diff --git a/src-tauri/src/db.rs b/src-tauri/src/db.rs
index 82da8b5..248858b 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/db.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/db.rs
@@ -756,7 +756,14 @@ fn remove_persisted_transfer_secrets(value: &mut Value) {
     // These values are accepted from users, browser extensions, or URLs and
     // may contain credentials or bearer tokens. Portable queues keep their
     // useful metadata, but never persist these values beside the executable.
+    let mut removed_transfer_context = false;
     for key in ["password", "cookies", "headers", "mirrors", "proxy"] {
+        if object
+            .get(key)
+            .is_some_and(|value| !value.is_null() && !value_is_empty(value))
+        {
+            removed_transfer_context = true;
+        }
         object.remove(key);
     }
 
@@ -790,6 +797,20 @@ fn remove_persisted_transfer_secrets(value: &mut Value) {
             mark_portable_download_unresumable(object);
         }
     }
+
+    // Do not silently resume a queued transfer after removing request
+    // credentials or other transfer-specific context. The URL may still be
+    // valid, but its semantics have changed and the user must re-add it with
+    // the required request settings.
+    if removed_transfer_context {
+        mark_portable_download_unresumable(object);
+    }
+}
+
+fn value_is_empty(value: &Value) -> bool {
+    value.as_str().is_some_and(str::is_empty)
+        || value.as_array().is_some_and(Vec::is_empty)
+        || value.as_object().is_some_and(serde_json::Map::is_empty)
 }
 
