diff --git a/.changes/downloads-vod-reliability.md b/.changes/downloads-vod-reliability.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..899f97e5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/downloads-vod-reliability.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+type: fix
+area: downloads
+issues: [897, 1289]
+---
+
+Xtream movie and episode downloads now keep their provider-compatible identity from the first request through legacy retries after source removal. Recoverable connection drops retain validated partials and show a credential-safe code; Retry resumes only with ETag or Last-Modified, otherwise it safely restarts.
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 120fb100e..32868bb61 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -911,6 +911,19 @@ engine` (restart required) or
 
 **Download Manager**:
 
+- Fresh Xtream movie and series-episode downloads propagate the playlist's
+  User-Agent, Referer, and Origin, defaulting User-Agent to the same
+  provider-compatible `XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT` used by API requests and
+  stream probes. Retry, resume, and missing-file
+  recovery also add the fallback to legacy Xtream rows that have no stored
+  User-Agent. Because download rows survive source deletion, a headerless
+  legacy row whose playlist is already absent receives the same IPTV-player
+  fallback; a known Stalker row remains unchanged. Allowlisted connection
+  resets after bytes reach disk retain the partial and show a credential-safe
+  `DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED` code only when the response supplied a strong
+  ETag or Last-Modified validator. Retry then continues with Range/If-Range;
+  without a validator it starts from byte zero and overwrites the unverified
+  partial instead of risking mixed-representation corruption.
 - The desktop-only manager shares one global download store across the global,
   Xtream-scoped, and Stalker-scoped routes. Completed movie and grouped-series
   cards use the global Small/Medium/Large cover-grid tokens; missing completed
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/download-reliability.e2e.ts b/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/download-reliability.e2e.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..13b69fe11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/download-reliability.e2e.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, statSync } from 'fs';
+import { join } from 'path';
+import type { Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import {
+    addXtreamPortal,
+    closeElectronApp,
+    expect,
+    launchElectronApp,
+    resetMockServers,
+    test,
+    waitForXtreamWorkspaceReady,
+} from './electron-test-fixtures';
+import {
+    createInterruptedRangeServer,
+    INTERRUPTED_RANGE_SERVER_ETAG,
+    startDownload,
+} from './downloads.e2e-support';
+
+async function openDownloadsPage(page: Page): Promise<void> {
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Open downloads' }).click();
+    await page.waitForURL(/\/workspace\/downloads(?:\?.*)?$/);
+}
+
+async function getPlaylistId(page: Page, title: string): Promise<string> {
+    const playlists = await page.evaluate(
+        async () => (await window.electron?.dbGetAppPlaylistMetas?.()) ?? []
+    );
+    const playlist = playlists.find((entry) => entry.title === title);
+    expect(playlist, `playlist "${title}" should exist`).toBeDefined();
+    return playlist?._id ?? '';
+}
+
+test.describe('Electron download reliability', () => {
+    test('@downloads @electron retains a network-interrupted partial and retries it with HTTP Range', async ({
+        dataDir,
+        request,
+    }) => {
+        await resetMockServers(request, ['xtream']);
+        const rangeServer = await createInterruptedRangeServer();
+        const app = await launchElectronApp(dataDir);
+
+        try {
+            await addXtreamPortal(app.mainWindow, {
+                name: 'Reset Portal',
+                username: 'user1',
+                password: 'pass1',
+            });
+            await waitForXtreamWorkspaceReady(app.mainWindow);
+            await openDownloadsPage(app.mainWindow);
+
+            const downloadsDir = join(dataDir, 'e2e-reset-downloads');
+            mkdirSync(downloadsDir, { recursive: true });
+            await app.electronApp.evaluate(({ dialog }, folder) => {
+                dialog.showOpenDialog = async () =>
+                    ({
+                        canceled: false,
+                        filePaths: [folder],
+                    }) as Awaited<ReturnType<typeof dialog.showOpenDialog>>;
+            }, downloadsDir);
+            await app.mainWindow
+                .getByRole('button', { name: 'Change Folder' })
+                .click();
+
+            const playlistId = await getPlaylistId(
+                app.mainWindow,
+                'Reset Portal'
+            );
+            const downloadId = await startDownload(app.mainWindow, {
+                playlistId,
+                xtreamId: 9801,
+                contentType: 'vod',
+                title: 'E2E Reset Movie',
+                url: rangeServer.url,
+                downloadFolder: downloadsDir,
+            });
+            const item = app.mainWindow.getByTestId(
+                `download-queue-item-${downloadId}`
+            );
+            await expect(item.locator('.download-queue__status')).toContainText(
+                'Failed',
+                { timeout: 30000 }
+            );
+            await expect(item.locator('.download-queue__error')).toContainText(
+                'DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED (ECONNRESET)'
+            );
+
+            const partialPath = join(downloadsDir, 'E2E Reset Movie.mp4.part');
+            expect(statSync(partialPath).size).toBe(
+                rangeServer.interruptedBytes
+            );
+
+            await item
+                .getByRole('button', { name: 'Retry E2E Reset Movie' })
+                .click();
+            await expect(
+                app.mainWindow.getByTestId(
+                    `download-library-movie-${downloadId}`
+                )
+            ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30000 });
+
+            const resumeRequest = rangeServer.requests.find(
+                (entry) => entry.range
+            );
+            expect(resumeRequest?.range).toBe(
+                `bytes=${rangeServer.interruptedBytes}-`
+            );
+            expect(resumeRequest?.ifRange).toBe(INTERRUPTED_RANGE_SERVER_ETAG);
+            const finalFile = readFileSync(
+                join(downloadsDir, 'E2E Reset Movie.mp4')
+            );
+            expect(finalFile.equals(rangeServer.payload)).toBe(true);
+        } finally {
+            await closeElectronApp(app);
+            await rangeServer.close();
+        }
+    });
+});
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/downloads.e2e-support.ts b/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/downloads.e2e-support.ts
index fc7997f78..2ec21c4ab 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/downloads.e2e-support.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/downloads.e2e-support.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ interface ThrottledRangeServer {
     url: string;
 }
 
