diff --git a/src/hooks/useAudio.ts b/src/hooks/useAudio.ts
index 5320548..090761e 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAudio.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAudio.ts
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 		const vol = volume();
 		const spd = storeSpeed || speed();
 
+		const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+		const feed = feedStore.feeds().find((f) => f.podcast.id === episode.podcastId);
+		const podcastTitle = feed?.customName || feed?.podcast.title || "";
+
 		// Resume from saved progress if available and not completed
 		const savedProgress = progressStore.get(episode.id);
 		let startPos = 0;
@@ -200,6 +204,7 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 			volume: vol,
 			speed: spd,
 			startPosition: startPos > 0 ? startPos : undefined,
+			mediaTitle: podcastTitle ? `${podcastTitle} — ${episode.title}` : episode.title,
 		});
 
 		setCurrentEpisode(episode);
@@ -212,7 +217,7 @@ async function play(episode: Episode): Promise<void> {
 		const media = useMediaRegistry();
 		media.setNowPlaying({
 			title: episode.title,
-			artist: episode.podcastId,
+			artist: podcastTitle || episode.podcastId,
 			duration: episode.duration,
 		});
 		media.setPlaybackState(true);
@@ -363,10 +368,18 @@ async function switchBackend(name: BackendName): Promise<void> {
 	// Resume playback if we were playing
 	if (wasPlaying && ep && ep.audioUrl) {
 		try {
+			const feedStore = useFeedStore();
+			const feed = feedStore
+				.feeds()
+				.find((f) => f.podcast.id === ep.podcastId);
+			const podcastTitle = feed?.customName || feed?.podcast.title || "";
 			await backend.play(ep.audioUrl, {
 				startPosition: pos,
 				volume: vol,
 				speed: spd,
+				mediaTitle: podcastTitle
+					? `${podcastTitle} — ${ep.title}`
+					: ep.title,
 			});
 			setIsPlaying(true);
 			startPolling();
diff --git a/src/stores/download.ts b/src/stores/download.ts
index 975d5eb..2d64cf8 100644
--- a/src/stores/download.ts
+++ b/src/stores/download.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type { DownloadedEpisode } from "../types/episode";
 import type { Episode } from "../types/episode";
 import { downloadEpisode } from "../utils/episode-downloader";
 import { ensureConfigDir, getConfigFilePath } from "../utils/config-dir";
+import { useFeedStore } from "./feed";
 
 const DOWNLOADS_FILE = "downloads.json";
 const MAX_CONCURRENT = 2;
@@ -201,6 +202,27 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 				speed: 0,
 				error: null,
 			});
+
+			// Write the podcast cover beside the audio so mpv's
+			// --cover-art-auto=exact picks it up for Now Playing art.
+			const coverUrl = useFeedStore()
+				.feeds()
+				.find((f) => f.id === item.feedId)?.podcast.coverUrl;
+			if (coverUrl && result.filePath) {
+				const dot = result.filePath.lastIndexOf(".");
+				if (dot > 0) {
+					const coverPath = result.filePath.slice(0, dot) + ".jpg";
+					fetch(coverUrl)
+						.then(async (r) => {
+							if (!r.ok) return;
+							await Bun.write(
+								coverPath,
+								new Uint8Array(await r.arrayBuffer()),
+							);
+						})
+						.catch(() => {});
+				}
+			}
 		} else {
 			updateDownload(item.episodeId, {
 				status: DownloadStatus.FAILED,
@@ -306,6 +328,11 @@ function createDownloadStore() {
 			try {
 				const { unlink } = await import("fs/promises");
 				await unlink(dl.filePath);
+				const dot = dl.filePath.lastIndexOf(".");
+				if (dot > 0) {
+					const coverPath = dl.filePath.slice(0, dot) + ".jpg";
+					await unlink(coverPath);
+				}
 			} catch {
 				// File may already be gone
 			}
diff --git a/src/utils/audio-player.ts b/src/utils/audio-player.ts
index 9c9e843..97dafb1 100644
--- a/src/utils/audio-player.ts
+++ b/src/utils/audio-player.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export interface PlayOptions {
 	startPosition?: number;
 	volume?: number;
 	speed?: number;
+	mediaTitle?: string;
 }
 
 // ── Utilities ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -109,6 +110,10 @@ export class MpvBackend implements AudioBackend {
 			`--speed=${opts?.speed ?? 1}`,
 		];
 
+		if (opts?.mediaTitle) {
+			args.push(`--force-media-title=${opts.mediaTitle}`);
+		}
+
 		if (opts?.startPosition && opts.startPosition > 0) {
 			args.push(`--start=${opts.startPosition}`);
 		}