diff --git a/backend/routers/channels.py b/backend/routers/channels.py
index 18362fd..41350ec 100644
--- a/backend/routers/channels.py
+++ b/backend/routers/channels.py
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ def _fetch_popular_task(channel_id: int, youtube_channel_id: str, channel_name:
     else:
         url = f"https://www.youtube.com/channel/{youtube_channel_id}/videos"
 
-    stdout, _, _ = ytdlp._run([
+    stdout, _, _ = ytdlp._meta_run([
         "yt-dlp", url,
         "--dump-json", "--flat-playlist",
         "--quiet",
diff --git a/backend/routers/settings.py b/backend/routers/settings.py
index 4a60446..70efe19 100644
--- a/backend/routers/settings.py
+++ b/backend/routers/settings.py
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ def ytdlp_test(
     except Exception:
         pass
 
-    result = subprocess.run(
+    test_stdout, test_stderr, test_code = ytdlp._meta_run(
         [
             "yt-dlp",
             "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ",
@@ -258,15 +258,15 @@ def ytdlp_test(
             "--extractor-args", "youtube:player_client=web",
             *cookie_args,
         ],
-        capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30,
+        timeout=30,
     )
     return {
         "node_path": node_path,
         "node_version": node_version,
         "yt_dlp_version": yt_version,
         "cookie_args": cookie_args,
-        "returncode": result.returncode,
-        "stdout_lines": result.stdout.splitlines()[:5],
-        "stderr_tail": result.stderr.splitlines()[-20:],
-        "success": result.returncode == 0,
+        "returncode": test_code,
+        "stdout_lines": test_stdout.splitlines()[:5],
+        "stderr_tail": test_stderr.splitlines()[-20:],
+        "success": test_code == 0,
     }
diff --git a/backend/services/ytdlp.py b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
index 7679881..b7a3983 100644
--- a/backend/services/ytdlp.py
+++ b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ def download_subs_only(video_id: str, subtitle_langs: str) -> bool:
     """Download subtitle files only (no video) for an already-downloaded video."""
     url = f"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={video_id}"
     output_template = str(Path(settings.download_path) / f"{video_id}.%(ext)s")
-    _, _, code = _run([
+    _, _, code = _meta_run([
         "yt-dlp", url,
         "--skip-download", "--no-playlist",
         "--write-subs", "--write-auto-subs",
@@ -656,6 +656,11 @@ def fetch_video_comments(youtube_video_id: str, max_comments: int = 20) -> list[
     import os
     import tempfile
 
+    # Don't fire a concurrent yt-dlp session while a download is running — it
+    # causes YouTube to see two simultaneous authenticated sessions and invalidates cookies.
+    if is_download_active():
+        return []
+
     url = f"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={youtube_video_id}"
 
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir: