diff --git a/backend/app/api/sources.py b/backend/app/api/sources.py
index 9d7c9b1..a1312ba 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/sources.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/sources.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import select
 
 from ..extensions import get_session
 from ..models import DownloadEvent, Source
-from ..services.scheduler_service import scheduler_status
+from ..services.scheduler_service import active_platform_cooldowns, scheduler_status
 from ..services.source_service import (
     KNOWN_PLATFORMS,
     ArtistNotFoundError,
@@ -125,7 +125,16 @@ async def check_source(source_id: int):
     """FC-3c: enqueue a download for this source.
 
     Returns 202 with the new DownloadEvent id. If a pending/running
-    event already exists for this source, returns 409 with that id."""
+    event already exists for this source, returns 409 with that id. If
+    the source's platform is currently in a rate-limit cooldown, returns
+    **202 with `{status: "deferred", cooldown_until, platform}`** and
+    does NOT create an event or dispatch — the bulk retry path uses this
+    to avoid bowling N sources right back into the rate limit the
+    cooldown is preventing. Single-click "retry this one source" passes
+    `?force=true` to override the cooldown (operator-explicit, useful
+    for rapid auth-fix testing). The in-flight guard always applies.
+    """
+    force = (request.args.get("force") or "").lower() in ("1", "true", "yes")
     async with get_session() as session:
         source = (await session.execute(
             select(Source).where(Source.id == source_id)
@@ -135,6 +144,19 @@ async def check_source(source_id: int):
         if not source.enabled:
             return _bad("source_disabled", detail="enable the source first")
 
+        # Cooldown gate (unless explicitly overridden). Checked before the
+        # in-flight guard because a deferred retry doesn't need to create
+        # or check for an event at all.
+        if not force:
+            cooldowns = await active_platform_cooldowns(session)
+            expires_at = cooldowns.get(source.platform)
+            if expires_at is not None:
+                return jsonify({
+                    "status": "deferred",
+                    "platform": source.platform,
+                    "cooldown_until": expires_at.isoformat(),
+                }), 202
+
         in_flight = (await session.execute(
             select(DownloadEvent.id).where(
                 DownloadEvent.source_id == source_id,
diff --git a/backend/app/services/scheduler_service.py b/backend/app/services/scheduler_service.py
index dd038a4..adda050 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/scheduler_service.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/scheduler_service.py
@@ -87,10 +87,15 @@ async def set_platform_cooldown(
     await session.execute(stmt)
 
 
-async def _platforms_in_cooldown(session: AsyncSession) -> dict[str, datetime]:
+async def active_platform_cooldowns(session: AsyncSession) -> dict[str, datetime]:
     """Return {platform: expires_at} for platforms whose cooldown is still
     in the future. Expired rows are ignored (a future maintenance sweep can
-    delete them; they don't affect routing decisions on their own)."""
+    delete them; they don't affect routing decisions on their own).
+
+    Exposed beyond scheduler_service so the manual check endpoint
+    (`/api/sources/<id>/check`) can defer bulk retries that would bowl
+    into the same rate limit the cooldown is preventing.
+    """
     rows = (await session.execute(
         select(AppSetting.key, AppSetting.value)
         .where(AppSetting.key.startswith(PLATFORM_COOLDOWN_KEY_PREFIX))
@@ -133,7 +138,7 @@ async def select_due_sources(session: AsyncSession) -> list[Source]:
         .order_by(Source.last_checked_at.asc().nulls_first(), Source.id)
     )).scalars().all()
 
-    cooldowns = await _platforms_in_cooldown(session)
+    cooldowns = await active_platform_cooldowns(session)
     settings = await ImportSettings.load(session)
 
     now = datetime.now(UTC)
@@ -212,7 +217,7 @@ async def scheduler_status(session: AsyncSession) -> dict:
         elif next_due_at is None or nca < next_due_at:
             next_due_at = nca
 
-    cooldowns = await _platforms_in_cooldown(session)
+    cooldowns = await active_platform_cooldowns(session)
 
     return {
         "last_tick_at": last_tick_at,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/subscriptions/DownloadsTab.vue b/frontend/src/components/subscriptions/DownloadsTab.vue
index 0307c63..9a48144 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/subscriptions/DownloadsTab.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/subscriptions/DownloadsTab.vue
@@ -171,10 +171,12 @@ async function refresh() {
 }
 
 // Retry a single failing source (re-runs its whole feed) then refresh the
-// rollup + stats so the operator sees it move.
+// rollup + stats so the operator sees it move. Passes force=true so the
+// platform cooldown is bypassed — single-source click is an explicit
+// operator override, useful for rapid auth-fix or fixture testing.
 async function onRetrySource(source) {
   try {
-    await sourcesStore.checkNow(source.id)
+    await sourcesStore.checkNow(source.id, { force: true })
     toast({ text: `Retry queued for ${source.artist_name || source.platform}`, type: 'success' })
   } catch (e) {
     if (e?.body?.download_event_id) {
@@ -187,15 +189,24 @@ async function onRetrySource(source) {
   }
 }
 