+interface InterruptedRangeServer extends ThrottledRangeServer {
+    interruptedBytes: number;
+}
+
 interface TruncatedDownloadServer {
     close: () => Promise<void>;
     payload: Buffer;
@@ -39,6 +43,7 @@ interface TruncatedDownloadServer {
 }
 
 export const RANGE_SERVER_ETAG = '"e2e-range-etag"';
+export const INTERRUPTED_RANGE_SERVER_ETAG = '"e2e-reset-etag"';
 const downloadPlayCaptureKey = '__iptvnatorE2eDownloadPlayPaths';
 
 export function getStalkerSeriesDownloadTarget(
@@ -172,6 +177,63 @@ export async function createThrottledRangeServer(
     };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resets the first full response after writing a valid prefix, then serves the
+ * remainder to a Range retry. This matches a provider/proxy connection drop
+ * without manufacturing a clean EOF.
+ */
+export async function createInterruptedRangeServer(): Promise<InterruptedRangeServer> {
+    const payload = Buffer.alloc(64 * 1024, 9);
+    const interruptedBytes = 16 * 1024;
+    const requests: RangeServerRequest[] = [];
+
+    const server = createServer((req, res) => {
+        const range = req.headers.range;
+        const ifRange = req.headers['if-range'];
+        requests.push({
+            ifRange: typeof ifRange === 'string' ? ifRange : undefined,
+            range: typeof range === 'string' ? range : undefined,
+        });
+
+        const offset = range
+            ? Number(/^bytes=(\d+)-$/.exec(range)?.[1] ?? Number.NaN)
+            : 0;
+        if (range && Number.isFinite(offset)) {
+            res.writeHead(206, {
+                'Content-Length': payload.length - offset,
+                'Content-Range': `bytes ${offset}-${payload.length - 1}/${payload.length}`,
+                'Content-Type': 'video/mp4',
+                ETag: INTERRUPTED_RANGE_SERVER_ETAG,
+            });
+            res.end(payload.subarray(offset));
+            return;
+        }
+
+        res.writeHead(200, {
+            'Content-Length': payload.length,
+            'Content-Type': 'video/mp4',
+            ETag: INTERRUPTED_RANGE_SERVER_ETAG,
+        });
+        res.write(payload.subarray(0, interruptedBytes), () => {
+            setTimeout(() => res.socket?.destroy(), 20);
+        });
+    });
+
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) =>
+        server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve)
+    );
+    const { port } = server.address() as AddressInfo;
+
+    return {
+        close: () =>
+            new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.close(() => resolve())),
+        interruptedBytes,
+        payload,
+        requests,
+        url: `http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/e2e-reset-movie.mp4`,
+    };
+}
+
 /**
  * Ends a chunked response cleanly while Content-Range advertises a larger
  * representation. The runtime therefore retains the valid .part for a Range
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-finalize.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-finalize.ts
index 955fe1ac4..152d1ebff 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-finalize.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-finalize.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,16 @@ import type {
     DownloadTask,
     TransferProgress,
 } from './download-task';
-import { describeError, TruncatedTransferError } from './download-transfer';
+import {
+    describeError,
+    InterruptedTransferError,
+    TruncatedTransferError,
+} from './download-transfer';
 
 /**
  * Persistence for a failed startDownload() attempt, after its cancel/pause
- * checkpoints have been ruled out. Chooses between: retaining a truncated
- * transfer for a Range retry, committing an already-finalized file,
+ * checkpoints have been ruled out. Chooses between: retaining a recoverable
+ * partial for a Range retry, committing an already-finalized file,
  * retaining a completed partial, or the generic delete-partial failure.
  */
 export async function handleDownloadFailure(
@@ -28,8 +32,12 @@ export async function handleDownloadFailure(
     reservation: ReservedPartialDownloadFile | undefined,
     error: unknown
 ): Promise<void> {
-    if (error instanceof TruncatedTransferError && reservation) {
-        // The short response is retained so a retry can continue the
+    if (
+        (error instanceof TruncatedTransferError ||
+            error instanceof InterruptedTransferError) &&
+        reservation
+    ) {
+        // The recoverable partial is retained so a retry can continue the
         // transfer via Range instead of starting over.
         await persistCompletedPartialFailure(
             db,
@@ -338,7 +346,9 @@ function canCopyCompletedPartialAfterLinkFailure(error: unknown): boolean {
 }
 
 /** @returns false when a .part exists but could not be deleted. */
-export function removePartialFile(filePath: string | null | undefined): boolean {
+export function removePartialFile(
+    filePath: string | null | undefined
+): boolean {
     try {
         removePartialDownloadFile(filePath);
         return true;
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.spec.ts
index 1514e50b2..1a1d0b91a 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.spec.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ interface SetupOptions {
     cleanupError?: Error;
     claim?: { changes: number };
     fileReappeared?: boolean;
+    playlistType?: 'xtream' | 'stalker';
     row?: Record<string, unknown> | null;
     urlError?: Error;
 }
@@ -25,13 +26,18 @@ async function setup(options: SetupOptions = {}) {
                   url: 'https://example.test/movie.mp4',
                   ...options.row,
               };
-    const limit = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(row ? [row] : []);
+    const downloadLimit = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(row ? [row] : []);
+    const playlistLimit = jest
+        .fn()
+        .mockResolvedValue([{ type: options.playlistType ?? 'stalker' }]);
     const where = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(options.claim ?? { changes: 1 });
     const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where }));
     const db = {
-        select: jest.fn(() => ({
+        select: jest.fn((selection?: unknown) => ({
             from: jest.fn(() => ({
-                where: jest.fn(() => ({ limit })),
+                where: jest.fn(() => ({
+                    limit: selection ? playlistLimit : downloadLimit,
+                })),
             })),
         })),
         update: jest.fn(() => ({ set })),
@@ -118,6 +124,27 @@ describe('redownload missing completed file', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('adds the Xtream fallback User-Agent to a legacy row', async () => {
+        const harness = await setup({
+            playlistType: 'xtream',
+            row: {
+                playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+                requestHeaders: null,
+            },
+        });
+
+        await expect(harness.redownloadMissingRequest(42)).resolves.toEqual({
+            success: true,
+        });
+        expect(harness.enqueueDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                headers: {
+                    'User-Agent': 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18',
+                },
+            })
+        );
+    });
+
     it('recovers a file that reappeared without updating or enqueueing', async () => {
         const harness = await setup({ fileReappeared: true });
 
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.ts
index b34f49f2c..fd9aa8d44 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-redownload.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
 import { assertRemoteUrlAllowed } from '../url-safety';
 import { isAvailableDownloadFile } from './download-file-availability';
 import { removePartialDownloadFile } from './download-file-path';
-import { parseStoredHeaders } from './download-requests';
+import { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } from './download-request-headers';
 import { enqueueDownload } from './download-runtime';
 
 export interface RedownloadMissingResult {
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ export async function redownloadMissingRequest(
     }
 
     await assertRemoteUrlAllowed(item.url, { allowPrivateNetworks: true });
+    const headers = await resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, item);
 
