diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index c0d5dea..8baa7d7 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -1041,10 +1041,17 @@ func (a *App) CheckAPIStatus(apiType string, apiURL string) bool {
 		return false, nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
+		if apiType == "musicbrainz" {
+			backend.SetMusicBrainzStatusCheckResult(false)
+		}
 		fmt.Printf("CheckAPIStatus timeout/error for %s (%s): %v\n", apiType, apiURL, err)
 		return false
 	}
 
+	if apiType == "musicbrainz" {
+		backend.SetMusicBrainzStatusCheckResult(isOnline)
+	}
+
 	return isOnline
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/amazon.go b/backend/amazon.go
index a0b8ed2..679f16b 100644
--- a/backend/amazon.go
+++ b/backend/amazon.go
@@ -252,12 +252,16 @@ func (a *AmazonDownloader) DownloadByURL(amazonURL, outputDir, quality, filename
 			}
 			res.ISRC = isrc
 			if isrc != "" {
-				fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
-				if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, spotifyTrackName, spotifyArtistName, spotifyAlbumName, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
-					res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
-					fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+				if ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() {
+					fmt.Println("Skipping MusicBrainz metadata fetch because status check is offline.")
 				} else {
-					fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
+					if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, spotifyTrackName, spotifyArtistName, spotifyAlbumName, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
+						res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
+						fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+					} else {
+						fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			metaChan <- res
diff --git a/backend/musicbrainz.go b/backend/musicbrainz.go
index 7ba5009..81cb2f9 100644
--- a/backend/musicbrainz.go
+++ b/backend/musicbrainz.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	musicBrainzRequestRetryWait      = 3 * time.Second
 	musicBrainzMinRequestInterval    = 1100 * time.Millisecond
 	musicBrainzThrottleCooldownOn503 = 5 * time.Second
+	musicBrainzStatusCheckSkipWindow = 5 * time.Minute
 )
 
 type musicBrainzStatusError struct {
@@ -46,8 +47,35 @@ var (
 	musicBrainzThrottleMu  sync.Mutex
 	musicBrainzNextRequest time.Time
 	musicBrainzBlockedTill time.Time
+
+	musicBrainzStatusMu          sync.RWMutex
+	musicBrainzLastCheckedAt     time.Time
+	musicBrainzLastCheckedOnline bool
 )
 
+func SetMusicBrainzStatusCheckResult(online bool) {
+	musicBrainzStatusMu.Lock()
+	defer musicBrainzStatusMu.Unlock()
+
+	musicBrainzLastCheckedAt = time.Now()
+	musicBrainzLastCheckedOnline = online
+}
+
+func ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() bool {
+	musicBrainzStatusMu.RLock()
+	defer musicBrainzStatusMu.RUnlock()
+
+	if musicBrainzLastCheckedAt.IsZero() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if musicBrainzLastCheckedOnline {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return time.Since(musicBrainzLastCheckedAt) <= musicBrainzStatusCheckSkipWindow
+}
+
 type MusicBrainzRecordingResponse struct {
 	Recordings []struct {
 		ID       string `json:"id"`
@@ -216,6 +244,11 @@ func FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, title, artist, album string, useSingleGenre
 		return cached.(Metadata), nil
 	}
 
+	if ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() {
+		resultErr = fmt.Errorf("skipping MusicBrainz lookup because the latest status check reported offline")
+		return meta, resultErr
+	}
+
 	musicBrainzInflightMu.Lock()
 	if call, ok := musicBrainzInflight[cacheKey]; ok {
 		musicBrainzInflightMu.Unlock()
diff --git a/backend/qobuz.go b/backend/qobuz.go
index b2b7735..ba1d36b 100644
--- a/backend/qobuz.go
+++ b/backend/qobuz.go
@@ -408,13 +408,18 @@ func (q *QobuzDownloader) DownloadTrackWithISRC(isrc, outputDir, quality, filena
 	metaChan := make(chan Metadata, 1)
 	if embedGenre && isrc != "" {
 		go func() {
-			fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
-			if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, spotifyTrackName, spotifyArtistName, spotifyAlbumName, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
-				fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
-				metaChan <- fetchedMeta
-			} else {
-				fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+			if ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() {
+				fmt.Println("Skipping MusicBrainz metadata fetch because status check is offline.")
 				metaChan <- Metadata{}
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
+				if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, spotifyTrackName, spotifyArtistName, spotifyAlbumName, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
+					fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+					metaChan <- fetchedMeta
+				} else {
+					fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					metaChan <- Metadata{}
+				}
 			}
 		}()
 	} else {
diff --git a/backend/tidal.go b/backend/tidal.go
index af5fe31..ee16973 100644
--- a/backend/tidal.go
+++ b/backend/tidal.go
@@ -493,12 +493,16 @@ func (t *TidalDownloader) DownloadByURL(tidalURL, outputDir, quality, filenameFo
 			}
 			res.ISRC = isrc
 			if isrc != "" {
-				fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
-				if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, trackTitle, artistName, albumTitle, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
-					res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
-					fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+				if ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() {
+					fmt.Println("Skipping MusicBrainz metadata fetch because status check is offline.")
 				} else {
-					fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
+					if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, trackTitle, artistName, albumTitle, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
+						res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
+						fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+					} else {
+						fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			metaChan <- res
@@ -657,12 +661,16 @@ func (t *TidalDownloader) DownloadByURLWithFallback(tidalURL, outputDir, quality
 			}
 			res.ISRC = isrc
 			if isrc != "" {
-				fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
-				if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, trackTitle, artistName, albumTitle, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
-					res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
-					fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+				if ShouldSkipMusicBrainzMetadataFetch() {
+					fmt.Println("Skipping MusicBrainz metadata fetch because status check is offline.")
 				} else {
-					fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					fmt.Println("Fetching MusicBrainz metadata...")
+					if fetchedMeta, err := FetchMusicBrainzMetadata(isrc, trackTitle, artistName, albumTitle, useSingleGenre, embedGenre); err == nil {
+						res.Metadata = fetchedMeta
+						fmt.Println("✓ MusicBrainz metadata fetched")
+					} else {
+						fmt.Printf("Warning: Failed to fetch MusicBrainz metadata: %v\n", err)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			metaChan <- res