diff --git a/core/artwork/gate.go b/core/artwork/gate.go
index ebb65bcbe..aa2ad8f2f 100644
--- a/core/artwork/gate.go
+++ b/core/artwork/gate.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package artwork
 
 import (
+	"cmp"
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"io"
@@ -95,6 +96,9 @@ type breaker struct {
 	// generation identifies the current open episode, so an answer from a call admitted before
 	// the breaker opened cannot be mistaken for evidence that it has recovered.
 	generation int
+	// probeAfter overrides the probe delay for the current episode when a provider named its own
+	// back-off; zero falls back to breakerProbeAfter.
+	probeAfter time.Duration
 }
 
 func newBreaker() *breaker { return &breaker{} }
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ func (b *breaker) allow() (bool, int) {
 	if b.failures < breakerThreshold {
 		return true, 0
 	}
-	if time.Since(b.openedAt) >= breakerProbeAfter {
+	if time.Since(b.openedAt) >= cmp.Or(b.probeAfter, breakerProbeAfter) {
 		b.openedAt = time.Now() // start a fresh probe window so only one caller passes
 		return true, b.generation
 	}
@@ -121,11 +125,24 @@ func (b *breaker) record(name string, gen int, err error) {
 	}
 	b.mu.Lock()
 	defer b.mu.Unlock()
+	// An explicit back-off is a definitive "stop for this long", so it opens the breaker at once
+	// with the provider's own delay instead of waiting for the failure threshold.
+	if retry, ok := errors.AsType[*agents.RetryLaterError](err); ok && retry.RetryIn > 0 {
+		b.recoveries = 0
+		b.failures = breakerThreshold
+		b.openedAt = time.Now()
+		b.probeAfter = retry.RetryIn
+		b.generation++
+		log.Warn("Artwork: Circuit breaker opened for agent, provider asked to back off", "agent", name,
+			"probeAfter", retry.RetryIn)
+		return
+	}
 	if isTransientExternal(err) {
 		b.recoveries = 0
 		b.failures++
 		if b.failures == breakerThreshold {
 			b.openedAt = time.Now()
+			b.probeAfter = 0
 			b.generation++
 			log.Warn("Artwork: Circuit breaker opened for agent", "agent", name,
 				"consecutiveFailures", b.failures, "probeAfter", breakerProbeAfter, err)
diff --git a/core/artwork/gate_test.go b/core/artwork/gate_test.go
index abe723508..a954d4cac 100644
--- a/core/artwork/gate_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/gate_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package artwork
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"time"
 
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/agents"
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 )
@@ -40,4 +42,15 @@ var _ = Describe("breaker", func() {
 		Expect(allowed(b)).To(BeFalse(),
 			"answers from calls admitted before the breaker opened must not close it")
 	})
+
+	It("opens at once when a provider asks to retry later, honoring its delay", func() {
+		b := newBreaker()
+		Expect(allowed(b)).To(BeTrue(), "starts closed")
+
+		// A single explicit back-off opens the breaker without reaching the failure threshold.
+		b.record("agentA", 0, &agents.RetryLaterError{RetryIn: 5 * time.Second})
+
+		Expect(allowed(b)).To(BeFalse(), "an explicit back-off opens the breaker immediately")
+		Expect(b.probeAfter).To(Equal(5*time.Second), "the provider's delay drives the probe interval")
+	})
 })