     try {
         removePartialDownloadFile(item.filePath);
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ export async function redownloadMissingRequest(
         directory: dirname(item.filePath),
         fileName: basename(item.filePath),
         filePath: item.filePath,
-        headers: parseStoredHeaders(item.requestHeaders),
+        headers,
         id: item.id,
         resumeValidator: null,
         totalBytes: null,
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..050c6df61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import type { DownloadsDatabase } from './download-task';
+
+function createDatabase(playlistType?: 'xtream' | 'stalker') {
+    const limit = jest
+        .fn()
+        .mockResolvedValue(playlistType ? [{ type: playlistType }] : []);
+    const db = {
+        select: jest.fn(() => ({
+            from: jest.fn(() => ({
+                where: jest.fn(() => ({ limit })),
+            })),
+        })),
+    } as unknown as DownloadsDatabase;
+    return { db, select: db.select };
+}
+
+describe('stored download request headers', () => {
+    it('adds the provider-compatible fallback for a legacy Xtream row', async () => {
+        const { db } = createDatabase('xtream');
+        const { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } =
+            await import('./download-request-headers');
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, {
+                playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+                requestHeaders: JSON.stringify({
+                    Authorization: 'not-allowed',
+                    Referer: 'https://example.test/',
+                }),
+            })
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            Referer: 'https://example.test/',
+            'User-Agent': 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18',
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('does not add the Xtream fallback to a Stalker row', async () => {
+        const { db } = createDatabase('stalker');
+        const { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } =
+            await import('./download-request-headers');
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, {
+                playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+                requestHeaders: null,
+            })
+        ).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it('adds the player fallback when a legacy row outlives its deleted source', async () => {
+        const { db } = createDatabase();
+        const { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } =
+            await import('./download-request-headers');
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, {
+                playlistId: 'deleted-playlist',
+                requestHeaders: null,
+            })
+        ).resolves.toEqual({
+            'User-Agent': 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18',
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('preserves an explicit stored User-Agent without querying the playlist', async () => {
+        const { db, select } = createDatabase('xtream');
+        const { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } =
+            await import('./download-request-headers');
+
+        await expect(
+            resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, {
+                playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+                requestHeaders: JSON.stringify({
+                    'User-Agent': 'Custom/1.0',
+                }),
+            })
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ 'User-Agent': 'Custom/1.0' });
+        expect(select).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f19754f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-request-headers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
+import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
+import type { DownloadsDatabase } from './download-task';
+
+const STORED_HEADER_ALLOWLIST = ['User-Agent', 'Origin', 'Referer'] as const;
+
+export function parseStoredHeaders(
+    value: string | null | undefined
+): Record<string, string> | undefined {
+    if (!value) {
+        return undefined;
+    }
+
+    try {
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(value) as unknown;
+        if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object' || Array.isArray(parsed)) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
+
+        // Re-apply the write-time allowlist so a tampered or imported
+        // database row cannot smuggle arbitrary headers into requests.
+        const entries = parsed as Record<string, unknown>;
+        const headers = STORED_HEADER_ALLOWLIST.reduce<Record<string, string>>(
+            (acc, key) => {
+                const headerValue = entries[key];
+                if (typeof headerValue === 'string') {
+                    acc[key] = headerValue;
+                }
+                return acc;
+            },
+            {}
+        );
+        return Object.keys(headers).length > 0 ? headers : undefined;
+    } catch {
+        return undefined;
+    }
+}
+
+export async function resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(
+    db: DownloadsDatabase,
+    item: { playlistId: string; requestHeaders: string | null | undefined }
+): Promise<Record<string, string> | undefined> {
+    const headers = parseStoredHeaders(item.requestHeaders);
+    if (headers?.['User-Agent']?.trim()) {
+        return headers;
+    }
+
+    const playlists = await db
+        .select({ type: schema.playlists.type })
+        .from(schema.playlists)
+        .where(eq(schema.playlists.id, item.playlistId))
+        .limit(1);
+    const playlistType = playlists[0]?.type;
+    if (playlistType !== undefined && playlistType !== 'xtream') {
+        return headers;
+    }
+
+    // Download rows intentionally survive individual playlist deletion. Older
+    // rows have no stored provider marker, so a missing source must use the
+    // IPTV-player fallback as the only recoverable identity-compatible default.
+    return {
+        ...headers,
+        'User-Agent': XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
+    };
+}
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..8e4af8d69 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
@@ -384,6 +384,66 @@ describe('download request metadata snapshots', () => {
 });
 
 describe('download requests resume', () => {
+    it('adds the Xtream fallback User-Agent to a legacy paused row', async () => {
+        jest.resetModules();
+        const schema = await import('../../database/schema');
+        const row = {
+            filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+            id: 42,
+            playlistId: 'playlist-1',
+            requestHeaders: null,
+            resumeValidator: '"etag-9"',
+            status: 'paused',
+            title: 'Movie',
+            totalBytes: 100,
+            url: 'https://example.test/movie.mp4',
+        };
+        const downloadLimit = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([row]);
+        const playlistLimit = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ type: 'xtream' }]);
+        const db = {
+            select: jest.fn(() => ({
+                from: jest.fn((table: unknown) => ({
+                    where: jest.fn(() => ({
+                        limit:
+                            table === schema.playlists
+                                ? playlistLimit
+                                : downloadLimit,
+                    })),
+                })),
+            })),
+            update: jest.fn(() => ({
+                set: jest.fn(() => ({
+                    where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ changes: 1 }),
+                })),
+            })),
+        };
+        const enqueueDownload = jest.fn();
+        const authorizer = {
+            requireAuthorized: jest.fn(async (directory: string) => directory),
+        } as unknown as DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer;
+
+        jest.doMock('../../database/connection', () => ({
+            getDatabase: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(db),
+        }));
+        jest.doMock('../url-safety', () => ({
+            assertRemoteUrlAllowed: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
+        jest.doMock('./download-runtime', () => ({ enqueueDownload }));
+
+        const { resumeDownloadRequest } = await import('./download-requests');
+        await expect(
+            resumeDownloadRequest(42, '/unused', authorizer)
+        ).resolves.toEqual({ success: true });
+
+        expect(enqueueDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                headers: {
+                    'User-Agent': 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18',
+                },
+            })
+        );
+    });
+
     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..5acc8d25a 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-requests.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import * as schema from '../../database/schema';
 import { assertRemoteUrlAllowed } from '../url-safety';
 import { DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer } from './download-directory-authorization';
 import { removePartialDownloadFile } from './download-file-path';
+import { resolveStoredDownloadHeaders } from './download-request-headers';
 import {
     assertDownloadMetadataArtworkDiffersFromStream,
     assertDownloadMetadataMatchesContentType,
@@ -80,40 +81,6 @@ function serializeHeaders(
     return headers ? JSON.stringify(headers) : null;
 }
 
