diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9688c3c39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
+import type { DownloadsDatabase } from './download-task';
+import { resolveExistingDownloadIdentity } from './download-request-identity';
+
+type DownloadRow = typeof schema.downloads.$inferSelect;
+
+const episodeRequest = {
+    contentType: 'episode' as const,
+    episodeNumber: 3,
+    playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+    seasonNumber: 2,
+    seriesXtreamId: 100,
+    xtreamId: 700,
+};
+
+function createDownloadRow(overrides: Partial<DownloadRow> = {}): DownloadRow {
+    return {
+        bytesDownloaded: 0,
+        contentType: 'episode',
+        createdAt: '2026-08-02 10:00:00',
+        episodeNumber: 3,
+        errorMessage: null,
+        fileName: 'episode.mp4',
+        filePath: null,
+        id: 42,
+        metadataSnapshot: null,
+        playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+        posterUrl: null,
+        requestHeaders: null,
+        resumeValidator: null,
+        seasonNumber: 2,
+        seriesXtreamId: 100,
+        status: 'canceled',
+        title: 'Episode 3',
+        totalBytes: null,
+        updatedAt: '2026-08-02 10:00:00',
+        url: 'https://example.test/episode.mp4',
+        xtreamId: 700,
+        ...overrides,
+    };
+}
+
+function createQueryHarness(
+    canonicalRows: DownloadRow[],
+    coordinateRows: DownloadRow[] = []
+) {
+    let queryIndex = 0;
+    const limit = jest.fn((value: number) => {
+        const rows = queryIndex === 0 ? canonicalRows : coordinateRows;
+        queryIndex += 1;
+        return Promise.resolve(rows.slice(0, value));
+    });
+    const where = jest.fn(() => ({ limit }));
+    const from = jest.fn(() => ({ where }));
+    const select = jest.fn(() => ({ from }));
+
+    return {
+        db: { select } as unknown as DownloadsDatabase,
+        limit,
+        select,
+    };
+}
+
+describe('resolveExistingDownloadIdentity', () => {
+    it('returns a canonical match without migration', async () => {
+        const row = createDownloadRow();
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([row], []);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            item: row,
+            kind: 'match',
+            migrateCanonicalId: false,
+        });
+        expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, 1);
+        expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, 2);
+    });
+
+    it('returns a legacy coordinate match with canonical migration', async () => {
+        const row = createDownloadRow({ xtreamId: 77 });
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([], [row]);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            item: row,
+            kind: 'match',
+            migrateCanonicalId: true,
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('fails closed when canonical and coordinate lookups find different rows', async () => {
+        const harness = createQueryHarness(
+            [createDownloadRow()],
+            [createDownloadRow({ id: 43, xtreamId: 77 })]
+        );
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ kind: 'conflict' });
+    });
+
+    it('fails closed when the canonical row has conflicting complete coordinates', async () => {
+        const harness = createQueryHarness(
+            [createDownloadRow({ episodeNumber: 4 })],
+            []
+        );
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ kind: 'conflict' });
+    });
+
+    it('fails closed when multiple rows share the legacy coordinates', async () => {
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([], [
+            createDownloadRow({ id: 42, xtreamId: 77 }),
+            createDownloadRow({ id: 43, xtreamId: 78 }),
+        ]);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ kind: 'conflict' });
+    });
+
+    it('performs only the canonical lookup for VOD', async () => {
+        const row = createDownloadRow({
+            contentType: 'vod',
+            episodeNumber: null,
+            seasonNumber: null,
+            seriesXtreamId: null,
+        });
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([row]);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, {
+                contentType: 'vod',
+                playlistId: episodeRequest.playlistId,
+                xtreamId: episodeRequest.xtreamId,
+            })
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            item: row,
+            kind: 'match',
+            migrateCanonicalId: false,
+        });
+        expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    });
+
+    it.each([
+        ['series id', { seriesXtreamId: undefined }],
