diff --git a/core/artwork/artwork_internal_test.go b/core/artwork/artwork_internal_test.go
index c7e7f25a2..e74a213d0 100644
--- a/core/artwork/artwork_internal_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/artwork_internal_test.go
@@ -318,6 +318,44 @@ var _ = Describe("Artwork", func() {
 				Expect(path).To(BeEmpty())
 			})
 		})
+
+		Describe("fromPlaylistExternalImage", func() {
+			It("opens local path from ExternalImageURL", func() {
+				tmpDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
+				imgPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "cover.jpg")
+				Expect(os.WriteFile(imgPath, []byte("external image data"), 0600)).To(Succeed())
+
+				reader := &playlistArtworkReader{
+					pl: model.Playlist{ExternalImageURL: imgPath},
+				}
+				r, path, err := reader.fromPlaylistExternalImage(ctx)()
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(r).ToNot(BeNil())
+				Expect(path).To(Equal(imgPath))
+				data, _ := io.ReadAll(r)
+				Expect(string(data)).To(Equal("external image data"))
+				r.Close()
+			})
+
+			It("returns nil when ExternalImageURL is empty", func() {
+				reader := &playlistArtworkReader{
+					pl: model.Playlist{ExternalImageURL: ""},
+				}
+				r, path, err := reader.fromPlaylistExternalImage(ctx)()
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(r).To(BeNil())
+				Expect(path).To(BeEmpty())
+			})
+
+			It("returns error when local file does not exist", func() {
+				reader := &playlistArtworkReader{
+					pl: model.Playlist{ExternalImageURL: "/non/existent/path/cover.jpg"},
+				}
+				r, _, err := reader.fromPlaylistExternalImage(ctx)()
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(r).To(BeNil())
+			})
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("resizedArtworkReader", func() {
diff --git a/core/artwork/reader_playlist.go b/core/artwork/reader_playlist.go
index ecc29e6b2..16601b56a 100644
--- a/core/artwork/reader_playlist.go
+++ b/core/artwork/reader_playlist.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"image/draw"
 	"image/png"
 	"io"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ func (a *playlistArtworkReader) Reader(ctx context.Context) (io.ReadCloser, stri
 	return selectImageReader(ctx, a.artID,
 		a.fromPlaylistUploadedImage(),
 		a.fromPlaylistSidecar(),
+		a.fromPlaylistExternalImage(ctx),
 		a.fromGeneratedTiledCover(ctx),
 		fromAlbumPlaceholder(),
 	)
@@ -131,6 +133,26 @@ func (a *playlistArtworkReader) fromPlaylistSidecar() sourceFunc {
 	}
 }
 
+func (a *playlistArtworkReader) fromPlaylistExternalImage(ctx context.Context) sourceFunc {
+	return func() (io.ReadCloser, string, error) {
+		if a.pl.ExternalImageURL == "" {
+			return nil, "", nil
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(a.pl.ExternalImageURL, "http://") || strings.HasPrefix(a.pl.ExternalImageURL, "https://") {
+			parsed, err := url.Parse(a.pl.ExternalImageURL)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, "", err
+			}
+			return fromURL(ctx, parsed)
+		}
+		f, err := os.Open(a.pl.ExternalImageURL)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, "", err
+		}
+		return f, a.pl.ExternalImageURL, nil
+	}
+}
+
 func (a *playlistArtworkReader) fromGeneratedTiledCover(ctx context.Context) sourceFunc {
 	return func() (io.ReadCloser, string, error) {
 		tiles, err := a.loadTiles(ctx)