diff --git a/internal/coverart/artist_enricher_test.go b/internal/coverart/artist_enricher_test.go
index 352214ed..2751eb49 100644
--- a/internal/coverart/artist_enricher_test.go
+++ b/internal/coverart/artist_enricher_test.go
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ func TestCleanupArtistArt_IdempotentMissingDir(t *testing.T) {
 
 // --- MBID guard ---
 
-func TestEnrichArtist_NoMBID_LeavesNull(t *testing.T) {
+func TestEnrichArtist_NoMBID_SettlesNone(t *testing.T) {
 	pool := newPool(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	q := dbq.New(pool)
@@ -504,9 +504,13 @@ func TestEnrichArtist_NoMBID_LeavesNull(t *testing.T) {
 	resetRegistryForTests()
 	t.Cleanup(resetRegistryForTests)
 
+	// No MBID still runs the provider chain (name-based providers can
+	// resolve without one). An MBID-only provider returns ErrNotFound
+	// for an empty MBID; with the whole chain returning ErrNotFound the
+	// row settles 'none' (version-stamped), NOT NULL.
 	stub := &stubArtistProvider{
 		fakeProvider: fakeProvider{id: "stub-artist", defaultOn: true},
-		thumb:        []byte("should_not_write"),
+		err:          ErrNotFound,
 	}
 	Register(stub)
 
@@ -523,7 +527,7 @@ func TestEnrichArtist_NoMBID_LeavesNull(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("GetArtistByID: %v", err)
 	}
-	if row.ArtistArtSource != nil {
-		t.Errorf("source = %v, want nil (no MBID — skip)", row.ArtistArtSource)
+	if row.ArtistArtSource == nil || *row.ArtistArtSource != "none" {
+		t.Errorf("source = %v, want 'none' (settled)", row.ArtistArtSource)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/coverart/enricher_test.go b/internal/coverart/enricher_test.go
index 27032762..36e8c38a 100644
--- a/internal/coverart/enricher_test.go
+++ b/internal/coverart/enricher_test.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func TestEnrichAlbum_SidecarFound(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestEnrichAlbum_NoSidecarNoMBID_LeavesNull(t *testing.T) {
+func TestEnrichAlbum_NoSidecarNoMBID_SettlesNone(t *testing.T) {
 	pool := newPool(t)
 	id, _ := seedAlbumWithTrack(t, pool, "NoMbid", "Artist", "")
 	resetRegistryForTests() // deterministic empty registry (no provider can supply)
@@ -134,8 +134,11 @@ func TestEnrichAlbum_NoSidecarNoMBID_LeavesNull(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("get: %v", err)
 	}
-	if row.CoverArtSource != nil {
-		t.Errorf("source = %v, want nil (NULL — eligible for retry on next scan)", row.CoverArtSource)
+	// No sidecar, no MBID, no provider yields → the chain settles
+	// 'none' (allWere404 stays true), version-stamped so it is only
+	// re-tried when the registered provider set changes.
+	if row.CoverArtSource == nil || *row.CoverArtSource != "none" {
+		t.Errorf("source = %v, want 'none' (settled)", row.CoverArtSource)
 	}
 }