+        ['season number', { seasonNumber: undefined }],
+        ['episode number', { episodeNumber: undefined }],
+        ['unsafe series id', { seriesXtreamId: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER + 1 }],
+        ['unsafe season number', { seasonNumber: Number.NaN }],
+        ['unsafe episode number', { episodeNumber: 1.5 }],
+    ])(
+        'performs only the canonical lookup when an episode has an incomplete or unsafe %s',
+        async (_label, override) => {
+            const row = createDownloadRow({
+                episodeNumber: null,
+                seasonNumber: null,
+                seriesXtreamId: null,
+            });
+            const harness = createQueryHarness([row]);
+
+            await expect(
+                resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, {
+                    ...episodeRequest,
+                    ...override,
+                })
+            ).resolves.toEqual({
+                item: row,
+                kind: 'match',
+                migrateCanonicalId: false,
+            });
+            expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(harness.limit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+        }
+    );
+
+    it('lets the canonical match win when both lookups find the same row', async () => {
+        const row = createDownloadRow();
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([row], [row]);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            item: row,
+            kind: 'match',
+            migrateCanonicalId: false,
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('returns none when neither lookup finds a row', async () => {
+        const harness = createQueryHarness([], []);
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(harness.db, episodeRequest)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ kind: 'none' });
+    });
+});
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e594bc5cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-identity.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+import { and, eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
+import type { DownloadsDatabase } from './download-task';
+
+type DownloadRow = typeof schema.downloads.$inferSelect;
+
+export const DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND = {
+    CONFLICT: 'conflict',
+    MATCH: 'match',
+    NONE: 'none',
+} as const;
+
+interface DownloadIdentityNone {
+    kind: typeof DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.NONE;
+}
+
+interface DownloadIdentityConflict {
+    kind: typeof DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.CONFLICT;
+}
+
+interface DownloadIdentityMatch {
+    item: DownloadRow;
+    kind: typeof DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.MATCH;
+    migrateCanonicalId: boolean;
+}
+
+export type DownloadIdentityResolution =
+    | DownloadIdentityNone
+    | DownloadIdentityConflict
+    | DownloadIdentityMatch;
+
+export interface DownloadIdentityRequest {
+    contentType: DownloadRow['contentType'];
+    episodeNumber?: number;
+    playlistId: string;
+    seasonNumber?: number;
+    seriesXtreamId?: number;
+    xtreamId: number;
+}
+
+function isSafeInteger(value: number | undefined): value is number {
+    return Number.isSafeInteger(value);
+}
+
+function rowHasConflictingCoordinates(
+    row: DownloadRow,
+    request: Required<
+        Pick<
+            DownloadIdentityRequest,
+            'episodeNumber' | 'seasonNumber' | 'seriesXtreamId'
+        >
+    >
+): boolean {
+    if (
+        !isSafeInteger(row.seriesXtreamId ?? undefined) ||
+        !isSafeInteger(row.seasonNumber ?? undefined) ||
+        !isSafeInteger(row.episodeNumber ?? undefined)
+    ) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return (
+        row.seriesXtreamId !== request.seriesXtreamId ||
+        row.seasonNumber !== request.seasonNumber ||
+        row.episodeNumber !== request.episodeNumber
+    );
+}
+
+export async function resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(
+    db: DownloadsDatabase,
+    request: DownloadIdentityRequest
+): Promise<DownloadIdentityResolution> {
+    const canonicalRows = await db
+        .select()
+        .from(schema.downloads)
+        .where(
+            and(
+                eq(schema.downloads.playlistId, request.playlistId),
+                eq(schema.downloads.contentType, request.contentType),
+                eq(schema.downloads.xtreamId, request.xtreamId)
+            )
+        )
+        .limit(1);
+    const canonicalRow = canonicalRows[0];
+    const seriesXtreamId = request.seriesXtreamId;
+    const seasonNumber = request.seasonNumber;
+    const episodeNumber = request.episodeNumber;