+// Bulk retry — leaves cooldown enforcement ON so N failing sources on
+// the same platform don't all retry into the rate limit the cooldown is
+// preventing. Sources deferred by cooldown will be picked up by the
+// next scan tick after the AppSetting expires. Toast tallies the three
+// outcomes so the operator can quickly read whether cooldown is the
+// dominant failure mode ("12 deferred (cooldown)" → yes, rate limit is
+// the issue).
 async function onRetryAll(sources) {
   retryingAll.value = true
   let ok = 0
   let conflict = 0
+  let deferred = 0
   try {
     for (const s of sources) {
       try {
-        await sourcesStore.checkNow(s.id)
-        ok += 1
+        const body = await sourcesStore.checkNow(s.id)
+        if (body?.status === 'deferred') deferred += 1
+        else ok += 1
       } catch (e) {
         if (e?.body?.download_event_id) conflict += 1
       }
@@ -206,6 +217,7 @@ async function onRetryAll(sources) {
   }
   const parts = []
   if (ok) parts.push(`${ok} queued`)
+  if (deferred) parts.push(`${deferred} deferred (cooldown)`)
   if (conflict) parts.push(`${conflict} already running`)
   toast({ text: parts.join(', ') || 'Nothing to retry', type: 'info' })
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/sources.js b/frontend/src/stores/sources.js
index 77ece67..a04c5a0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/sources.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/sources.js
@@ -67,10 +67,17 @@ export const useSourcesStore = defineStore('sources', () => {
   // FC-3c: trigger a download for one source. Returns {download_event_id,status}.
   const checkingIds = ref(new Set())
 
-  async function checkNow(id) {
+  // force=true bypasses the platform-rate-limit cooldown gate. Single-
+  // source RETRY clicks pass it (operator-explicit override, useful for
+  // rapid auth-fix testing); bulk RETRY ALL / MaintenanceMenu retries
+  // leave it off so the cooldown does its preventive job.
+  async function checkNow(id, { force = false } = {}) {
     checkingIds.value = new Set(checkingIds.value).add(id)
     try {
-      return await api.post(`/api/sources/${id}/check`)
+      const url = force
+        ? `/api/sources/${id}/check?force=true`
+        : `/api/sources/${id}/check`
+      return await api.post(url)
     } finally {
       const next = new Set(checkingIds.value)
       next.delete(id)
diff --git a/tests/test_api_sources_check.py b/tests/test_api_sources_check.py
index 8b2cfa6..2b201b5 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_sources_check.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_sources_check.py
@@ -63,3 +63,55 @@ async def test_check_409_when_already_running(client, db, seed, monkeypatch):
     assert resp.status_code == 409
     body = await resp.get_json()
     assert body["download_event_id"] == existing.id
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_check_defers_when_platform_in_cooldown(client, db, seed, monkeypatch):
+    """Bulk retries land here without ?force — when the source's platform
+    has an active cooldown, return 202 with status='deferred' instead of
+    creating an event. Lets the bulk path tally deferred-vs-queued in
+    the toast so the operator can see rate-limit-induced failures at a
+    glance."""
+    from backend.app.services.scheduler_service import set_platform_cooldown
+
+    delays: list = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "backend.app.tasks.download.download_source.delay",
+        lambda *a, **k: delays.append(a),
+    )
+
+    await set_platform_cooldown(db, seed.platform, seconds=900)
+    await db.commit()
+
+    resp = await client.post(f"/api/sources/{seed.id}/check")
+    assert resp.status_code == 202
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    assert body["status"] == "deferred"
+    assert body["platform"] == seed.platform
+    assert body["cooldown_until"]
+    assert delays == []  # no dispatch when deferred
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_check_force_overrides_cooldown(client, db, seed, monkeypatch):
+    """Single-source RETRY click sends ?force=true — explicit operator
+    override, used for rapid auth-fix testing without waiting on the
+    cooldown."""
+    from backend.app.services.scheduler_service import set_platform_cooldown
+
+    delays: list = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "backend.app.tasks.download.download_source.delay",
+        lambda *a, **k: delays.append(a),
+    )
+
+    await set_platform_cooldown(db, seed.platform, seconds=900)
+    await db.commit()
+
+    resp = await client.post(f"/api/sources/{seed.id}/check?force=true")
+    assert resp.status_code == 202
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    assert body["status"] == "pending"
+    assert isinstance(body["download_event_id"], int)
+    assert len(delays) == 1
+    assert delays[0] == (seed.id,)