diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 5a998c2d5..a41e71e1b 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -948,10 +948,13 @@ engine` (restart required) or
   completed-missing row can be reset, so a file restored after the renderer
   snapshot is not orphaned or downloaded again. The recheck has a one-second
   deadline; timeout or probe failure leaves the row untouched and reports a
-  failed submission so the season loop can continue. Episode and season
-  download actions require an authoritative global list. A successful snapshot
-  remains authoritative while a later background refresh is in flight; a
-  latest refresh failure leaves
+  failed submission so the season loop can continue. Completed-file list
+  probes use the same deadline; a timeout releases their coalescing slot and is
+  reported as missing for that snapshot, so a later refresh performs a new
+  filesystem check instead of joining the stalled operation. Episode and
+  season download actions require an authoritative global list. A successful
+  snapshot remains authoritative while a later background refresh is in
+  flight; a latest refresh failure leaves
   loading/empty-state resolution intact but disables starts until another
   snapshot succeeds.
 - Episode ownership uses normalized `episode.id` as the canonical `xtreamId`
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-file-availability.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-file-availability.ts
index f7eaae19b..38df74adc 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-file-availability.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/download-file-availability.ts
@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@ type DownloadAsyncLstat = (
     filePath: string
 ) => Promise<Pick<Stats, 'isFile' | 'isSymbolicLink'>>;
 
-type DownloadFileAvailabilityProbe = (filePath: string) => Promise<boolean>;
+type DownloadFileAvailabilityProbeResult = boolean | 'unknown';
+
+type DownloadFileAvailabilityProbe = (
+    filePath: string
+) => Promise<DownloadFileAvailabilityProbeResult>;
 
 const DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT_FILE_PROBES = 4;
-const DEFAULT_RESTORED_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_000;
+const DEFAULT_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_000;
 
 export type BoundedDownloadFileAvailability =
     ElectronDownloadFileAvailability | 'unknown';
@@ -37,7 +41,10 @@ function createDownloadFileAvailabilityProbe(
     const pending: Array<() => void> = [];
     // Coalesce only active probes. Completed results are discarded so an
     // externally removed file is visible on the next list refresh.
-    const inFlight = new Map<string, Promise<boolean>>();
+    const inFlight = new Map<
+        string,
+        Promise<DownloadFileAvailabilityProbeResult>
+    >();
     let active = 0;
 
     const acquire = (): Promise<void> => {
@@ -57,14 +64,28 @@ function createDownloadFileAvailabilityProbe(
         }
     };
 
-    const inspect = async (filePath: string): Promise<boolean> => {
+    const inspect = async (
+        filePath: string
+    ): Promise<DownloadFileAvailabilityProbeResult> => {
         await acquire();
+        let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
         try {
-            const stats = await asyncLstat(filePath);
-            return stats.isFile() && !stats.isSymbolicLink();
-        } catch {
-            return false;
+            const timedOut = new Promise<'unknown'>((resolve) => {
+                timeout = setTimeout(
+                    () => resolve('unknown'),
+                    DEFAULT_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS
+                );
+            });
+            return await Promise.race([
+                asyncLstat(filePath)
+                    .then((stats) => stats.isFile() && !stats.isSymbolicLink())
+                    .catch(() => false),
+                timedOut,
+            ]);
         } finally {
+            if (timeout !== undefined) {
+                clearTimeout(timeout);
+            }
             release();
         }
     };
@@ -89,6 +110,15 @@ function createDownloadFileAvailabilityProbe(
 
 const probeDownloadFileAvailability = createDownloadFileAvailabilityProbe();
 
+function toBoundedDownloadFileAvailability(
+    available: DownloadFileAvailabilityProbeResult
+): BoundedDownloadFileAvailability {
+    if (available === 'unknown') {
+        return available;
+    }
+    return available ? 'available' : 'missing';
+}
+
 export function isAvailableDownloadFile(
     filePath: string | null | undefined,
     lstat: DownloadLstat = lstatSync
@@ -130,13 +160,14 @@ export async function getDownloadFileAvailabilityAsync(
         return 'missing';
     }
 
