diff --git a/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.test.ts b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de974f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { POST } from "./route";
+import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
+import type { Prisma } from "@prisma/client";
+
+function postReq(id: string) {
+  return new Request(`http://localhost/api/requests/${id}/retry`, { method: "POST" });
+}
+
+async function seedRequest(jobData: Prisma.JobCreateWithoutRequestInput) {
+  const created = await prisma.request.create({
+    data: {
+      artist: "Failed Artist",
+      album: "Failed Album",
+      status: "needs_attention",
+      job: { create: jobData },
+    },
+    include: { job: true },
+  });
+  return created;
+}
+
+describe("retry API", () => {
+  it("resets a needs_attention job to requested and deletes candidates", async () => {
+    const created = await seedRequest({ state: "needs_attention", currentStage: "download", attempts: 2, error: "boom" });
+    await prisma.candidate.create({
+      data: {
+        jobId: created.job!.id,
+        source: "qobuz",
+        format: "flac",
+        qualityClass: 1,
+        trackCount: 12,
+        confidence: 0.9,
+        sourceRef: "ref-1",
+        chosen: true,
+      },
+    });
+    await prisma.candidate.create({
+      data: {
+        jobId: created.job!.id,
+        source: "slskd",
+        format: "mp3",
+        qualityClass: 2,
+        trackCount: 12,
+        confidence: 0.5,
+        sourceRef: "ref-2",
+        chosen: false,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const res = await POST(postReq(created.id), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: created.id }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    expect(body).toEqual({ ok: true, status: "requested" });
+
+    const job = await prisma.job.findUnique({ where: { id: created.job!.id } });
+    expect(job?.state).toBe("requested");
+    expect(job?.currentStage).toBe("intake");
+    expect(job?.error).toBeNull();
+    expect(job?.claimedAt).toBeNull();
+
+    const candidates = await prisma.candidate.findMany({ where: { jobId: created.job!.id } });
+    expect(candidates).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    const request = await prisma.request.findUnique({ where: { id: created.id } });
+    expect(request?.status).toBe("pending");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects retrying a job that is not needs_attention", async () => {
+    const created = await seedRequest({ state: "downloading", currentStage: "download" });
+
+    const res = await POST(postReq(created.id), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: created.id }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    expect(body.error).toBe("only failed jobs can be retried");
+
+    const job = await prisma.job.findUnique({ where: { id: created.job!.id } });
+    expect(job?.state).toBe("downloading");
+  });
+
+  it("404s for a missing request", async () => {
+    const res = await POST(postReq("does-not-exist"), { params: Promise.resolve({ id: "does-not-exist" }) });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(404);
+    const body = await res.json();
+    expect(body.error).toBe("not found");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.ts b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f744cbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/app/api/requests/[id]/retry/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
+
+export async function POST(_request: Request, { params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }) {
+  const { id } = await params;
+
+  const req = await prisma.request.findUnique({ where: { id }, include: { job: true } });
+  if (!req || !req.job) {
+    return Response.json({ error: "not found" }, { status: 404 });
+  }
+  if (req.job.state !== "needs_attention") {
+    return Response.json({ error: "only failed jobs can be retried" }, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  await prisma.$transaction([
+    prisma.candidate.deleteMany({ where: { jobId: req.job.id } }),
+    prisma.job.update({
+      where: { id: req.job.id },
+      data: { state: "requested", currentStage: "intake", error: null, claimedAt: null },
+    }),
+    prisma.request.update({ where: { id }, data: { status: "pending" } }),
+  ]);
+
+  return Response.json({ ok: true, status: "requested" });
+}
diff --git a/web/src/app/queue.tsx b/web/src/app/queue.tsx
index ec7b55a..5fb2890 100644
--- a/web/src/app/queue.tsx
+++ b/web/src/app/queue.tsx
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ export function Queue() {
     return () => clearInterval(id);
   }, []);
 
+  async function retry(id: string) {
+    const res = await fetch(`/api/requests/${id}/retry`, { method: "POST" });
+    if (res.ok) {
+      toast("Retrying…");
+      refresh();
+    }
+  }
+
   async function submit(e: React.FormEvent) {
     e.preventDefault();
     if (!artist.trim() || !album.trim()) return;
@@ -149,10 +157,14 @@ export function Queue() {
                 meta = undefined;
               }
 
-              const note = attention
-                ? j.error?.trim() ||
-                  "No source met the quality cutoff, or the pipeline stalled. Retry the request, or lower the cutoff for this release."
-                : undefined;
+              const note = attention ? (
+                <>
+                  {j.error?.trim() || "No source met the quality cutoff, or the pipeline stalled."}{" "}
+                  <button className="btn sm" onClick={() => retry(r.id)}>
+                    Retry
+                  </button>
+                </>
+              ) : undefined;
 
               const stageLabel =
                 attention || j.state === "matching" || j.state === "matched" ? undefined : j.currentStage;