-const STORED_HEADER_ALLOWLIST = ['User-Agent', 'Origin', 'Referer'] as const;
-
-export function parseStoredHeaders(
-    value: string | null
-): Record<string, string> | undefined {
-    if (!value) {
-        return undefined;
-    }
-
-    try {
-        const parsed = JSON.parse(value) as unknown;
-        if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object' || Array.isArray(parsed)) {
-            return undefined;
-        }
-
-        // Re-apply the write-time allowlist so a tampered or imported
-        // database row cannot smuggle arbitrary headers into requests.
-        const entries = parsed as Record<string, unknown>;
-        const headers = STORED_HEADER_ALLOWLIST.reduce<Record<string, string>>(
-            (acc, key) => {
-                const headerValue = entries[key];
-                if (typeof headerValue === 'string') {
-                    acc[key] = headerValue;
-                }
-                return acc;
-            },
-            {}
-        );
-        return Object.keys(headers).length > 0 ? headers : undefined;
-    } catch {
-        return undefined;
-    }
-}
-
 export async function startDownloadRequest(
     data: StartDownloadRequest,
     authorizer: DownloadDirectoryAuthorizer
@@ -320,6 +287,7 @@ export async function retryDownloadRequest(
     const fileName = retainedFilePath
         ? basename(retainedFilePath)
         : createFileName(item.title, item.url);
+    const headers = await resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, item);
     const queuedUpdate = retainedFilePath
         ? {
               errorMessage: null,
@@ -345,7 +313,7 @@ export async function retryDownloadRequest(
         directory,
         fileName,
         filePath: retainedFilePath,
-        headers: parseStoredHeaders(item.requestHeaders),
+        headers,
         id: item.id,
         resumeValidator: retainedFilePath ? item.resumeValidator : null,
         totalBytes: retainedFilePath ? item.totalBytes : null,
@@ -388,6 +356,7 @@ export async function resumeDownloadRequest(
     const fileName = item.filePath
         ? basename(item.filePath)
         : createFileName(item.title, item.url);
+    const headers = await resolveStoredDownloadHeaders(db, item);
 
     // Claim the row atomically: a concurrent resume for the same id loses
     // this conditional update and must not enqueue a second task.
@@ -416,7 +385,7 @@ export async function resumeDownloadRequest(
         directory,
         fileName,
         filePath: item.filePath,
-        headers: parseStoredHeaders(item.requestHeaders),
+        headers,
         id: item.id,
         resumeValidator: item.resumeValidator,
         totalBytes: item.totalBytes,
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-reserve.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-reserve.spec.ts
index 46941058f..bf8cea9f5 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-reserve.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-reserve.spec.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ describe('destination collision handling', () => {
         runtime.enqueueDownload({
             ...createTask(),
             filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+            resumeValidator: '"etag-1"',
             totalBytes: 100,
         });
         await waitForStatus(set, 'completed');
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-resume.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-resume.spec.ts
index 5688fa4cc..1e68b016f 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-resume.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-resume.spec.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ interface ResumeHarness {
 
 interface ResumeHarnessOptions {
     partialSize: number;
+    partialSizeAfterTransferError?: number;
     response: {
         data: Readable;
         headers: Record<string, string>;
@@ -82,7 +83,12 @@ async function setupResumeHarness(
     }));
     jest.doMock('./download-file-path', () => ({
         getPartialDownloadPath: (filePath: string) => `${filePath}.part`,
-        getPartialDownloadSize: jest.fn(() => options.partialSize),
+        getPartialDownloadSize: jest
+            .fn()
+            .mockReturnValueOnce(options.partialSize)
+            .mockReturnValue(
+                options.partialSizeAfterTransferError ?? options.partialSize
+            ),
         removePartialDownloadFile,
         reserveAvailablePartialDownloadFile: jest.fn(
             (directory: string, filename: string) => ({
@@ -145,6 +151,34 @@ describe('download resume validation', () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it('restarts without Range when a retained partial has no validator', async () => {
+        const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
+            finalSize: 4,
+            partialSize: 50,
+            response: {
+                data: Readable.from([Buffer.from('full')]),
+                headers: { 'content-length': '4', etag: '"etag-new"' },
+                status: 200,
+            },
+        });
+
+        harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(
+            createTask({
+                filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                totalBytes: 54,
+            })
+        );
+        await waitForStatus(harness.set, 'completed');
+
+        const requestOptions =
+            harness.requestWithValidatedRedirects.mock.calls[0][1];
+        expect(requestOptions.headers).toEqual({});
+        expect(harness.createWriteStream).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            '/downloads/movie.mp4.part',
+            { flags: 'w' }
+        );
+    });
+
     it('restarts from byte zero when a resume request is answered with 200', async () => {
         const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
             finalSize: 4,
@@ -209,6 +243,7 @@ describe('download resume validation', () => {
             harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(
                 createTask({
                     filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                    resumeValidator: '"etag-1"',
                     totalBytes: 54,
                 })
             );
@@ -245,6 +280,7 @@ describe('download resume validation', () => {
             harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(
                 createTask({
                     filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                    resumeValidator: '"etag-1"',
                     totalBytes: 100,
                 })
             );
@@ -264,6 +300,191 @@ describe('download resume validation', () => {
         }
     });
 