 fn mark_portable_download_unresumable(object: &mut serde_json::Map<String, Value>) {
@@ -803,7 +824,7 @@ fn mark_portable_download_unresumable(object: &mut serde_json::Map<String, Value
         object.insert(
             "lastError".to_string(),
             Value::String(
-                "Portable mode removed credentials from this persisted download; add it again to resume."
+                "Portable mode removed credentials or transfer settings from this persisted download; add it again to resume."
                     .to_string(),
             ),
         );
@@ -1644,6 +1665,33 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn portable_download_persistence_marks_context_dependent_queue_items_unresumable() {
+        let temp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let state = init_at_path(temp.path()).unwrap();
+        let mut connection = state.lock().unwrap();
+        let data = json!([{
+            "id": "download-context",
+            "status": "queued",
+            "queueId": "main",
+            "url": "https://example.com/file",
+            "headers": "Authorization: Bearer secret"
+        }])
+        .to_string();
+
+        replace_downloads(&mut connection, &data, true).unwrap();
+
+        let saved: Value = serde_json::from_str(&load_downloads(&connection).unwrap()[0]).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(saved["url"], "https://example.com/file");
+        assert_eq!(saved["status"], "failed");
+        assert_eq!(saved["resumable"], false);
+        assert_eq!(
+            saved["lastError"],
+            "Portable mode removed credentials or transfer settings from this persisted download; add it again to resume."
+        );
+        assert!(saved.get("headers").is_none());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn portable_download_persistence_redacts_error_secrets_but_preserves_safe_errors_and_standard_details() {
         let temp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index ff274d5..d283e23 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -3515,6 +3515,12 @@ async fn pause_download(
                 state.queue_manager.next_aria2_control_epoch(&id).await;
                 state.queue_manager.cancel_aria2_retries(&id).await;
                 if retrying && matches!(terminal, "error" | "removed") {
+                    // The terminal GID was forgotten above, so this
+                    // lifecycle can no longer be resumed in place. Release
+                    // backend ownership as well; otherwise a paused row
+                    // keeps a dead registration until another command happens
+                    // to repair it.
+                    state.queue_manager.release_registered_id(&id).await;
                     use tauri::Emitter;
                     let _ = app_handle.emit(
                         "download-state",
diff --git a/src/store/useDownloadStore.test.ts b/src/store/useDownloadStore.test.ts
index b92c47e..0c7c97c 100644
--- a/src/store/useDownloadStore.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/useDownloadStore.test.ts
@@ -589,6 +589,44 @@ describe('useDownloadStore', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('keeps accepted startup registrations when pending-order refresh fails', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(ipc.invokeCommand).mockImplementation(async (cmd: string) => {
+      if (cmd === 'db_get_all_queues') return [];
+      if (cmd === 'db_get_all_downloads') {
+        return [JSON.stringify({
+          id: 'startup-accepted',
+          url: 'https://example.com/file.bin',
+          fileName: 'file.bin',
+          status: 'queued',
+          category: 'Other',
+          dateAdded: '',
+          queueId: '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001',
+          hasBeenDispatched: true
+        })];
+      }
+      if (cmd === 'enqueue_many') {
+        return [{ id: 'startup-accepted', success: true, filename: 'file.bin' }];
+      }
+      if (cmd === 'get_pending_order') throw new Error('queue state unavailable');
+      if (cmd === 'resume_download') return true;
+      return undefined;
+    });
+
+    await useDownloadStore.getState().initDB();
+
+    expect(useDownloadStore.getState().backendRegisteredIds.has('startup-accepted')).toBe(true);
+    expect(useDownloadStore.getState().downloads[0]).toMatchObject({
+      status: 'queued',
+      hasBeenDispatched: true
+    });
+
+    await expect(useDownloadStore.getState().startQueue('00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001'))
+      .resolves.toEqual(['startup-accepted']);
+    expect(
+      vi.mocked(ipc.invokeCommand).mock.calls.filter(call => call[0] === 'enqueue_download')
+    ).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+
   it('redownloads fallback media without requiring a format selector', async () => {
     useDownloadStore.setState({
       downloads: [{
@@ -620,6 +658,38 @@ describe('useDownloadStore', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('does not claim a redownload when removing the old backend lifecycle fails', async () => {
+    useDownloadStore.setState({
+      downloads: [{
+        id: 'redownload-remove-failed',
+        url: 'https://example.com/file.bin',
+        fileName: 'file.bin',
+        destination: '/tmp',
+        status: 'paused',
+        category: 'Other',
+        dateAdded: '2026-07-15T00:00:00.000Z',
+        hasBeenDispatched: true
+      }] as any[],
+      backendRegisteredIds: new Set(['redownload-remove-failed'])
+    });
+    vi.mocked(ipc.invokeCommand).mockImplementation(async (cmd: string) => {
+      if (cmd === 'remove_download') throw new Error('aria2 did not stop');
+      return undefined;
+    });
+
+    await expect(useDownloadStore.getState().redownload('redownload-remove-failed'))
+      .rejects.toThrow('aria2 did not stop');
+    expect(useDownloadStore.getState().downloads[0]).toMatchObject({
+      status: 'paused',
+      dateAdded: '2026-07-15T00:00:00.000Z',
+      hasBeenDispatched: true
+    });
+    expect(useDownloadStore.getState().backendRegisteredIds.has('redownload-remove-failed')).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      vi.mocked(ipc.invokeCommand).mock.calls.some(call => call[0] === 'enqueue_download')
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it('starts and pauses all items regardless of legacy missing queue ids', async () => {
     useDownloadStore.setState({
       downloads: [
diff --git a/src/store/useDownloadStore.ts b/src/store/useDownloadStore.ts
index 5bfbc94..4bc3d9b 100644
--- a/src/store/useDownloadStore.ts
+++ b/src/store/useDownloadStore.ts
@@ -818,6 +818,7 @@ export const useDownloadStore = create<DownloadState>((set, get) => ({
       get().unregisterBackendIds([id]);
     } catch (e) {
       console.warn("Could not remove old download from backend", e);
+      throw e;
     }
 
     get().updateDownload(id, {
@@ -1175,9 +1176,12 @@ export const useDownloadStore = create<DownloadState>((set, get) => ({
               .filter(result => !result.success)
               .map(result => [result.id, result.error || 'Backend rejected the queued download.'])
           );
-          const order = await invoke('get_pending_order', { queueId: null });
+
+          // Commit backend ownership as soon as enqueue_many accepts an item.
+          // The order query is a separate best-effort view read; if it fails,
+          // forgetting these registrations would let a later queue start
+          // enqueue the same backend lifecycle a second time.
           set(state => ({
-            pendingOrder: order,
             backendRegisteredIds: new Set([
               ...state.backendRegisteredIds,
               ...registeredIds
@@ -1189,11 +1193,18 @@ export const useDownloadStore = create<DownloadState>((set, get) => ({
                     status: 'failed' as const,
                     lastError: failedErrors.get(download.id)
                   }
-                : registeredIds.includes(download.id)
+                  : registeredIds.includes(download.id)
                   ? { ...download, hasBeenDispatched: true, lastError: undefined }
                   : download
             )
           }));
+
+          try {
+            const order = await invoke('get_pending_order', { queueId: null });
+            set({ pendingOrder: order });
+          } catch (e) {
+            console.error("Failed to refresh pending order after auto-resume:", e);
+          }
         } catch (e) {
           console.error("Failed to auto-resume active downloads:", e);
         }