+
+    if (
+        request.contentType !== 'episode' ||
+        !isSafeInteger(seriesXtreamId) ||
+        !isSafeInteger(seasonNumber) ||
+        !isSafeInteger(episodeNumber)
+    ) {
+        return canonicalRow
+            ? {
+                  item: canonicalRow,
+                  kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.MATCH,
+                  migrateCanonicalId: false,
+              }
+            : { kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.NONE };
+    }
+
+    const coordinateRows = await db
+        .select()
+        .from(schema.downloads)
+        .where(
+            and(
+                eq(schema.downloads.playlistId, request.playlistId),
+                eq(schema.downloads.contentType, 'episode'),
+                eq(schema.downloads.seriesXtreamId, seriesXtreamId),
+                eq(schema.downloads.seasonNumber, seasonNumber),
+                eq(schema.downloads.episodeNumber, episodeNumber)
+            )
+        )
+        .limit(2);
+
+    if (coordinateRows.length > 1) {
+        return { kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.CONFLICT };
+    }
+
+    const coordinateRow = coordinateRows[0];
+    if (
+        canonicalRow &&
+        coordinateRow &&
+        canonicalRow.id !== coordinateRow.id
+    ) {
+        return { kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.CONFLICT };
+    }
+
+    if (
+        canonicalRow &&
+        rowHasConflictingCoordinates(canonicalRow, {
+            episodeNumber,
+            seasonNumber,
+            seriesXtreamId,
+        })
+    ) {
+        return { kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.CONFLICT };
+    }
+
+    if (canonicalRow) {
+        return {
+            item: canonicalRow,
+            kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.MATCH,
+            migrateCanonicalId: false,
+        };
+    }
+
+    if (coordinateRow) {
+        return {
+            item: coordinateRow,
+            kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.MATCH,
+            migrateCanonicalId: true,
+        };
+    }
+
+    return { kind: DOWNLOAD_IDENTITY_KIND.NONE };
+}
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.spec.ts
index 4f6cd4650..c1b9d896a 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { DownloadMetadataSnapshot } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
+import type { Download } from '../../database/schema';
 import type { DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer } from './download-directory-authorization';
 
 const metadataSnapshot: DownloadMetadataSnapshot = {
@@ -9,14 +10,17 @@ const metadataSnapshot: DownloadMetadataSnapshot = {
 };
 
 async function setupStartMetadataRequest(
-    existing: Record<string, unknown> | undefined
+    existing: Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
+    coordinateRows: Record<string, unknown>[] = []
 ) {
     jest.resetModules();
     const schema = await import('../../database/schema');
     const playlistLimit = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ id: 'playlist-1' }]);
-    const downloadLimit = jest
-        .fn()
-        .mockResolvedValue(existing ? [existing] : []);
+    const downloadLimit = jest.fn((limit: number) =>
+        Promise.resolve(
+            limit === 2 ? coordinateRows : existing ? [existing] : []
+        )
+    );
     const from = jest.fn((table: unknown) => ({
         where: jest.fn(() => ({
             limit: table === schema.playlists ? playlistLimit : downloadLimit,
@@ -54,6 +58,7 @@ async function setupStartMetadataRequest(
     return {
         authorizer,
         db,
+        downloadLimit,
         enqueueDownload,
         insertValues,
         set,
@@ -61,6 +66,35 @@ async function setupStartMetadataRequest(
     };
 }
 
+function createStartDownloadRow(
+    overrides: Partial<Download> = {}
+): Download {
+    return {
+        bytesDownloaded: 0,
+        contentType: 'episode',
+        createdAt: '2026-08-02 10:00:00',
+        episodeNumber: 3,
+        errorMessage: null,
+        fileName: 'episode.mp4',
+        filePath: null,
+        id: 42,
+        metadataSnapshot: null,
+        playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+        posterUrl: null,
+        requestHeaders: null,
+        resumeValidator: null,
+        seasonNumber: 2,
+        seriesXtreamId: 100,
+        status: 'canceled',
+        title: 'Episode 3',
+        totalBytes: null,
+        updatedAt: '2026-08-02 10:00:00',
+        url: 'https://example.test/episode.mp4',
+        xtreamId: 77,
+        ...overrides,
+    };
+}
+
 function startPayload(
     snapshot?: DownloadMetadataSnapshot,
     contentType: 'vod' | 'episode' = 'vod'
@@ -76,6 +110,18 @@ function startPayload(
     };
 }
 
+function episodeStartPayload() {
+    return {
+        ...startPayload(undefined, 'episode'),
+        episodeNumber: 3,
+        seasonNumber: 2,
+        seriesXtreamId: 100,
+        title: 'Episode 3',
+        url: 'https://example.test/episode.mp4',
+        xtreamId: 700,
+    };
+}
+
 describe('download request metadata snapshots', () => {
     it('persists an encoded snapshot for a new download', async () => {
         const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(undefined);
@@ -115,6 +161,7 @@ describe('download request metadata snapshots', () => {
         expect(request.set.mock.calls[0][0]).not.toHaveProperty(
             'metadataSnapshot'
         );
+        expect(request.set.mock.calls[0][0]).not.toHaveProperty('xtreamId');
     });
 
     it('replaces stored metadata when a restart supplies a snapshot', async () => {
@@ -383,6 +430,137 @@ describe('download request metadata snapshots', () => {
     });
 });
 
+describe('download request identity resolution', () => {
+    it.each(['queued', 'downloading', 'paused'] as const)(
+        'returns the stable duplicate result for an active legacy-coordinate %s row',
+        async (status) => {
+            const legacyRow = createStartDownloadRow({ status });
+            const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(undefined, [
+                legacyRow,
+            ]);
+
+            await expect(
+                request.startDownloadRequest(
+                    episodeStartPayload(),
+                    request.authorizer
+                )
+            ).resolves.toEqual({
+                error: 'Download already in progress',
+                id: legacyRow.id,
+                reason: 'already-in-progress',
+                success: false,
+            });
+
+            expect(request.db.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(request.db.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+            expect(request.enqueueDownload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        }
+    );
+
+    it('keeps the stable duplicate reason for an exact active row', async () => {
+        const exactRow = createStartDownloadRow({
+            status: 'queued',
+            xtreamId: 700,
+        });
+        const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(exactRow, [exactRow]);
+
+        await expect(
+            request.startDownloadRequest(
+                episodeStartPayload(),
+                request.authorizer
+            )
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            error: 'Download already in progress',
+            id: exactRow.id,
+            reason: 'already-in-progress',
+            success: false,
+        });
+
+        expect(request.enqueueDownload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it.each(['failed', 'canceled', 'completed'] as const)(
+        'reuses and migrates a legacy-coordinate %s row before restart',
+        async (status) => {
+            const legacyRow = createStartDownloadRow({ status });
+            const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(undefined, [
+                legacyRow,
+            ]);
+
+            await expect(
+                request.startDownloadRequest(
+                    episodeStartPayload(),
+                    request.authorizer
+                )
+            ).resolves.toEqual({ id: legacyRow.id, success: true });
+
+            expect(request.set).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(request.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    status: 'queued',
+                    xtreamId: episodeStartPayload().xtreamId,
+                })
+            );
+            expect(request.enqueueDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                expect.objectContaining({ id: legacyRow.id })
+            );
+        }
+    );
+
+    it('rejects conflicting canonical and coordinate rows without enqueueing', async () => {
+        const canonicalRow = createStartDownloadRow({
+            episodeNumber: null,
+            seasonNumber: null,
+            seriesXtreamId: null,
+            xtreamId: 700,
+        });
+        const coordinateRow = createStartDownloadRow({ id: 43 });
+        const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(canonicalRow, [
+            coordinateRow,
+        ]);
+
+        await expect(
+            request.startDownloadRequest(
+                episodeStartPayload(),
+                request.authorizer
+            )
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            error: 'Download identity conflict',
+            success: false,
+        });
+