+    it('retains received bytes when the connection resets mid-transfer', async () => {
+        const body = new PassThrough();
+        const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
+            finalSize: 'enoent',
+            partialSize: 0,
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 20,
+            response: {
+                data: body,
+                headers: {
+                    'content-length': '100',
+                    etag: '"etag-reset"',
+                },
+                status: 200,
+            },
+        });
+        const consoleError = jest
+            .spyOn(console, 'error')
+            .mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+
+        try {
+            harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(createTask());
+            while (
+                harness.requestWithValidatedRedirects.mock.calls.length < 1
+            ) {
+                await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+            }
+
+            body.write(Buffer.alloc(20, 'r'));
+            const resetError = new Error(
+                'socket hang up'
+            ) as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+            resetError.code = 'ECONNRESET';
+            body.destroy(resetError);
+            await waitForStatus(harness.set, 'failed');
+
+            expect(harness.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    bytesDownloaded: 20,
+                    errorMessage:
+                        'DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED (ECONNRESET): Retry to continue from the saved partial file',
+                    filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                    status: 'failed',
+                    totalBytes: 100,
+                })
+            );
+            expect(harness.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    resumeValidator: '"etag-reset"',
+                })
+            );
+            expect(harness.removePartialDownloadFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        } finally {
+            consoleError.mockRestore();
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('retains an existing partial when a resumed response resets before another byte', async () => {
+        const body = new PassThrough();
+        const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
+            finalSize: 'enoent',
+            partialSize: 40,
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 40,
+            response: {
+                data: body,
+                headers: { 'content-range': 'bytes 40-99/100' },
+                status: 206,
+            },
+        });
+        const consoleError = jest
+            .spyOn(console, 'error')
+            .mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+
+        try {
+            harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(
+                createTask({
+                    filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                    resumeValidator: '"etag-reset"',
+                    totalBytes: 100,
+                })
+            );
+            while (
+                harness.requestWithValidatedRedirects.mock.calls.length < 1
+            ) {
+                await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+            }
+
+            const resetError = new Error(
+                'socket hang up'
+            ) as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+            resetError.code = 'ECONNRESET';
+            body.destroy(resetError);
+            await waitForStatus(harness.set, 'failed');
+
+            expect(harness.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                expect.objectContaining({
+                    bytesDownloaded: 40,
+                    errorMessage:
+                        'DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED (ECONNRESET): Retry to continue from the saved partial file',
+                    filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+                    status: 'failed',
+                    totalBytes: 100,
+                })
+            );
+            expect(harness.removePartialDownloadFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        } finally {
+            consoleError.mockRestore();
+        }
+    });
+
+    it.each([
+        {
+            code: 'EUNKNOWN',
+            headers: { 'content-length': '100' },
+            label: 'unknown stream error',
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 20,
+        },
+        {
+            code: 'ECONNRESET',
+            headers: {},
+            label: 'response without an advertised total',
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 20,
+        },
+        {
+            code: 'ECONNRESET',
+            headers: { 'content-length': '100' },
+            label: 'response without a representation validator',
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 20,
+        },
+        {
+            code: 'ECONNRESET',
+            headers: { 'content-length': '100' },
+            label: 'fresh zero-byte failure',
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 0,
+        },
+        {
+            code: 'ECONNRESET',
+            headers: { 'content-length': '100' },
+            label: 'partial larger than the advertised total',
+            partialSizeAfterTransferError: 101,
+        },
+    ])(
+        'uses generic cleanup for $label',
+        async ({ code, headers, partialSizeAfterTransferError }) => {
+            const body = new PassThrough();
+            const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
+                finalSize: 'enoent',
+                partialSize: 0,
+                partialSizeAfterTransferError,
+                response: { data: body, headers, status: 200 },
+            });
+            const consoleError = jest
+                .spyOn(console, 'error')
+                .mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+
+            try {
+                harness.runtime.enqueueDownload(createTask());
+                while (
+                    harness.requestWithValidatedRedirects.mock.calls.length < 1
+                ) {
+                    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+                }
+
+                const streamError = new Error(
+                    'socket hang up'
+                ) as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+                streamError.code = code;
+                body.destroy(streamError);
+                await waitForStatus(harness.set, 'failed');
+
+                expect(harness.removePartialDownloadFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    '/downloads/movie.mp4'
+                );
+                expect(harness.set).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+                    expect.objectContaining({
+                        errorMessage: 'socket hang up',
+                        filePath: null,
+                        status: 'failed',
+                    })
+                );
+            } finally {
+                consoleError.mockRestore();
+            }
+        }
+    );
+
     it('captures a strong ETag from the first response for later resumes', async () => {
         const harness = await setupResumeHarness({
             finalSize: 4,
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-runtime.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-runtime.spec.ts
index 9856b8de9..ce818eb86 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-runtime.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-runtime.spec.ts
@@ -42,17 +42,16 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
     it('persists active pause without deleting the partial file', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
 
-        const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) }));
+        const set = jest.fn(() => ({
+            where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
         const db = {
             update: jest.fn(() => ({ set })),
         };
         const removePartialDownloadFile = jest.fn();
         const stream = new PassThrough();
         const requestWithValidatedRedirects = jest.fn(
-            async (
-                _url: string,
-                options: { signal?: AbortSignal }
-            ) => {
+            async (_url: string, options: { signal?: AbortSignal }) => {
                 options.signal?.addEventListener('abort', () => {
                     stream.destroy(new Error('aborted'));
                 });
@@ -119,10 +118,12 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
         }
     });
 
-    it('uses an HTTP Range header when a partial file already exists', async () => {
+    it('uses an HTTP Range header when a validated partial file already exists', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
 
-        const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) }));
+        const set = jest.fn(() => ({
+            where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
         const db = {
             update: jest.fn(() => ({ set })),
         };
@@ -168,13 +169,17 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
         runtime.enqueueDownload({
             ...createTask(),
             filePath: '/downloads/movie.mp4',
+            resumeValidator: '"etag-1"',
         });
         await waitForCallCount(requestWithValidatedRedirects, 1);
 
         expect(requestWithValidatedRedirects).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'https://example.test/movie.mp4',
             expect.objectContaining({
-                headers: expect.objectContaining({ Range: 'bytes=50-' }),
+                headers: expect.objectContaining({
+                    'If-Range': '"etag-1"',
+                    Range: 'bytes=50-',
+                }),
             }),
             { allowPrivateNetworks: true }
         );
@@ -184,7 +189,9 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
     it('deletes a queued resumed partial file when the queued task is canceled', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
 
-        const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) }));
+        const set = jest.fn(() => ({
+            where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
         const db = {
             update: jest.fn(() => ({ set })),
         };
@@ -271,7 +278,9 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
     it('retains the partial path when canceling a queued task whose partial cannot be deleted', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
 
-        const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) }));
+        const set = jest.fn(() => ({
+            where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
         const db = { update: jest.fn(() => ({ set })) };
         const removePartialDownloadFile = jest.fn(() => {
             throw new Error('EPERM: locked');
@@ -338,7 +347,9 @@ describe('download runtime pause and resume', () => {
     it('retains the partial path when canceling a paused row whose partial cannot be deleted', async () => {
         jest.resetModules();
 
-        const set = jest.fn(() => ({ where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined) }));
+        const set = jest.fn(() => ({
+            where: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        }));
         const db = {
             select: jest.fn(() => ({
                 from: jest.fn(() => ({
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-transfer.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-transfer.ts
index cb8df4a81..638d89a53 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-transfer.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-transfer.ts
@@ -34,12 +34,39 @@ export class TruncatedTransferError extends Error {
     }
 }
 
+const RETAINABLE_NETWORK_ERROR_CODES = new Set([
+    'ECONNABORTED',
+    'ECONNRESET',
+    'EPIPE',
+    'ETIMEDOUT',
+    'ERR_HTTP2_STREAM_CANCEL',
+    'ERR_HTTP2_STREAM_ERROR',
+    'ERR_STREAM_PREMATURE_CLOSE',
+]);
+
+export class InterruptedTransferError extends Error {
+    constructor(
+        readonly progress: TransferProgress,
+        networkCode: string
+    ) {
+        super(
+            `DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED (${networkCode}): Retry to continue from the saved partial file`
+        );
+    }
+}
+
 export async function transferToPartialFile(
     db: DownloadsDatabase,
     task: DownloadTask,
     reservation: ReservedPartialDownloadFile
 ): Promise<TransferProgress> {
-    const resumeOffset = getResumeOffset(task, reservation);
+    const retainedOffset = getResumeOffset(task, reservation);
+    const resumeOffset = task.resumeValidator ? retainedOffset : 0;
+    if (retainedOffset > 0 && resumeOffset === 0) {
+        console.warn(
+            `[Downloads] Restarting ${reservation.filename} from the beginning (saved partial has no ETag or Last-Modified validator)`
+        );
+    }
 
     const headers = {
         ...(task.headers ?? {}),
@@ -130,6 +157,22 @@ export async function transferToPartialFile(
 
     try {
         await pipeline(readable, output);
+    } catch (error) {
+        const interruptedProgress = getInterruptedTransferProgress(
+            error,
+            reservation,
+            effectiveOffset,
+            totalBytes,
+            task.resumeValidator
+        );
+        if (interruptedProgress) {
+            await persistProgress(db, task, interruptedProgress.progress);
+            throw new InterruptedTransferError(
+                interruptedProgress.progress,
+                interruptedProgress.networkCode
+            );
+        }
+        throw error;
     } finally {
         abortController.signal.removeEventListener('abort', abortStream);
     }
@@ -141,6 +184,40 @@ export async function transferToPartialFile(
     return { bytesDownloaded, totalBytes };
 }
 
+function getInterruptedTransferProgress(
+    error: unknown,
+    reservation: ReservedPartialDownloadFile,
+    initialBytes: number,
+    totalBytes: number | null,
+    resumeValidator: string | null | undefined
+): { networkCode: string; progress: TransferProgress } | null {
+    const networkCode =
+        error && typeof error === 'object' && 'code' in error
+            ? String(error.code)
+            : '';
+    if (
+        !RETAINABLE_NETWORK_ERROR_CODES.has(networkCode) ||
+        totalBytes === null ||
+        !resumeValidator
+    ) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    const bytesDownloaded = getPartialDownloadSize(reservation.path);
+    if (
+        bytesDownloaded === 0 ||
+        bytesDownloaded < initialBytes ||
+        bytesDownloaded >= totalBytes
+    ) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    return {
+        networkCode,
+        progress: { bytesDownloaded, totalBytes },
+    };
+}
+
 function getResumeOffset(
     task: DownloadTask,
     reservation: ReservedPartialDownloadFile
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/stream-probe.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/stream-probe.ts
index 760b6f20f..1870c773f 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/stream-probe.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/stream-probe.ts
@@ -13,13 +13,10 @@
 
 import axios, { AxiosRequestConfig } from 'axios';
 import { ipcMain } from 'electron';
+import { XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import { UnsafeUrlError } from './url-safety';
 import { requestWithValidatedRedirects } from '../util/validated-axios';
 
-// Some Xtream panels sit behind Cloudflare (or similar WAFs) configured to
-// challenge generic browser-looking User-Agents while allowlisting known
-// IPTV player clients. A VLC-style User-Agent reliably passes those checks.
-const PROBE_CLIENT_USER_AGENT = 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18';
 const PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000;
 
 export interface StreamProbePayload {
@@ -64,7 +61,7 @@ export async function runStreamProbe(
             // The playlist's own User-Agent wins when it has one: the default
             // below is a guess that merely gets past most WAFs, while that
             // one is what the server was configured to expect.
-            'User-Agent': payload.userAgent?.trim() || PROBE_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
+            'User-Agent': payload.userAgent?.trim() || XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
             ...(payload.referer?.trim()
                 ? { Referer: payload.referer.trim() }
                 : {}),
@@ -95,8 +92,7 @@ export async function runStreamProbe(
         );
         // A ranged GET opens a stream we never read — release it immediately.
         const responseBody = response.data as
-            | { destroy?: () => void }
-            | undefined;
+            { destroy?: () => void } | undefined;
         responseBody?.destroy?.();
         return {
             status: response.status,
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/xtream.events.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/xtream.events.ts
index 6b43a3975..30f7349f4 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/xtream.events.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/xtream.events.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { ipcMain } from 'electron';
 import {
     PortalDebugEvent,
     XTREAM_CANCEL_SESSION,
+    XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
     XTREAM_MAIN_PERFORMANCE_PHASE,
     normalizeXtreamServerUrl,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
@@ -20,11 +21,6 @@ import {
 } from './xtream-performance';
 import { cancelXtreamSessionRequests } from './xtream-session-cancellation';
 
