recipes(self, update_data: Recipe) -> Recipe:
+        """Resolve all referenced_recipe slugs to IDs within the current group."""
+        if not update_data.recipe_ingredient:
+            return update_data
+
+        for ingredient in update_data.recipe_ingredient:
+            if ingredient.referenced_recipe:
+                ref = ingredient.referenced_recipe
+                # If no id, resolve by slug
+                if not ref.id and ref.slug:
+                    recipe = self.group_recipes.get_by_slug(self.user.group_id, ref.slug)
+                    if not recipe:
+                        raise exceptions.NoEntryFound(f"Referenced recipe '{ref.slug}' not found in this group")
+                    ref.id = recipe.id
+                # If id is provided, verify it belongs to this group
+                elif ref.id:
+                    recipe = self.group_recipes.get_one(ref.id, key="id")
+                    if not recipe:
+                        raise exceptions.NoEntryFound(f"Referenced recipe with id '{ref.id}' not found in this group")
+
+        return update_data
+
     def update_one(self, slug_or_id: str | UUID, update_data: Recipe) -> Recipe:
         recipe = self._pre_update_check(slug_or_id, update_data)
 
+        # Resolve sub-recipe references before passing to repository
+        update_data = self._resolve_ingredient_sub_recipes(update_data)
+
         new_data = self.group_recipes.update(recipe.slug, update_data)
         self.check_assets(new_data, recipe.slug)
         return new_data
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py b/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
index 15b643b43..0370dbbaf 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
@@ -882,6 +882,117 @@ def test_recipe_reference_deleted(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser)
     assert recipe_a_data["recipeIngredient"][0]["referencedRecipe"] is None
 
 
+def test_sub_recipe_resolves_within_same_group(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser, g2_user: TestUser):
+    """
+    Test that when two groups have recipes with the same slug, updating a recipe
+    with a sub-recipe reference by slug correctly resolves to the current group's recipe.
+
+    This prevents the MultipleResultsFound error when slugs are duplicated across groups.
+    """
+    # Create a recipe with the same slug in both groups
+    shared_slug = random_string(10)
+
+    # Create sub-recipe in group 1 (unique_user's group)
+    sub_recipe_g1 = unique_user.repos.recipes.create(
+        Recipe(
+            name=shared_slug,
+            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Create sub-recipe in group 2 (g2_user's group) with the same name/slug
+    sub_recipe_g2 = g2_user.repos.recipes.create(
+        Recipe(
+            name=shared_slug,
+            user_id=g2_user.user_id,
+            group_id=g2_user.group_id,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Verify both recipes have the same slug but different IDs
+    assert sub_recipe_g1.slug == sub_recipe_g2.slug
+    assert sub_recipe_g1.id != sub_recipe_g2.id
+
+    # Create a parent recipe in group 1
+    parent_recipe = unique_user.repos.recipes.create(
+        Recipe(
+            name=random_string(10),
+            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Get the parent recipe via API
+    recipe_url = api_routes.recipes_slug(parent_recipe.slug)
+    response = api_client.get(recipe_url, headers=unique_user.token)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    recipe_data = response.json()
+
+    # Update the parent recipe to reference the sub-recipe BY SLUG (not ID)
+    # This is the scenario that previously caused MultipleResultsFound
+    recipe_data["recipeIngredient"] = [
+        {
+            "note": "Sub-recipe ingredient",
+            "referencedRecipe": {"slug": shared_slug},
+        }
+    ]
+
+    # This should succeed and resolve to group 1's sub-recipe
+    response = api_client.put(recipe_url, json=recipe_data, headers=unique_user.token)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    # Verify the referenced recipe is the one from group 1, not group 2
+    updated_recipe = response.json()
+    assert len(updated_recipe["recipeIngredient"]) == 1
+    referenced = updated_recipe["recipeIngredient"][0].get("referencedRecipe")
+    assert referenced is not None
+    assert referenced["id"] == str(sub_recipe_g1.id)
+
+
+def test_sub_recipe_not_found_in_other_group(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser, g2_user: TestUser):
+    """
+    Test that referencing a sub-recipe that only exists in another group fails.
+    """
+    # Create a sub-recipe ONLY in group 2
+    sub_recipe_slug = random_string(10)
+    g2_user.repos.recipes.create(
+        Recipe(
+            name=sub_recipe_slug,
+            user_id=g2_user.user_id,
+            group_id=g2_user.group_id,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Create a parent recipe in group 1
+    parent_recipe = unique_user.repos.recipes.create(
+        Recipe(
+            name=random_string(10),
+            user_id=unique_user.user_id,
+            group_id=unique_user.group_id,
+        )
+    )
+
+    # Get the parent recipe via API
+    recipe_url = api_routes.recipes_slug(parent_recipe.slug)
+    response = api_client.get(recipe_url, headers=unique_user.token)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    recipe_data = response.json()
+
+    # Try to reference the sub-recipe from group 2 by slug
+    recipe_data["recipeIngredient"] = [
+        {
+            "note": "Sub-recipe from other group",
+            "referencedRecipe": {"slug": sub_recipe_slug},
+        }
+    ]
+
+    # This should fail because the sub-recipe doesn't exist in group 1
+    response = api_client.put(recipe_url, json=recipe_data, headers=unique_user.token)
+    assert response.status_code == 404
+    assert response.json()["detail"]["message"] == "No Entry Found"
+
+
 def test_duplicate(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser):
     recipe_data = recipe_test_data[0]