diff --git a/core/playlists/import_test.go b/core/playlists/import_test.go
index a42c3f3eb..14b774b7c 100644
--- a/core/playlists/import_test.go
+++ b/core/playlists/import_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package playlists_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -93,6 +95,69 @@ var _ = Describe("Playlists - Import", func() {
 				Expect(pls.Tracks).To(HaveLen(1))
 				Expect(pls.Tracks[0].Path).To(Equal("tests/fixtures/playlists/test.mp3"))
 			})
+
+			It("parses #EXTALBUMARTURL with HTTP URL", func() {
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, folder, "pls-with-art-url.m3u")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(Equal("https://example.com/cover.jpg"))
+				Expect(pls.Tracks).To(HaveLen(2))
+			})
+
+			It("parses #EXTALBUMARTURL with absolute local path", func() {
+				tmpDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
+				imgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "cover.jpg")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(imgPath, []byte("fake image"), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				m3u := fmt.Sprintf("#EXTALBUMARTURL:%s\ntest.mp3\ntest.ogg\n", imgPath)
+				plsFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(plsFile, []byte(m3u), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				mockLibRepo.SetData([]model.Library{{ID: 1, Path: tmpDir}})
+				ds.MockedMediaFile = &mockedMediaFileFromListRepo{data: []string{"test.mp3", "test.ogg"}}
+				ps = playlists.NewPlaylists(ds)
+
+				plsFolder := &model.Folder{ID: "1", LibraryID: 1, LibraryPath: tmpDir, Path: "", Name: ""}
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, plsFolder, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(Equal(imgPath))
+			})
+
+			It("parses #EXTALBUMARTURL with relative local path", func() {
+				tmpDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "cover.jpg"), []byte("fake image"), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				m3u := "#EXTALBUMARTURL:cover.jpg\ntest.mp3\n"
+				plsFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(plsFile, []byte(m3u), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				mockLibRepo.SetData([]model.Library{{ID: 1, Path: tmpDir}})
+				ds.MockedMediaFile = &mockedMediaFileFromListRepo{data: []string{"test.mp3"}}
+				ps = playlists.NewPlaylists(ds)
+
+				plsFolder := &model.Folder{ID: "1", LibraryID: 1, LibraryPath: tmpDir, Path: "", Name: ""}
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, plsFolder, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(Equal(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "cover.jpg")))
+			})
+
+			It("parses #EXTALBUMARTURL with file:// URL", func() {
+				tmpDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
+				imgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "my cover.jpg")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(imgPath, []byte("fake image"), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				m3u := fmt.Sprintf("#EXTALBUMARTURL:file://%s\ntest.mp3\n", strings.ReplaceAll(imgPath, " ", "%20"))
+				plsFile := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(plsFile, []byte(m3u), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				mockLibRepo.SetData([]model.Library{{ID: 1, Path: tmpDir}})
+				ds.MockedMediaFile = &mockedMediaFileFromListRepo{data: []string{"test.mp3"}}
+				ps = playlists.NewPlaylists(ds)
+
+				plsFolder := &model.Folder{ID: "1", LibraryID: 1, LibraryPath: tmpDir, Path: "", Name: ""}
+				pls, err := ps.ImportFile(ctx, plsFolder, "test.m3u")
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(Equal(imgPath))
+			})
 		})
 
 		Describe("NSP", func() {
@@ -495,6 +560,22 @@ var _ = Describe("Playlists - Import", func() {
 			Expect(pls.Tracks[0].Path).To(Equal("abc/tEsT1.Mp3"))
 		})
 
+		It("parses #EXTALBUMARTURL with HTTP URL via ImportM3U", func() {
+			repo.data = []string{"tests/test.mp3"}
+			m3u := "#EXTALBUMARTURL:https://example.com/cover.jpg\n/music/tests/test.mp3\n"
+			pls, err := ps.ImportM3U(ctx, strings.NewReader(m3u))
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(Equal("https://example.com/cover.jpg"))
+		})
+
+		It("ignores relative #EXTALBUMARTURL when imported via API (no folder context)", func() {
+			repo.data = []string{"tests/test.mp3"}
+			m3u := "#EXTALBUMARTURL:cover.jpg\n/music/tests/test.mp3\n"
+			pls, err := ps.ImportM3U(ctx, strings.NewReader(m3u))
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(pls.ExternalImageURL).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
+
 		// Fullwidth characters (e.g., ＡＢＣＤ) are not handled by SQLite's NOCASE collation,
 		// so we need exact matching for non-ASCII characters.
 		It("matches fullwidth characters exactly (SQLite NOCASE limitation)", func() {
diff --git a/core/playlists/parse_m3u.go b/core/playlists/parse_m3u.go
index 4e79d15c6..3f2cdd694 100644
--- a/core/playlists/parse_m3u.go
+++ b/core/playlists/parse_m3u.go
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ func (s *playlists) parseM3U(ctx context.Context, pls *model.Playlist, folder *m
 				pls.Name = line[len("#PLAYLIST:"):]
 				continue
 			}
+			if after, ok := strings.CutPrefix(line, "#EXTALBUMARTURL:"); ok {
+				pls.ExternalImageURL = resolveImageURL(after, folder)
+				continue
+			}
 			// Skip empty lines and extended info
 			if line == "" || strings.HasPrefix(line, "#") {
 				continue
@@ -267,3 +271,40 @@ func (r *pathResolver) resolvePaths(ctx context.Context, folder *model.Folder, l
 
 	return results, nil
 }
+
+// resolveImageURL resolves an #EXTALBUMARTURL value to a storable string.
+// HTTP(S) URLs are stored as-is. file:// URLs are decoded to absolute paths.
+// Absolute paths are stored as-is. Relative paths are resolved against the
+// playlist's folder. If folder is nil (API import), relative paths cannot be
+// resolved and an empty string is returned.
+func resolveImageURL(value string, folder *model.Folder) string {
+	value = strings.TrimSpace(value)
+	if value == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	// HTTP(S) URLs — store as-is
+	if strings.HasPrefix(value, "http://") || strings.HasPrefix(value, "https://") {
+		return value
+	}
+
+	// file:// URL — decode to local path
+	if after, ok := strings.CutPrefix(value, "file://"); ok {
+		decoded, err := url.QueryUnescape(after)
+		if err != nil {
+			return ""
+		}
+		return filepath.Clean(decoded)
+	}
+
+	// Absolute path — store as-is
+	if filepath.IsAbs(value) {
+		return filepath.Clean(value)
+	}
+
+	// Relative path — resolve against folder
+	if folder == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return filepath.Clean(filepath.Join(folder.AbsolutePath(), value))
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/playlists/pls-with-art-url.m3u b/tests/fixtures/playlists/pls-with-art-url.m3u
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9dbf180f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/playlists/pls-with-art-url.m3u
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#EXTM3U
+#PLAYLIST:Playlist With Art
+#EXTALBUMARTURL:https://example.com/cover.jpg
+test.mp3
+test.ogg