From 974d917df4e46d6026ff3878b76526867b1917c4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Danny Trunk <dtrunk90@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:00:23 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] fix(fetchart): prevent deletion of configured fallback cover
 art

When `import.delete` or `import.move` is enabled, the `assign_art` method calls `task.prune(candidate.path)` unconditionally.
This incorrectly deletes the configured `fetchart.fallback` file.
Add explicit check to skip pruning when the candidate path matches the configured fallback.
---
 beetsplug/fetchart.py    | 12 +++++++++++-
 docs/changelog.rst       |  1 +
 test/plugins/test_art.py | 10 ++++++++++
 3 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/beetsplug/fetchart.py b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
index e4de9181b..789182c33 100644
--- a/beetsplug/fetchart.py
+++ b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
@@ -1446,6 +1446,16 @@ class FetchArtPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin, RequestMixin):
             "move"
         ].get(bool)
 
+    def _is_candidate_fallback(self, candidate: Candidate) -> bool:
+        try:
+            return (
+                candidate.path is not None
+                and self.fallback is not None
+                and os.path.samefile(candidate.path, self.fallback)
+            )
+        except OSError:
+            return False
+
     # Asynchronous; after music is added to the library.
     def fetch_art(self, session: ImportSession, task: ImportTask) -> None:
         """Find art for the album being imported."""
@@ -1494,7 +1504,7 @@ class FetchArtPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin, RequestMixin):
 
             self._set_art(task.album, candidate, not removal_enabled)
 
-            if removal_enabled:
+            if removal_enabled and not self._is_candidate_fallback(candidate):
                 task.prune(candidate.path)
 
     # Manual album art fetching.
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index fe478c710..711749a9f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Bug fixes
   ampersand.
 - :doc:`plugins/zero`: When the ``omit_single_disc`` option is set,
   ``disctotal`` is zeroed alongside ``disc``.
+- :doc:`plugins/fetchart`: Prevent deletion of configured fallback cover art
 
 For plugin developers
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_art.py b/test/plugins/test_art.py
index 02d23d59b..9f5e6c216 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_art.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_art.py
@@ -310,6 +310,16 @@ class FSArtTest(UseThePlugin):
         ]
         assert candidates == paths
 
+    @patch("os.path.samefile")
+    def test_is_candidate_fallback_os_error(self, mock_samefile):
+        mock_samefile.side_effect = OSError("os error")
+        fallback = os.path.join(self.temp_dir, b"a.jpg")
+        self.plugin.fallback = fallback
+        candidate = fetchart.Candidate(logger, self.source.ID, fallback)
+        result = self.plugin._is_candidate_fallback(candidate)
+        mock_samefile.assert_called_once()
+        assert not result
+
 
 class CombinedTest(FetchImageTestCase, CAAHelper):
     ASIN = "xxxx"