diff --git a/backend/services/ytdlp.py b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
index 1792f41..271290e 100644
--- a/backend/services/ytdlp.py
+++ b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 """Subprocess wrapper for yt-dlp."""
 import json
+import os
 import random
 import re
+import shutil
 import subprocess
+import tempfile
 import threading
 import time
 import urllib.request
@@ -14,9 +17,36 @@ from typing import Any
 from ..config import settings
 
 
+def _make_private_cookie_copy(args: list[str]) -> tuple[list[str], str | None]:
+    """Replace --cookies <file> with a private temp copy so concurrent yt-dlp
+    processes never write to the same cookie jar simultaneously."""
+    for i, arg in enumerate(args):
+        if arg == "--cookies" and i + 1 < len(args):
+            source = args[i + 1]
+            if Path(source).exists():
+                try:
+                    tmp = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".txt", delete=False)
+                    tmp.close()
+                    shutil.copy2(source, tmp.name)
+                    modified = list(args)
+                    modified[i + 1] = tmp.name
+                    return modified, tmp.name
+                except Exception:
+                    break
+    return list(args), None
+
+
 def _run(args: list[str], timeout: int = 60) -> tuple[str, str, int]:
-    result = subprocess.run(args, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=timeout)
-    return result.stdout, result.stderr, result.returncode
+    args, tmp_path = _make_private_cookie_copy(args)
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(args, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=timeout)
+        return result.stdout, result.stderr, result.returncode
+    finally:
+        if tmp_path:
+            try:
+                os.unlink(tmp_path)
+            except Exception:
+                pass
 
 
 # Global rate limiter for all metadata fetches — prevents concurrent tasks from
@@ -857,49 +887,62 @@ def start_download(
         with _SEMAPHORE:
             cookie_args = _cookie_args()
             print(f"[ytdlp] cookie_args={cookie_args!r}", flush=True)
-            process = subprocess.Popen(
-                [
-                    "yt-dlp", url,
-                    "-f", fmt,
-                    "--merge-output-format", "mp4",
-                    "--no-part", "--no-mtime",
-                    "-o", output_template,
-                    "--newline", "--progress", "--no-colors",
-                    *subtitle_args,
-                    *cookie_args,
-                ],
-                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
-                text=True,
-            )
+            cmd = [
+                "yt-dlp", url,
+                "-f", fmt,
+                "--merge-output-format", "mp4",
+                "--no-part", "--no-mtime",
+                "-o", output_template,
+                "--newline", "--progress", "--no-colors",
+                *subtitle_args,
+                *cookie_args,
+            ]
+            # Private cookie copy — download runs for minutes; without this,
+            # concurrent metadata calls would write-back to the same cookie file
+            # and corrupt the session.
+            cmd, tmp_cookie_path = _make_private_cookie_copy(cmd)
+            try:
+                process = subprocess.Popen(
+                    cmd,
+                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+                    text=True,
+                )
 
-            file_path = None
-            stream_index = 0
-            output_lines: list[str] = []
-            for line in process.stdout:
-                line = line.strip()
-                output_lines.append(line)
-                if re.search(r"\[download\] Destination:", line):
-                    stream_index += 1
-                m = re.search(r"\[download\]\s+([\d.]+)%", line)
-                if m:
-                    pct = float(m.group(1))
-                    scaled = pct * 0.85 if stream_index <= 1 else 85.0 + pct * 0.10
-                    on_progress(download_id, min(scaled, 95.0))
-                m2 = re.search(r"\[(?:download|Merger)\] Destination: (.+)", line)
-                if m2:
-                    file_path = m2.group(1).strip()
+            try:
+                file_path = None
+                stream_index = 0
+                output_lines: list[str] = []
+                for line in process.stdout:
+                    line = line.strip()
+                    output_lines.append(line)
+                    if re.search(r"\[download\] Destination:", line):
+                        stream_index += 1
+                    m = re.search(r"\[download\]\s+([\d.]+)%", line)
+                    if m:
+                        pct = float(m.group(1))
+                        scaled = pct * 0.85 if stream_index <= 1 else 85.0 + pct * 0.10
+                        on_progress(download_id, min(scaled, 95.0))
+                    m2 = re.search(r"\[(?:download|Merger)\] Destination: (.+)", line)
+                    if m2:
+                        file_path = m2.group(1).strip()
 
-            process.wait()
-            if process.returncode == 0:
-                _strip_vtt_cue_settings(video_id)
-                resolution = detect_resolution(file_path) if file_path else None
-                on_complete(download_id, file_path, resolution)
-            else:
-                tail = "\n".join(output_lines[-20:]) if output_lines else "(no output)"
-                import logging
-                logging.getLogger(__name__).error("yt-dlp failed (code %d):\n%s", process.returncode, tail)
-                on_error(download_id, f"yt-dlp exited with code {process.returncode}:\n{tail}")
+                process.wait()
+                if process.returncode == 0:
+                    _strip_vtt_cue_settings(video_id)
+                    resolution = detect_resolution(file_path) if file_path else None
+                    on_complete(download_id, file_path, resolution)
+                else:
+                    tail = "\n".join(output_lines[-20:]) if output_lines else "(no output)"
+                    import logging
+                    logging.getLogger(__name__).error("yt-dlp failed (code %d):\n%s", process.returncode, tail)
+                    on_error(download_id, f"yt-dlp exited with code {process.returncode}:\n{tail}")
+            finally:
+                if tmp_cookie_path:
+                    try:
+                        os.unlink(tmp_cookie_path)
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
 
     thread = threading.Thread(target=_run_download, daemon=True)
     thread.start()