+        expect(request.db.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(request.db.update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(request.enqueueDownload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('propagates a rejected canonical-id migration before enqueueing', async () => {
+        const migrationError = new Error(
+            'UNIQUE constraint failed: downloads.xtream_id'
+        );
+        const legacyRow = createStartDownloadRow({ status: 'canceled' });
+        const request = await setupStartMetadataRequest(undefined, [legacyRow]);
+        request.set.mockReturnValueOnce({
+            where: jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(migrationError),
+        });
+
+        await expect(
+            request.startDownloadRequest(
+                episodeStartPayload(),
+                request.authorizer
+            )
+        ).rejects.toBe(migrationError);
+
+        expect(request.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                xtreamId: episodeStartPayload().xtreamId,
+            })
+        );
+        expect(request.db.insert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(request.enqueueDownload).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+});
+
 describe('download requests resume', () => {
     it('enqueues a paused download with stored headers and original target path', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts
index 5793ea0a4..54a56a576 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import type { DownloadMetadataSnapshot } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
+import type {
+    DownloadMetadataSnapshot,
+    ElectronBridgeDownloadStartResult,
+} from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import { and, eq, sql } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import { basename, dirname, extname } from 'node:path';
 import { getDatabase } from '../../database/connection';
@@ -6,6 +9,7 @@ import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
 import { assertRemoteUrlAllowed } from '../url-safety';
 import { DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer } from './download-directory-authorization';
 import { removePartialDownloadFile } from './download-file-path';
+import { resolveExistingDownloadIdentity } from './download-request-identity';
 import {
     assertDownloadMetadataArtworkDiffersFromStream,
     assertDownloadMetadataMatchesContentType,
@@ -117,7 +121,7 @@ export function parseStoredHeaders(
 export async function startDownloadRequest(
     data: StartDownloadRequest,
     authorizer: DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer
-): Promise<{ success: boolean; error?: string; id?: number }> {
+): Promise<ElectronBridgeDownloadStartResult> {
     const encodedMetadataSnapshot =
         data.metadataSnapshot === undefined
             ? undefined
@@ -146,22 +150,18 @@ export async function startDownloadRequest(
         .from(schema.playlists)
         .where(eq(schema.playlists.id, data.playlistId))
         .limit(1);
-    const existing = await db
-        .select()
-        .from(schema.downloads)
-        .where(
-            and(
-                eq(schema.downloads.playlistId, data.playlistId),
-                eq(schema.downloads.xtreamId, data.xtreamId),
-                eq(schema.downloads.contentType, data.contentType)
-            )
-        )
-        .limit(1);
+    const identity = await resolveExistingDownloadIdentity(db, data);
+    if (identity.kind === 'conflict') {
+        return {
+            error: 'Download identity conflict',
+            success: false,
+        };
+    }
     const fileName = createFileName(data.title, data.url);
     const headers = createHeaders(data.headers);
 
-    if (existing.length > 0) {
-        const item = existing[0];
+    if (identity.kind === 'match') {
+        const item = identity.item;
         if (normalizedMetadataSnapshot) {
             assertDownloadMetadataMatchesContentType(
                 normalizedMetadataSnapshot,
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ export async function startDownloadRequest(
             return {
                 error: 'Download already in progress',
                 id: item.id,
+                reason: 'already-in-progress',
                 success: false,
             };
         }
@@ -220,6 +221,9 @@ export async function startDownloadRequest(
                 totalBytes: null,
                 updatedAt: sql`CURRENT_TIMESTAMP`,
                 url: data.url,
+                ...(identity.migrateCanonicalId
+                    ? { xtreamId: data.xtreamId }
+                    : {}),
             })
             .where(eq(schema.downloads.id, item.id));
         enqueueDownload({