-// Some Xtream panels sit behind Cloudflare (or similar WAFs) configured to
-// challenge generic browser-looking User-Agents while allowlisting known
-// IPTV player clients. A VLC-style User-Agent reliably passes those checks.
-const XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT = 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18';
-
 export default class XtreamEvents {
     static bootstrapXtreamEvents(): Electron.IpcMain {
         return ipcMain;
diff --git a/docs/architecture/download-manager.md b/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
index 42825f6fc..1ccd77cbd 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ variants, contextual buttons, and theme-aware styling.
 - **Queue control (`apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-runtime.ts`)**
   `DownloadTask` mirrors a row of the shared `downloads` table (type `Download` in `libs/shared/database/src/lib/schema.ts`) plus transient cancel/pause/progress helpers (shared task types live in `download-task.ts`). Request validation and row creation live in `download-requests.ts`, while `downloads.events.ts` stays focused on IPC registration. `enqueueDownload()` pushes the task onto `downloadQueue` and triggers `processQueue()`. `processQueue()` keeps one active download, updates the row to `downloading`, and calls `startDownload()`. The byte transfer itself lives in `download-transfer.ts`, finalization and retained-partial persistence in `download-finalize.ts`, and the renderer update broadcast in `download-broadcast.ts`.
 - **Range-aware transfer (`download-transfer.ts`)**
-  The transfer streams the response through the backend's validated Axios redirect helper instead of `electron-dl`. Headers (user agent, referer, origin) are persisted in `request_headers` and re-applied through the same allowlist when read back on retry/resume. Active pause/cancel operations abort the current request with `AbortController`; pause keeps the partial file and cancel removes it. Resume checks the existing `.part` size (rejecting anything that is not a regular file, so a symlink planted while paused is never followed) and sends `Range: bytes=<offset>-` plus `If-Range` with the stored entity validator. The first response's strong `ETag` (or `Last-Modified`) is persisted in `resume_validator` for exactly this purpose. A `206 Partial Content` answer must start at the requested offset (`Content-Range` is verified) before bytes are appended; any other 2xx answer — the server ignoring `Range`, or `If-Range` detecting that the remote file changed — restarts the transfer from byte zero over the same `.part` instead of failing the download.
+  The transfer streams the response through the backend's validated Axios redirect helper instead of `electron-dl`. Headers (user agent, referer, origin) are persisted in `request_headers` and re-applied through the same allowlist when read back on retry/resume. Fresh Xtream movie and series-episode downloads propagate the playlist's configured headers, using its User-Agent when present and otherwise sharing the provider-compatible `XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT` used by Xtream API requests and stream probes. Retry, resume, and missing-file recovery resolve the owning playlist type and add that fallback to legacy Xtream rows without a stored User-Agent; known Stalker rows are left unchanged. Download rows deliberately outlive individually deleted playlists, so a headerless legacy row whose source no longer exists receives the same IPTV-player fallback because its original provider type cannot be recovered. Active pause/cancel operations abort the current request with `AbortController`; pause keeps the partial file and cancel removes it. Resume checks the existing `.part` size (rejecting anything that is not a regular file, so a symlink planted while paused is never followed). The first response's strong `ETag` (or `Last-Modified`) is persisted in `resume_validator`; only a partial carrying that validator may send `Range: bytes=<offset>-` plus `If-Range` and append bytes. A retained partial without a validator restarts from byte zero and overwrites its `.part`, so a changed remote representation can never be joined to an unverified prefix. A `206 Partial Content` answer must start at the requested offset (`Content-Range` is verified) before bytes are appended; any other 2xx answer — the server ignoring `Range`, or `If-Range` detecting that the remote file changed — restarts the transfer from byte zero over the same `.part` instead of failing the download.
 - **Destination collision policy**
   Existing destination files are never overwritten, inspected, or deleted.
   Before starting a new transfer, the backend atomically reserves a free
@@ -23,11 +23,14 @@ variants, contextual buttons, and theme-aware styling.
   retained `.part` is renamed aside and finalized to the next free numbered
   destination (`Movie (1).mp4`) instead of resolving the collision by size or
   `unlink()`. Completion creates the final `filePath` from the `.part` without
-  overwriting an existing file; cancel and ordinary transfer failures remove
-  the `.part`, while finalization failures and completed-partial failures
-  deliberately retain it (the row keeps `filePath` so a later retry can finish
-  without re-downloading); pause and restart recovery keep it for a later
-  resume. Re-downloading such a failed row from a detail page
+  overwriting an existing file; cancel and non-recoverable transfer failures
+  remove the `.part`, while finalization failures, completed-partial failures,
+  and allowlisted network interruptions after bytes reached disk with a stored
+  representation validator deliberately retain it (the row keeps `filePath`
+  so a later retry can finish without re-downloading); pause and restart
+  recovery keep partials, but a later retry starts over when no validator was
+  available.
+  Re-downloading such a failed row from a detail page
   (`DOWNLOADS_START`) deletes the retained `.part` before the row is reset.
 - **Derived file readiness and recovery**
   `DOWNLOADS_GET_LIST` and `DOWNLOADS_GET` inspect completed destinations on
@@ -184,6 +187,7 @@ variants, contextual buttons, and theme-aware styling.
 - A `.part` that cannot be deleted (locked, permission denied) never loses its database path: cancel persists `canceled` while retaining `filePath` for later cleanup, and `DOWNLOADS_REMOVE` keeps the row and answers `success: false` (surfaced as a snackbar) so retrying the remove re-attempts the deletion once the lock is released.
 - Resume claims the row atomically (`paused` → `queued` as a conditional update) and the runtime queue rejects duplicate ids, so two rapid Resume clicks racing the status refresh can never produce two transfers for the same download.
 - A response that ends cleanly before the advertised representation size (for example a proxy that caps each response) is never committed as completed: the transfer fails with `Transfer ended before the advertised size` while retaining the `.part` and `filePath`, so a retry continues via Range from where it stopped.
+- An allowlisted mid-response network failure such as `ECONNRESET` is recoverable only when the response advertised a larger total and the `.part` contains valid incomplete bytes. This includes a validated `206` resume that drops before adding another byte. The failed row retains that partial and exposes a stable `DOWNLOAD_NETWORK_INTERRUPTED (<code>)` message without a URL; Retry continues through the same Range/If-Range validation. Pre-response failures, unknown stream errors, filesystem errors, empty fresh failures, and responses without a trustworthy total keep the generic failure path.
 - Retained `filePath`s recorded in the database stay usable after the user switches download folders — resume/retry of a retained row does not re-require the folder to be the current selection. Fresh downloads still authorize against the currently selected folder.
 - Startup recovery recognizes a finalization that crashed between creating the final file and committing the row (`downloading` row, no partial, final file present with the recorded size) and marks it `completed` instead of failing it and orphaning the file.
 - Pause/resume is covered end to end by `apps/electron-backend-e2e/src/downloads.e2e.ts`: a throttled Range-capable mock server verifies the paused `.part` on disk, the `Range`/`If-Range` resume request, and byte-exact assembly of the final file.
diff --git a/docs/architecture/xtream-portal-compatibility.md b/docs/architecture/xtream-portal-compatibility.md
index d0eb29d88..71c1ce632 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/xtream-portal-compatibility.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/xtream-portal-compatibility.md
@@ -98,9 +98,17 @@ and private-network checks.
 
 ## User-Agent
 
-Electron's `XTREAM_REQUEST` and `XTREAM_PROBE_URL` handlers
-(`apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/xtream.events.ts`) send a shared
-`XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT` constant on every outgoing request. Some Xtream
+Electron's `XTREAM_REQUEST` and stream-probe handlers plus fresh Xtream movie
+and series-episode download requests share the exported
+`XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT` fallback. A playlist's explicit User-Agent,
+Referer, and Origin are propagated to either download kind; the explicit
+User-Agent still wins over the fallback. Legacy
+download rows without a stored User-Agent receive the fallback when retrying,
+resuming, or recovering a missing completed file. Download rows intentionally
+survive individual source deletion; when the playlist row is already gone and
+its type can no longer be recovered, a headerless legacy download receives the
+same IPTV-player fallback, while a still-identifiable Stalker row remains
+unchanged. Some Xtream
 panels sit behind a WAF (e.g. Cloudflare) configured to challenge
 generic/incomplete browser-looking User-Agents while allowlisting known IPTV
 player clients; a player-style User-Agent (currently a VLC signature) avoids
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.spec.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.spec.ts
index 1bf16ec9f..3b6293254 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.spec.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ describe('SerialDetailsComponent', () => {
         serverUrl: 'http://xtream.example',
         username: 'user',
         password: 'pass',
+        userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+        referrer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+        origin: 'https://provider.test',
     });
     const fetchSerialDetailsWithMetadata = jest.fn();
     const cancelDetailsRequest = jest.fn();
@@ -356,6 +359,14 @@ describe('SerialDetailsComponent', () => {
             ],
         });
         expect(seasonContainer?.downloadsEnabled()).toBe(true);
+        expect(seasonContainer?.xtreamDownloadContext()).toEqual({
+            serverUrl: 'http://xtream.example',
+            username: 'user',
+            password: 'pass',
+            userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+            referrer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+            origin: 'https://provider.test',
+        });
         expect(seasonContainer?.downloadMetadataContext()).toEqual(
             expect.objectContaining({
                 language: 'en',
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.ts
index 19b98a87a..9c45117a1 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/serial-details/serial-details.component.ts
@@ -260,6 +260,9 @@ export class SerialDetailsComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
                           serverUrl: playlist.serverUrl,
                           username: playlist.username,
                           password: playlist.password,
+                          userAgent: playlist.userAgent,
+                          referrer: playlist.referrer,
+                          origin: playlist.origin,
                       }
                     : null
             );
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-downloads.service.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-downloads.service.ts
index b7fc6a8a1..720006b3b 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-downloads.service.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-downloads.service.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { DownloadsService } from '@iptvnator/services';
 import { resolveXtreamVodPlaybackSource } from '@iptvnator/portal/xtream/data-access';
 import {
     getXtreamVodInfo,
+    XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
     XtreamVodDetails,
     type XtreamVodInfo,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
@@ -179,7 +180,8 @@ export class VodDetailsDownloadsService {
                     : textList(info?.director)?.map((name) => ({ name })),
             }),
             headers: {
-                userAgent: playlist.userAgent,
+                userAgent:
+                    playlist.userAgent?.trim() || XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
                 referer: playlist.referrer,
                 origin: playlist.origin,
             },
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route-playback.spec.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route-playback.spec.ts
index fbc5bfe85..130bdf0dc 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route-playback.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route-playback.spec.ts
@@ -462,6 +462,9 @@ describe('VodDetailsRouteComponent — playback actions', () => {
         // came from — so the download would fetch the wrong movie.
         expect(stubs.startDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             expect.objectContaining({
+                headers: expect.objectContaining({
+                    userAgent: 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18',
+                }),
                 playlistId: 'playlist-1',
                 xtreamId: 650020,
                 metadataSnapshot: expect.objectContaining({
diff --git a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route.actions.spec.ts b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route.actions.spec.ts
index 1e89f598a..9987eaccd 100644
--- a/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route.actions.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/portal/xtream/feature/src/lib/vod-details/vod-details-route.actions.spec.ts
@@ -399,6 +399,11 @@ describe('VodDetailsRouteComponent fallback actions', () => {
         );
         expect(startDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             expect.objectContaining({
+                headers: {
+                    origin: 'https://origin.example',
+                    referer: 'https://referrer.example',
+                    userAgent: 'IPTVnator',
+                },
                 title: 'Catalog movie',
                 posterUrl: 'https://example.com/catalog-poster.jpg',
                 url: 'http://example.com/movie/650020.mp4',
diff --git a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-portal.utils.ts b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-portal.utils.ts
index afb76e303..3eaf73a67 100644
--- a/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-portal.utils.ts
+++ b/libs/shared/interfaces/src/lib/xtream-portal.utils.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 export type XtreamPortalStatusType =
-    | 'active'
-    | 'inactive'
-    | 'expired'
-    | 'unavailable';
+    'active' | 'inactive' | 'expired' | 'unavailable';
 