-    return (await probe(download.filePath)) ? 'available' : 'missing';
+    const available = await probe(download.filePath);
+    return available === true ? 'available' : 'missing';
 }
 
 export async function getDownloadFileAvailabilityWithTimeoutAsync(
     download: DownloadFileRow,
-    timeoutMs = DEFAULT_RESTORED_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS,
-    probe: DownloadFileAvailabilityProbe = probeDownloadFileAvailability
+    timeoutMs = DEFAULT_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+    probe?: DownloadFileAvailabilityProbe
 ): Promise<BoundedDownloadFileAvailability> {
     if (download.status !== 'completed') {
         return 'not-applicable';
@@ -146,10 +177,16 @@ export async function getDownloadFileAvailabilityWithTimeoutAsync(
         return 'missing';
     }
 
+    if (!probe) {
+        return toBoundedDownloadFileAvailability(
+            await probeDownloadFileAvailability(download.filePath)
+        );
+    }
+
     const boundedTimeoutMs =
         Number.isFinite(timeoutMs) && timeoutMs >= 0
             ? timeoutMs
-            : DEFAULT_RESTORED_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS;
+            : DEFAULT_FILE_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS;
     let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
     const timedOut = new Promise<'unknown'>((resolve) => {
         timeout = setTimeout(() => resolve('unknown'), boundedTimeoutMs);
@@ -160,11 +197,7 @@ export async function getDownloadFileAvailabilityWithTimeoutAsync(
             probe(download.filePath),
             timedOut,
         ]);
-        return available === 'unknown'
-            ? available
-            : available
-              ? 'available'
-              : 'missing';
+        return toBoundedDownloadFileAvailability(available);
     } catch {
         return 'unknown';
     } finally {
diff --git a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/downloads-file-availability.events.spec.ts b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/downloads-file-availability.events.spec.ts
index f6f0ba8d1..9ce044ff4 100644
--- a/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/downloads-file-availability.events.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/electron-backend/src/app/events/database/downloads-file-availability.events.spec.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,54 @@ describe('downloads events: file availability', () => {
         await expect(response).resolves.toHaveLength(2);
     });
 
+    it('times out an unresponsive probe and lets the next list refresh recheck the file', async () => {
+        jest.useFakeTimers();
+        try {
+            const row = {
+                filePath: '/downloads/unresponsive/movie.mp4',
+                id: 1,
+                status: 'completed',
+            };
+            const orderBy = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([row]);
+            mockGetDatabase.mockResolvedValue({
+                select: jest.fn(() => ({
+                    from: jest.fn(() => ({ orderBy })),
+                })),
+            });
+            mockLstat
+                .mockReturnValueOnce(
+                    new Promise(() => {
+                        // Simulate an unresponsive removable/network mount.
+                    })
+                )
+                .mockResolvedValueOnce(regularFile());
+
+            const timedOutRefresh = getHandler('DOWNLOADS_GET_LIST')(null);
+            await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000);
+
+            await expect(timedOutRefresh).resolves.toEqual([
+                {
+                    ...row,
+                    metadataSnapshot: undefined,
+                    fileAvailability: 'missing',
+                },
+            ]);
+
+            await expect(
+                getHandler('DOWNLOADS_GET_LIST')(null)
+            ).resolves.toEqual([
+                {
+                    ...row,
+                    metadataSnapshot: undefined,
+                    fileAvailability: 'available',
+                },
+            ]);
+            expect(mockLstat).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+        } finally {
+            jest.useRealTimers();
+        }
+    }, 500);
+
     it('starts at most four completed-file probes concurrently', async () => {
         const rows = Array.from({ length: 6 }, (_, index) => ({
             filePath: `/downloads/network/movie-${index}.mp4`,
diff --git a/docs/architecture/download-manager.md b/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
index bca160823..b509e35ef 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/download-manager.md
@@ -98,8 +98,12 @@ variants, contextual buttons, and theme-aware styling.
   `reason: 'already-downloaded'` without mutation; active matches return
   `reason: 'already-in-progress'`. The recheck has a one-second deadline;
   timeout or probe failure leaves the row untouched and returns a failed
-  submission, allowing the sequential season loop to continue. The coordinator
-  counts both stable duplicate reasons as skipped. There is no batch IPC,
+  submission, allowing the sequential season loop to continue. Completed-file
+  probes used by list refreshes have the same deadline. A timed-out probe is
+  released from the coalescing pool, the snapshot reports the file as missing,
+  and a later refresh performs a fresh check instead of reusing the stalled
+  filesystem operation. The coordinator counts both stable duplicate reasons
+  as skipped. There is no batch IPC,
   parallel transfer, or queue reordering: destination authorization, persisted
   header handling, and the backend's one-active-transfer FIFO semantics remain
   unchanged.