diff --git a/backend/app/tasks/maintenance.py b/backend/app/tasks/maintenance.py
index f53216d..988c9ca 100644
--- a/backend/app/tasks/maintenance.py
+++ b/backend/app/tasks/maintenance.py
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ TASK_STUCK_THRESHOLD_MINUTES: dict[str, int] = {
     "backend.app.tasks.backup.restore_images_task": 420,
     # Library audit scans the full library — 2h hard limit.
     "backend.app.tasks.library_audit.scan_library_for_rule": 130,
+    # External file-host fetches (mega/gdrive/film packs) legitimately run to
+    # the task's 60-min hard limit (time_limit=3600; per-fetch _FETCH_TIMEOUT
+    # is 50min). Its TaskRun records queue='default' (no queue override), so
+    # without this it fell to the 5-min default and healthy in-flight fetches
+    # were phantom-flagged 'RecoverySweep' before their own timeout/error could
+    # surface (operator-flagged 2026-06-17, target 414 swept at 6.6min). A
+    # task-name override is robust whatever queue the row records. 65 = 60 + 5.
+    "backend.app.tasks.external.fetch_external_link": 65,
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_maintenance.py b/tests/test_maintenance.py
index 5f26ba7..e014c67 100644
--- a/tests/test_maintenance.py
+++ b/tests/test_maintenance.py
@@ -453,6 +453,59 @@ def test_recover_stalled_task_runs_archive_task_uses_longer_threshold(db_sync):
     assert _status(archive_stale_id) == "error"
 
 
+def test_recover_stalled_task_runs_external_fetch_uses_longer_threshold(db_sync):
+    """fetch_external_link legitimately runs to its 60-min hard limit, but its
+    TaskRun records queue='default' (no queue override), so before the
+    task-name override (65 min) it fell to the 5-min default and healthy
+    in-flight fetches were phantom-flagged 'RecoverySweep' before their own
+    timeout/error could surface (operator-flagged 2026-06-17, target 414 swept
+    at 6.6min). A 10-min-old row must survive; a 70-min-old one is flagged."""
+    from sqlalchemy import select
+
+    from backend.app.models import TaskRun
+    from backend.app.tasks.maintenance import recover_stalled_task_runs
+
+    name = "backend.app.tasks.external.fetch_external_link"
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    # 10-min-old: stale by the default 5-min rule but fresh by the 65-min
+    # task-name override. Must survive despite recording queue='default'.
+    fresh_id = _make_task_run(
+        db_sync, status="running", queue="default", task_name=name,
+        started_at=now - timedelta(minutes=10),
+    )
+    # 70-min-old: past even the 65-min override (a genuine hard kill). Flagged.
+    stale_id = _make_task_run(
+        db_sync, status="running", queue="default", task_name=name,
+        started_at=now - timedelta(minutes=70),
+    )
+    db_sync.commit()
+
+    recovered = recover_stalled_task_runs.apply().get()
+    assert recovered == 1
+
+    db_sync.expire_all()
+    def _status(_id):
+        return db_sync.execute(
+            select(TaskRun.status).where(TaskRun.id == _id)
+        ).scalar_one()
+    assert _status(fresh_id) == "running"
+    assert _status(stale_id) == "error"
+
+
+def test_external_fetch_stuck_threshold_exceeds_hard_time_limit():
+    """Invariant guard (maintenance.py:112): the fetch_external_link task-name
+    override MUST be ≥ its hard time_limit, else the sweep flags healthy long
+    fetches. Pins it so a future time_limit bump can't silently re-break it."""
+    from backend.app.tasks.external import fetch_external_link
+    from backend.app.tasks.maintenance import TASK_STUCK_THRESHOLD_MINUTES
+
+    hard_minutes = fetch_external_link.time_limit / 60
+    override = TASK_STUCK_THRESHOLD_MINUTES[
+        "backend.app.tasks.external.fetch_external_link"
+    ]
+    assert override >= hard_minutes
+
+
 def test_prune_task_runs_deletes_ok_older_than_24h(db_sync):
     from sqlalchemy import select