 export interface XtreamPortalStatusResponseLike {
     user_info?: {
@@ -19,6 +16,10 @@ export interface XtreamCredentialsFromUrl {
 
 const XTREAM_API_ENDPOINT_PATTERN = /\/(?:get|player_api)\.php$/i;
 
+// Some Xtream panels challenge generic Node HTTP clients while allowing
+// established IPTV players. Keep API, probe, and download requests aligned.
+export const XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT = 'VLC/3.0.18 LibVLC/3.0.18';
+
 export function normalizeXtreamServerUrl(value: string): string {
     const trimmed = value.trim();
     if (!trimmed) {
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-download.util.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-download.util.ts
index de013e077..36960d811 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-download.util.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-download.util.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import {
     DownloadMetadataSnapshot,
+    XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
     XtreamSerieEpisode,
     XtreamSerieEpisodeInfo,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
@@ -19,6 +20,9 @@ export interface XtreamEpisodeDownloadContext {
     serverUrl?: string;
     username?: string;
     password?: string;
+    userAgent?: string;
+    referrer?: string;
+    origin?: string;
 }
 
 /** Provider-neutral metadata already loaded by the detail host. */
@@ -34,6 +38,11 @@ export interface XtreamEpisodeDownloadRequest {
     seriesXtreamId: number;
     seasonNumber: number;
     episodeNumber: number;
+    headers: {
+        userAgent: string;
+        referer?: string;
+        origin?: string;
+    };
     metadataSnapshot?: DownloadMetadataSnapshot;
 }
 
@@ -150,6 +159,11 @@ export function buildXtreamEpisodeDownloadRequest(options: {
         seriesXtreamId: seriesId,
         seasonNumber,
         episodeNumber,
+        headers: {
+            userAgent: context.userAgent?.trim() || XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
+            referer: context.referrer,
+            origin: context.origin,
+        },
         ...(options.metadataContext
             ? {
                   metadataSnapshot: buildMetadataSnapshot(
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-utils.spec.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-utils.spec.ts
index c363f2852..a104c5928 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-utils.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/episode-utils.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import { XtreamSerieEpisode } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
+import {
+    XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
+    XtreamSerieEpisode,
+} from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import {
     buildXtreamEpisodeDownloadRequest,
     getEpisodeDownloadId,
@@ -76,6 +79,35 @@ describe('episode-download.util', () => {
             seriesXtreamId: 900,
             seasonNumber: 2,
             episodeNumber: 3,
+            headers: {
+                userAgent: XTREAM_CLIENT_USER_AGENT,
+                referer: undefined,
+                origin: undefined,
+            },
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('forwards playlist request headers for the first episode transfer', () => {
+        const request = buildXtreamEpisodeDownloadRequest({
+            episode: episode({ id: '55' }),
+            context: {
+                serverUrl: 'http://host',
+                username: 'u',
+                password: 'p',
+                userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+                referrer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+                origin: 'https://provider.test',
+            },
+            playlistId: 'pl-1',
+            seriesId: 900,
+            seriesTitle: 'Show',
+            fallbackSeasonKey: '1',
+        });
+
+        expect(request.headers).toEqual({
+            userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+            referer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+            origin: 'https://provider.test',
         });
     });
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
index 0fc992b13..d56b4f2f3 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ describe('SeasonContainerComponent', () => {
             serverUrl: 'http://host',
             username: 'u',
             password: 'p',
+            userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+            referrer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+            origin: 'https://provider.test',
         });
         fixture.componentRef.setInput('downloadMetadataContext', {
             language: 'en',
@@ -170,6 +173,11 @@ describe('SeasonContainerComponent', () => {
         expect(downloadsServiceStub.startDownload).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             expect.objectContaining({
                 title: 'Signal House - S01E01 - Pilot',
+                headers: {
+                    userAgent: 'Provider Player/1.0',
+                    referer: 'https://provider.test/player',
+                    origin: 'https://provider.test',
+                },
                 metadataSnapshot: expect.objectContaining({
                     mediaKind: 'series',
                     title: 'Signal House',
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
index 483d9da2b..d4ba3ca77 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import {
     getEpisodeDownloadId,
     isStalkerEpisode,
     type SeasonContainerDownloadMetadataContext,
+    type XtreamEpisodeDownloadContext,
 } from './episode-download.util';
 import {
     EPISODE_INFO_PLAY,
@@ -51,11 +52,7 @@ import { SeasonTabsComponent } from './season-tabs.component';
 type EpisodeViewMode = 'grid' | 'list';
 const EPISODE_VIEW_MODE_KEY = 'iptvnator_episode_view_mode';
 
-export interface SeasonContainerXtreamDownloadContext {
-    serverUrl?: string;
-    username?: string;
-    password?: string;
-}
+export type SeasonContainerXtreamDownloadContext = XtreamEpisodeDownloadContext;
 
 export type { SeasonContainerDownloadMetadataContext } from './episode-download.util';