diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/zarz/spotiflac/DownloadService.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/zarz/spotiflac/DownloadService.kt
index 23783a56..a2c76b4a 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/zarz/spotiflac/DownloadService.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/zarz/spotiflac/DownloadService.kt
@@ -949,7 +949,11 @@ class DownloadService : Service() {
                                 settingsJson = settingsJson,
                                 includeItems = true,
                             )
-                            scheduleNativeVerificationNotification(generation)
+                            // Publish immediately. If Flutter is alive it will
+                            // replace this same notification ID while owning
+                            // the interactive challenge; if Flutter is
+                            // suspended, the native alert remains visible.
+                            showNativeVerificationRequired()
                             updateNotification(0L, 0L)
                             retryCurrentRequest = true
                         } else {
@@ -1267,21 +1271,6 @@ class DownloadService : Service() {
         }
     }
 
-    private fun scheduleNativeVerificationNotification(generation: Long) {
-        serviceScope.launch {
-            // Give an active Flutter poller time to take ownership of the
-            // verification flow. If Flutter is suspended, the service remains
-            // paused and publishes the alert itself.
-            delay(2_000L)
-            if (generation == nativeWorkerGeneration &&
-                nativeWorkerVerificationPaused &&
-                !nativeWorkerCancelRequested
-            ) {
-                showNativeVerificationRequired()
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     private fun showNativeVerificationRequired() {
         val pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(
             this,
diff --git a/lib/providers/download_queue_provider_verification.dart b/lib/providers/download_queue_provider_verification.dart
index 3cecb891..6307d89e 100644
--- a/lib/providers/download_queue_provider_verification.dart
+++ b/lib/providers/download_queue_provider_verification.dart
@@ -51,21 +51,7 @@ extension _DownloadQueueVerificationGate on DownloadQueueNotifier {
               'Verification required for $normalizedExtensionId while app is in '
               'background; deferring challenge until the app is foregrounded',
             );
-            try {
-              await _notificationService.showVerificationRequired();
-            } catch (error) {
-              _log.w(
-                'Failed to show the verification-required notification: $error',
-              );
-            }
             await _waitForForeground();
-            try {
-              await _notificationService.cancelVerificationRequired();
-            } catch (error) {
-              _log.w(
-                'Failed to clear the verification-required notification: $error',
-              );
-            }
           }
         },
       );
@@ -105,7 +91,24 @@ extension _DownloadQueueVerificationGate on DownloadQueueNotifier {
       errorType: DownloadErrorType.verificationRequired,
     );
 
-    final verified = await _openVerificationAndWait(targetService);
+    try {
+      await _notificationService.showVerificationRequired();
+    } catch (error) {
+      _log.w('Failed to show the verification-required notification: $error');
+    }
+
+    late final bool verified;
+    try {
+      verified = await _openVerificationAndWait(targetService);
+    } finally {
+      try {
+        await _notificationService.cancelVerificationRequired();
+      } catch (error) {
+        _log.w(
+          'Failed to clear the verification-required notification: $error',
+        );
+      }
+    }
     final current = _findItemById(item.id);
     if (current == null || _isLocallyCancelled(item.id, item: current)) {
       _log.i('Verification completed after item was removed or cancelled');