diff --git a/ErsatzTV/Controllers/Api/TraktController.cs b/ErsatzTV/Controllers/Api/TraktController.cs
index bd614afdb..ae919a4d1 100644
--- a/ErsatzTV/Controllers/Api/TraktController.cs
+++ b/ErsatzTV/Controllers/Api/TraktController.cs
@@ -76,13 +76,7 @@ public partial class TraktController(
                 CreateProblemDetails(422, "Validation failed", "Invalid Trakt list url"));
         }
 
-        if (!entityLocker.LockTrakt())
-        {
-            return ConflictProblem();
-        }
-
-        await workerChannel.WriteAsync(AddTraktList.FromUrl(request.Url), cancellationToken);
-        return new AcceptedResult();
+        return await EnqueueWithTraktLock(AddTraktList.FromUrl(request.Url), cancellationToken);
     }
 
     [HttpPost("/api/trakt/lists/{id:int}/match")]
@@ -100,13 +94,7 @@ public partial class TraktController(
             return ApiResults.NotFoundProblem();
         }
 
-        if (!entityLocker.LockTrakt())
-        {
-            return ConflictProblem();
-        }
-
-        await workerChannel.WriteAsync(new MatchTraktListItems(id), cancellationToken);
-        return new AcceptedResult();
+        return await EnqueueWithTraktLock(new MatchTraktListItems(id), cancellationToken);
     }
 
     [HttpDelete("/api/trakt/lists/{id:int}")]
@@ -124,13 +112,7 @@ public partial class TraktController(
             return ApiResults.NotFoundProblem();
         }
 
-        if (!entityLocker.LockTrakt())
-        {
-            return ConflictProblem();
-        }
-
-        await workerChannel.WriteAsync(new DeleteTraktList(id), cancellationToken);
-        return new AcceptedResult();
+        return await EnqueueWithTraktLock(new DeleteTraktList(id), cancellationToken);
     }
 
     [HttpPut("/api/trakt/lists/{id:int}")]
@@ -185,6 +167,30 @@ public partial class TraktController(
             viewModel.AutoRefresh,
             viewModel.GeneratePlaylist);
 
+    private async Task<IActionResult> EnqueueWithTraktLock(
+        IBackgroundServiceRequest request,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        if (!entityLocker.LockTrakt())
+        {
+            return ConflictProblem();
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            await workerChannel.WriteAsync(request, cancellationToken);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // the background handler only unlocks when it receives the message;
+            // if enqueueing fails (e.g. request aborted), release the lock here or it is held forever
+            entityLocker.UnlockTrakt();
+            throw;
+        }
+
+        return new AcceptedResult();
+    }
+
     private static ConflictObjectResult ConflictProblem() =>
         new ConflictObjectResult(
             CreateProblemDetails(
diff --git a/web/src/screens/TraktListsScreen.tsx b/web/src/screens/TraktListsScreen.tsx
index 627c397cf..cae1a38c9 100644
--- a/web/src/screens/TraktListsScreen.tsx
+++ b/web/src/screens/TraktListsScreen.tsx
@@ -143,7 +143,15 @@ function AddTraktListDialog({
 
 /* ---------- sub-path editor ---------- */
 
-function TraktListEditor({ id, onBack }: { id: number; onBack: () => void }) {
+function TraktListEditor({
+  id,
+  onBack,
+  onBackgroundMatch,
+}: {
+  id: number;
+  onBack: () => void;
+  onBackgroundMatch: () => void;
+}) {
   const [list, setList] = useState<TraktList | null>(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -191,6 +199,10 @@ function TraktListEditor({ id, onBack }: { id: number; onBack: () => void }) {
       const updated = await updateTraktList(id, { autoRefresh, generatePlaylist });
       setList(updated);
       setSaved(true);
+      if (generatePlaylist) {
+        // saving with generatePlaylist enqueues a background match server-side
+        onBackgroundMatch();
+      }
     } catch (updateError) {
       setSaveError(messageFromTraktError(updateError, 'Unable to save Trakt list'));
     } finally {
@@ -309,7 +321,13 @@ export function TraktListsScreen() {
   const { busy, markBusy } = useTraktBusyPoll(load);
 
   if (editingId !== null) {
-    return <TraktListEditor id={editingId} onBack={() => navigateToPath(TRAKT_BASE_PATH)} />;
+    return (
+      <TraktListEditor
+        id={editingId}
+        onBack={() => navigateToPath(TRAKT_BASE_PATH)}
+        onBackgroundMatch={markBusy}
+      />
+    );
   }
 
   const submitAdd = async (url: string) => {