diff --git a/internal/database/querier.go b/internal/database/querier.go
index 74d26112..43d09d7c 100644
--- a/internal/database/querier.go
+++ b/internal/database/querier.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ type Querier interface {
 	// ============================================
 	AddBookToKoboShelf(ctx context.Context, arg AddBookToKoboShelfParams) (KoboShelves, error)
 	// Library Folders queries
+	// purpose: 'scan' (FS-walker root, default) | 'podcast' (download root;
+	// scanner-skipped, written by the podcast download worker instead).
 	AddLibraryFolder(ctx context.Context, arg AddLibraryFolderParams) (LibraryFolders, error)
 	// Second consecutive missing scan: hide the item from all browsing while
 	// preserving reading history in case the file returns.
diff --git a/internal/database/queries.sql.go b/internal/database/queries.sql.go
index f150dd45..d1dc1ee1 100644
--- a/internal/database/queries.sql.go
+++ b/internal/database/queries.sql.go
@@ -123,17 +123,20 @@ func (q *Queries) AddBookToKoboShelf(ctx context.Context, arg AddBookToKoboShelf
 }
 
 const AddLibraryFolder = `-- name: AddLibraryFolder :one
-INSERT INTO library_folders (library_id, folder_path) VALUES ($1, $2) RETURNING id, library_id, folder_path, created_at, purpose
+INSERT INTO library_folders (library_id, folder_path, purpose) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) RETURNING id, library_id, folder_path, created_at, purpose
 `
 
 type AddLibraryFolderParams struct {
 	LibraryID  pgtype.UUID `db:"library_id" json:"library_id"`
 	FolderPath string      `db:"folder_path" json:"folder_path"`
+	Purpose    string      `db:"purpose" json:"purpose"`
 }
 
 // Library Folders queries
+// purpose: 'scan' (FS-walker root, default) | 'podcast' (download root;
+// scanner-skipped, written by the podcast download worker instead).
 func (q *Queries) AddLibraryFolder(ctx context.Context, arg AddLibraryFolderParams) (LibraryFolders, error) {
-	row := q.db.QueryRow(ctx, AddLibraryFolder, arg.LibraryID, arg.FolderPath)
+	row := q.db.QueryRow(ctx, AddLibraryFolder, arg.LibraryID, arg.FolderPath, arg.Purpose)
 	var i LibraryFolders
 	err := row.Scan(
 		&i.ID,
diff --git a/internal/database/queries/queries.sql b/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
index 1f7e2907..2699d53f 100644
--- a/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
+++ b/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ DELETE FROM libraries WHERE id = $1;
 
 -- Library Folders queries
 -- name: AddLibraryFolder :one
-INSERT INTO library_folders (library_id, folder_path) VALUES ($1, $2) RETURNING *;
+-- purpose: 'scan' (FS-walker root, default) | 'podcast' (download root;
+-- scanner-skipped, written by the podcast download worker instead).
+INSERT INTO library_folders (library_id, folder_path, purpose) VALUES ($1, $2, $3) RETURNING *;
 
 -- name: GetLibraryFolders :many
 SELECT * FROM library_folders WHERE library_id = $1 ORDER BY created_at;
diff --git a/internal/handlers/scanner.go b/internal/handlers/scanner.go
index 5aa526ef..fa85e96d 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/scanner.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/scanner.go
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ func (h *Handler) ScanLibrary(c *echo.Context) error {
 			for _, folder := range libraryFolders {
 				if folder.FolderPath == req.FolderPath {
 					registered = true
+					// Podcast download roots are feed-managed (invariant
+					// 4): never scanner-ingestible, even scoped.
+					if folder.Purpose == services.FolderPurposePodcast {
+						return c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]string{"error": "podcast download roots are feed-managed and cannot be scanned"})
+					}
 					break
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/internal/services/library_service.go b/internal/services/library_service.go
index afbf9b1d..112eb2a8 100644
--- a/internal/services/library_service.go
+++ b/internal/services/library_service.go
@@ -158,10 +158,39 @@ func (s *LibraryService) DeleteLibrary(ctx context.Context, libraryID pgtype.UUI
 }
 
