diff --git a/core/artwork/processor.go b/core/artwork/processor.go
index 73a522daf..58def5fc0 100644
--- a/core/artwork/processor.go
+++ b/core/artwork/processor.go
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ const thumbnailSize = 128
 // point at an arbitrarily large endpoint, and 20MB is generous for any real cover.
 const maxImageBytes = 20 << 20
 
+// maxImagePixels caps declared dimensions: a tiny compressed file can declare a
+// huge canvas that image.Decode would expand into gigabytes (decompression bomb).
+const maxImagePixels = 64 << 20
+
 // workerDeps are the collaborators processItem needs; extGate is set by NewWorker in
 // production and nil only in tests, where resolveItem falls back to a plain passthrough.
 type workerDeps struct {
@@ -147,6 +151,9 @@ func decodeArtwork(ctx context.Context, hash string, data []byte) (*model.Artwor
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("decode image config: %w", err)
 	}
+	if int64(cfg.Width)*int64(cfg.Height) > maxImagePixels {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("image dimensions %dx%d exceed pixel cap %d", cfg.Width, cfg.Height, maxImagePixels)
+	}
 	img, _, err := image.Decode(bytes.NewReader(data))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("decode image: %w", err)
diff --git a/core/artwork/processor_test.go b/core/artwork/processor_test.go
index 876124bc3..574bb106b 100644
--- a/core/artwork/processor_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/processor_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package artwork
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
+	"hash/crc32"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -16,6 +18,21 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 )
 
+// pngHeaderWithDims builds just a PNG signature + IHDR chunk declaring w×h. DecodeConfig
+// reads the header without touching pixel data, so the body can be omitted entirely.
+func pngHeaderWithDims(w, h uint32) []byte {
+	ihdr := make([]byte, 13)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ihdr[0:], w)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ihdr[4:], h)
+	ihdr[8] = 8 // bit depth
+	ihdr[9] = 2 // color type: truecolor
+	chunk := append([]byte("IHDR"), ihdr...)
+	out := []byte{0x89, 'P', 'N', 'G', 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a}
+	out = binary.BigEndian.AppendUint32(out, uint32(len(ihdr)))
+	out = append(out, chunk...)
+	return binary.BigEndian.AppendUint32(out, crc32.ChecksumIEEE(chunk))
+}
+
 var _ = Describe("processItem", func() {
 	var (
 		ctx        context.Context
@@ -229,6 +246,13 @@ var _ = Describe("processItem", func() {
 		Expect(err).To(MatchError(model.ErrNotFound))
 	})
 
+	It("decompression bomb: rejects huge declared dimensions before the full decode", func() {
+		data := pngHeaderWithDims(50000, 50000) // 2.5 gigapixels, far above the cap
+		_, err := decodeArtwork(ctx, "bomb", data)
+		Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("dimensions"))
+	})
+
 	It("store write failure: fails without writing state", func() {
 		ds.MockedAlbum.(*tests.MockAlbumRepo).SetData(model.Albums{
 			{ID: "al7", Name: "Album", EmbedArtPath: "tests/fixtures/artist/an-album/test.mp3", FolderIDs: []string{"f1"}},