diff --git a/app/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job.rb b/app/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job.rb
index 8aa66052..a5286a95 100644
--- a/app/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job.rb
+++ b/app/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 class CleanupUploadFilesJob < ApplicationJob
   non_tenant_job
 
+  # Only process pair-tree hex directories (00-ff); do not process tenant UUID directories
+  # which contain permanent site/branding files (e.g. banner_images), or other protected
+  # dirs (uploaded_collection_thumbnails, identity_provider, hyrax).
+  HEX_TOP_DIR_PATTERN = /\A[0-9a-f]{2}\z/
+
   attr_reader :uploads_path
   def perform(delete_ingested_after_days:, uploads_path:, delete_all_after_days: 730)
     @uploads_path = uploads_path
@@ -20,7 +25,9 @@ def perform(delete_ingested_after_days:, uploads_path:, delete_all_after_days: 7
   private
 
     def top_level_directories
-      @top_level_directories ||= Dir.glob("#{uploads_path}/*").select { |path| File.directory?(path) }
+      @top_level_directories ||= Dir.glob("#{uploads_path}/*").select do |path|
+        File.directory?(path) && File.basename(path).match?(HEX_TOP_DIR_PATTERN)
+      end
     end
 
     def message(delete_ingested_after_days, delete_all_after_days)
diff --git a/spec/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job_spec.rb b/spec/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job_spec.rb
index b770ad4d..1bfcd6aa 100644
--- a/spec/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jobs/cleanup_upload_files_job_spec.rb
@@ -1,33 +1,85 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 RSpec.describe CleanupUploadFilesJob do
+  let(:hex_dir_ff) { '/app/samvera/uploads/ff' }
+  let(:hex_dir_00) { '/app/samvera/uploads/00' }
+  let(:hex_dir_ab) { '/app/samvera/uploads/ab' }
+  let(:uuid_tenant_dir) { '/app/samvera/uploads/56e0eb81-c2d5-4d5d-9171-b251bf7299a4' }
+  let(:uploaded_collection_thumbnails_dir) { '/app/samvera/uploads/uploaded_collection_thumbnails' }
+  let(:identity_provider_dir) { '/app/samvera/uploads/identity_provider' }
+  let(:hyrax_uploaded_file_dir) { '/app/samvera/uploads/hyrax' }
+
+  let(:all_top_level_entries) do
+    [
+      hex_dir_ff, hex_dir_00, hex_dir_ab,
+      uuid_tenant_dir,
+      uploaded_collection_thumbnails_dir,
+      identity_provider_dir,
+      hyrax_uploaded_file_dir,
+      '/app/samvera/uploads/somefile'
+    ]
+  end
+
   before do
     allow(Dir).to receive(:glob).and_call_original
-    allow(Dir).to receive(:glob).with('/app/samvera/uploads/*').and_return(['path_1', 'path_2', 'path_3', 'path_4'])
+    allow(Dir).to receive(:glob).with('/app/samvera/uploads/*').and_return(all_top_level_entries)
     allow(File).to receive(:directory?).and_call_original
-    allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with('path_1').and_return(true)
-    allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with('path_2').and_return(true)
-    allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with('path_3').and_return(true)
-    allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with('path_4').and_return(false)
+    [hex_dir_ff, hex_dir_00, hex_dir_ab, uuid_tenant_dir,
+     uploaded_collection_thumbnails_dir, identity_provider_dir, hyrax_uploaded_file_dir].each do |dir|
+      allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with(dir).and_return(true)
+    end
+    allow(File).to receive(:directory?).with('/app/samvera/uploads/somefile').and_return(false)
   end
 
-  it 'spawns child jobs for each sub-directory' do
+  it 'spawns child jobs only for hex pair-tree directories (00-ff)' do
     expect { described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads') }
       .to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob).exactly(3).times
   end
 
+  it 'does not create CleanupSubDirectoryJob for tenant UUID directories (site/banner_images, etc.)' do
+    expect do
+      described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads')
+    end.not_to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob).with(directory: uuid_tenant_dir)
+  end
+
+  it 'does not create CleanupSubDirectoryJob for uploaded_collection_thumbnails directory' do
+    expect do
+      described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads')
+    end.not_to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob).with(directory: uploaded_collection_thumbnails_dir)
+  end
+
+  it 'does not create CleanupSubDirectoryJob for identity_provider directory (LogoUploader)' do
+    expect do
+      described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads')
+    end.not_to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob).with(directory: identity_provider_dir)
+  end
+
+  it 'does not create CleanupSubDirectoryJob for hyrax directory (UploadedFile cache)' do
+    expect do
+      described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads')
+    end.not_to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob).with(directory: hyrax_uploaded_file_dir)
+  end
+
   it 'passes delete_all_after_days parameter to child jobs' do
     expect do
       described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180,
                                   uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads',
                                   delete_all_after_days: 365)
     end.to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob)
-      .with(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, directory: 'path_1', delete_all_after_days: 365)
+      .with(
+        delete_ingested_after_days: 180,
+        directory: hex_dir_ff,
+        delete_all_after_days: 365
+      )
   end
 
   it 'uses default delete_all_after_days of 730 when not specified' do
     expect { described_class.perform_now(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, uploads_path: '/app/samvera/uploads') }
       .to have_enqueued_job(CleanupSubDirectoryJob)
-      .with(delete_ingested_after_days: 180, directory: 'path_1', delete_all_after_days: 730)
+      .with(
+        delete_ingested_after_days: 180,
+        directory: hex_dir_ff,
+        delete_all_after_days: 730
+      )
   end
 end