 // AddLibraryFolder adds a folder to a library
+// Folder purposes (library_folders.purpose): 'scan' roots feed the FS
+// walker; 'podcast' roots are download targets written only by the
+// podcast download worker.
+const (
+	FolderPurposeScan    = "scan"
+	FolderPurposePodcast = "podcast"
+)
+
+// AddLibraryFolder registers a folder against a library. The purpose is
+// derived from the library type: podcasts libraries register their
+// download root (purpose='podcast', exactly ONE folder — feeds lay out
+// <download-root>/<feed-slug>/...); every other type registers a
+// scanner root (purpose='scan').
 func (s *LibraryService) AddLibraryFolder(ctx context.Context, libraryID pgtype.UUID, folderPath string) (*database.LibraryFolders, error) {
+	purpose := FolderPurposeScan
+
+	lib, err := s.db.GetLibrary(ctx, libraryID)
+	if err == nil && lib.TypeName == LibraryTypePodcasts {
+		// Podcasts libraries own exactly one folder: the download root.
+		existing, err := s.db.GetLibraryFolders(ctx, libraryID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if len(existing) > 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("podcasts libraries have a single download root; %s is already registered", existing[0].FolderPath)
+		}
+		purpose = FolderPurposePodcast
+	}
+
 	folder, err := s.db.AddLibraryFolder(ctx, database.AddLibraryFolderParams{
 		LibraryID:  libraryID,
 		FolderPath: folderPath,
+		Purpose:    purpose,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/internal/services/media_scanner.go b/internal/services/media_scanner.go
index 62eb3600..961f7dab 100644
--- a/internal/services/media_scanner.go
+++ b/internal/services/media_scanner.go
@@ -512,6 +512,33 @@ func (s *MediaScanner) GetStats() (int, int, int) {
 // watcher (and thus no fd/inotify watches) is allocated — the watcher is never
 // read by scan jobs and previously leaked one watcher per job.
 func (s *MediaScanner) SetFolders(folders []string, watch bool) error {
+	// Podcasts libraries are feed-managed (plan: podcast-integration.md
+	// task 1.2, invariant 4): their download roots are written by the
+	// download worker, never discovered by the walker — including
+	// scoped single-folder scans (0f1d0abb), which all funnel through
+	// here. Filter them out before anything else touches the list.
+	scannable := folders[:0:0]
+	for _, folder := range folders {
+		lib, err := s.db.GetLibraryByFolder(context.Background(), folder)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Unresolvable folders keep the old behavior (scan walk
+			// skips them per-file; watch adds them harmlessly).
+			scannable = append(scannable, folder)
+			continue
+		}
+		libType, err := s.db.GetLibraryType(context.Background(), lib.LibraryTypeID)
+		if err != nil {
+			scannable = append(scannable, folder)
+			continue
+		}
+		if libType.Name == LibraryTypePodcasts {
+			fmt.Printf("Scanner: skipping %s (podcasts library %q — feed-managed, not scanned)\n", folder, lib.Name)
+			continue
+		}
+		scannable = append(scannable, folder)
+	}
+	folders = scannable
+
 	s.folders = folders
 
 	// Always close any previously-owned watcher so reconfiguration doesn't leak.
@@ -524,6 +551,12 @@ func (s *MediaScanner) SetFolders(folders []string, watch bool) error {
 
 	// Create + populate a fresh watcher only when the caller intends to read events.
 	if watch {
+		if len(folders) == 0 {
+			// All requested folders filtered (e.g. a podcasts library:
+			// nothing scannable, nothing to watch). Fail loudly at the
+			// API boundary instead of panicking on folders[0] below.
+			return fmt.Errorf("no scannable folders (podcasts libraries are feed-managed and cannot be scanned)")
+		}
 		watcher, err := fsnotify.NewWatcher()
 		if err != nil {
 			// Return an error instead of panicking so a failed watcher can't