diff --git a/web/prisma/migrations/20260714180402_add_library_rg_mbid/migration.sql b/web/prisma/migrations/20260714180402_add_library_rg_mbid/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4243834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/prisma/migrations/20260714180402_add_library_rg_mbid/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+-- AlterTable
+ALTER TABLE "LibraryItem" ADD COLUMN     "rgMbid" TEXT;
diff --git a/web/prisma/schema.prisma b/web/prisma/schema.prisma
index e17461a..5c1c5e9 100644
--- a/web/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/web/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ model LibraryItem {
   format       String
   qualityClass Int
   importedAt   DateTime @default(now())
+  // MusicBrainz release-group MBID when known (resolved at manual import) — gives the album
+  // cover art without depending on a matching MonitoredRelease row.
+  rgMbid       String?
   // The album's on-disk audio filenames ("## Title.ext"), captured at import + scan, so the
   // Library modal can show the REAL tracks on disk (revealing incomplete/edition mismatches)
   // instead of MusicBrainz's canonical listing. Empty for items imported before this existed
diff --git a/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.test.ts b/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.test.ts
index a54a8db..271d900 100644
--- a/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from "vitest";
+vi.mock("@/lib/musicbrainz", () => ({ searchReleaseGroup: vi.fn(async () => null) }));
 import { mkdtempSync, existsSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
diff --git a/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.ts b/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.ts
index 67656f4..55df0c4 100644
--- a/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.ts
+++ b/web/src/app/api/library/import/route.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import Busboy from "busboy";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
 import { isAuthed } from "@/lib/auth";
+import { searchReleaseGroup } from "@/lib/musicbrainz";
 
 // Manually import an album (a ripped CD / files already on the PC): upload the audio (+ an
 // optional cover) with artist/album/year, and Lyra writes it into the library. The web
@@ -104,6 +105,15 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
   await mkdir(dirname(finalDir), { recursive: true });
   await rename(staging, finalDir);
 
+  // Resolve the release group so the album gets cover art immediately (best-effort — a
+  // no-match just leaves rgMbid null; a later Scan can still match it). Uses the shared MB cache.
+  let rgMbid: string | null = null;
+  try {
+    rgMbid = (await searchReleaseGroup(artist, album))?.rgMbid ?? null;
+  } catch {
+    /* MB unavailable — carry on without cover art */
+  }
+
   const firstExt = extname(audio[0]).toLowerCase();
   await prisma.libraryItem.create({
     data: {
@@ -115,6 +125,7 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
       // rough class from the extension (2 = CD-lossless, 1 = lossy); a later scan re-probes and
       // can upgrade a hi-res file to class 3.
       qualityClass: LOSSLESS_EXT.has(firstExt) ? 2 : 1,
+      rgMbid,
       trackNames: audio,
     },
   });
diff --git a/web/src/app/api/library/route.ts b/web/src/app/api/library/route.ts
index b8bcf43..fc8be4b 100644
Binary files a/web/src/app/api/library/route.ts and b/web/src/app/api/library/route.ts differ