diff --git a/internal/library/duplicate_resolve.go b/internal/library/duplicate_resolve.go
index b4e79da5..7344b969 100644
--- a/internal/library/duplicate_resolve.go
+++ b/internal/library/duplicate_resolve.go
@@ -668,12 +668,35 @@ func changeRelease(
 		return nil, "Lidarr's release of this album lists songs twice, and no other release lists each once while keeping what is on disk.", nil
 	}
 	if err := lid.SetMonitoredRelease(ctx, la.ID, best.ID); err != nil {
-		return nil, "", err
+		// Lidarr's album update unlinks the album's files and queues the rescan
+		// before it answers, and on a large album that outlasts the client's
+		// timeout while the change still lands (Cracker Island on the first
+		// deploy pass). An unanswered PUT is read back: when the release did
+		// change, it is recorded like any other, so the album gets its settle
+		// window and the report shows it.
+		if !errors.Is(err, lidarr.ErrUnreachable) || !releaseMonitored(ctx, lid, la.ID, best.ID) {
+			return nil, "", err
+		}
 	}
 	note := fmt.Sprintf("Lidarr now monitors the %s release, which lists each song once. The extra copies are merged once Lidarr has rescanned.", releaseLabel(best))
 	return &ReleaseChange{AlbumTitle: a.title, ArtistName: a.artist, From: from, To: best}, note, nil
 }
 
+// releaseMonitored reads whether the album's monitored release is now
+// releaseID. A failed read answers false: the change is not assumed.
+func releaseMonitored(ctx context.Context, lid LidarrLibrary, albumID, releaseID int) bool {
+	releases, err := lid.GetAlbumReleases(ctx, albumID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, r := range releases {
+		if r.ID == releaseID {
+			return r.Monitored
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 type releaseCandidate struct {
 	release  lidarr.AlbumRelease
 	coverage int
diff --git a/internal/library/duplicate_resolve_test.go b/internal/library/duplicate_resolve_test.go
index 20778fc6..12df7e89 100644
--- a/internal/library/duplicate_resolve_test.go
+++ b/internal/library/duplicate_resolve_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package library
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
@@ -83,6 +84,9 @@ type fakeLidarr struct {
 	releaseTracks map[int][]lidarr.ReleaseTrack
 	setCalls      [][2]int
 	searchCalls   [][]int
+	// setErr is what SetMonitoredRelease answers after applying the change:
+	// Lidarr timing out on a change that landed.
+	setErr error
 }
 
 func (f *fakeLidarr) ListUnmappedTrackFiles(context.Context) ([]lidarr.TrackFile, error) {
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ func (f *fakeLidarr) SetMonitoredRelease(_ context.Context, albumID, releaseID i
 	for i := range f.releases {
 		f.releases[i].Monitored = f.releases[i].ID == releaseID
 	}
-	return nil
+	return f.setErr
 }
 
 // resolveFixture is the Humanz shape: one album, one song twice, both copies on
@@ -565,3 +569,60 @@ func TestResolveDuplicates_SearchesForASoleCopyRip_Integration(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("the suspect-sources report doesn't show the search")
 	}
 }
+
+// Lidarr applies the release change but the PUT times out (Cracker Island on
+// the first deploy pass). The change is read back and recorded, so the album
+// settles; when it did not land, the error stands and nothing is recorded.
+func TestResolveDuplicates_RecordsAReleaseChangeLidarrDidNotAnswer_Integration(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, landed := range map[string]bool{"landed": true, "did not land": false} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			f := newResolveFixture(t)
+			lid := &fakeLidarr{
+				album: lidarr.LidarrAlbum{ID: 4706, ForeignAlbumID: "rg-humanz", Title: "Cracker Island"},
+				releases: []lidarr.AlbumRelease{
+					{ID: 1, Format: "Digital Media", TrackCount: 4, Monitored: true},
+					{ID: 2, Format: "Digital Media", TrackCount: 2},
+				},
+				releaseTracks: map[int][]lidarr.ReleaseTrack{
+					1: rt("Saturnz Barz", "Ascension", "Saturnz Barz", "Ascension"),
+					2: rt("Saturnz Barz", "Ascension"),
+				},
+				setErr: fmt.Errorf("%w: context deadline exceeded", lidarr.ErrUnreachable),
+			}
+			if !landed {
+				lid.setErr = fmt.Errorf("%w: connection refused", lidarr.ErrUnreachable)
+			}
+			res, err := ResolveDuplicates(context.Background(), f.pool, nil, "", &undoingLidarr{fakeLidarr: lid, undo: !landed}, true)
+			if landed {
+				if err != nil || len(res.ReleaseChanges) != 1 {
+					t.Fatalf("changes %d (%v), want the landed change recorded", len(res.ReleaseChanges), err)
+				}
+			} else if len(res.ReleaseChanges) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("recorded %d changes that did not land", len(res.ReleaseChanges))
+			}
+			var audited int
+			if err := f.pool.QueryRow(context.Background(),
+				`SELECT count(*) FROM audit_log WHERE action = 'lidarr_release_change'`).Scan(&audited); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if want := map[bool]int{true: 1, false: 0}[landed]; audited != want {
+				t.Errorf("audited %d release changes, want %d", audited, want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// undoingLidarr is a Lidarr whose release change fails without landing when
+// undo is set: the PUT never reached it.
+type undoingLidarr struct {
+	*fakeLidarr
+	undo bool
+}
+
+func (u *undoingLidarr) SetMonitoredRelease(ctx context.Context, albumID, releaseID int) error {
+	if !u.undo {
+		return u.fakeLidarr.SetMonitoredRelease(ctx, albumID, releaseID)
+	}
+	u.setCalls = append(u.setCalls, [2]int{albumID, releaseID})
+	return u.setErr
+}