diff --git a/core/artwork/agent_images.go b/core/artwork/agent_images.go
index 35e3c666a..a6f746959 100644
--- a/core/artwork/agent_images.go
+++ b/core/artwork/agent_images.go
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ func fetchArtistImage(ctx context.Context, ag *agents.Agents, gate gateFunc, ar
 	// Synthetic artists would otherwise get an unrelated agent result assigned to them.
 	switch ar.ID {
 	case consts.UnknownArtistID, consts.VariousArtistsID:
-		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: ExternalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped, Detail: "synthetic artist"})
+		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: externalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped, Detail: "synthetic artist"})
 		return nil, "", false
 	}
 	name := externalName(ar.Name)
 	imageAgents := ag.ArtistImageAgents()
 	if len(imageAgents) == 0 {
-		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: ExternalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped,
+		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: externalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped,
 			Detail: "no enabled agent provides artist images"})
 		return nil, "", false
 	}
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func fetchAlbumImage(ctx context.Context, ag *agents.Agents, gate gateFunc, al m
 	name, artist := externalName(al.Name), externalName(al.AlbumArtist)
 	imageAgents := ag.AlbumImageAgents()
 	if len(imageAgents) == 0 {
-		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: ExternalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped,
+		traceFrom(ctx).add(TraceStep{Candidate: externalCandidate, Outcome: OutcomeSkipped,
 			Detail: "no enabled agent provides album images"})
 		return nil, "", false
 	}
diff --git a/core/artwork/disc.go b/core/artwork/disc.go
index cfc372142..33789d910 100644
--- a/core/artwork/disc.go
+++ b/core/artwork/disc.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (d *discArtworkReader) fromDiscArtPriority(ctx context.Context, ffmpeg ffmp
 				fromTag(ctx, d.lib.FS, d.firstTrackRel),
 				fromFFmpegTag(ctx, ffmpeg, d.lib.Abs(d.firstTrackRel)),
 			)
-		case pattern == ExternalCandidate:
+		case pattern == externalCandidate:
 			// Not supported for disc art, silently ignore
 		case pattern == "discsubtitle":
 			if subtitle := strings.TrimSpace(d.album.Discs[d.discNumber]); subtitle != "" {
diff --git a/core/artwork/housekeeping.go b/core/artwork/housekeeping.go
index 9cfad32bc..5a0937fd1 100644
--- a/core/artwork/housekeeping.go
+++ b/core/artwork/housekeeping.go
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@ import (
 // StaleAbsentAge is how long an absent state is trusted before a recheck retries it.
 const StaleAbsentAge = 24 * time.Hour
 
-// recheckKinds omits media files: they resolve embedded-only, at scan or on view.
-var recheckKinds = []model.Kind{
+// RecheckKinds omits media files: they resolve embedded-only, at scan or on view.
+var RecheckKinds = []model.Kind{
 	model.KindArtistArtwork, model.KindAlbumArtwork, model.KindPlaylistArtwork, model.KindRadioArtwork,
 }
 
 // hasRecheckPath reports whether a periodic job will revisit this kind, making an absent settle recoverable.
 func hasRecheckPath(prefix string) bool {
 	kind, ok := model.ParseKind(prefix)
-	return ok && slices.Contains(recheckKinds, kind)
+	return ok && slices.Contains(RecheckKinds, kind)
 }
 
 // artworkEpoch invalidates all resolution state when bumped; bump it whenever resolution semantics change.
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ type FingerprintInput struct {
 	Value string
 }
 
-// FingerprintInputs is the single listing of what ConfigFingerprint hashes, so a caller can report
-// which setting a fingerprint change came from without keeping a second copy of the list.
+// FingerprintInputs is the single listing of what ConfigFingerprint hashes.
 func FingerprintInputs() []FingerprintInput {
 	return []FingerprintInput{
 		{"CoverArtPriority", conf.Server.CoverArtPriority},
@@ -55,7 +54,6 @@ func FingerprintInputs() []FingerprintInput {
 }
 
 // ConfigFingerprint covers the inputs that affect resolution outcomes; a change invalidates stored state.
-// Exported so the CLI reports the value backfill compares instead of computing one that can drift.
 func ConfigFingerprint() string {
 	values := slice.Map(FingerprintInputs(), func(i FingerprintInput) string { return i.Value })
 	raw := fmt.Sprintf("%s|%d", strings.Join(values, "|"), artworkEpoch)
@@ -119,7 +117,7 @@ func enqueueBackfillKind(ctx context.Context, ds model.DataStore, kind model.Kin
 func enqueueStaleAbsentAll(ctx context.Context, ds model.DataStore) error {
 	cutoff := time.Now().Add(-StaleAbsentAge)
 	queue := ds.ArtworkQueue(ctx)
-	for _, kind := range recheckKinds {
+	for _, kind := range RecheckKinds {
 		if _, err := queue.EnqueueStaleAbsent(kind, cutoff); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -130,7 +128,7 @@ func enqueueStaleAbsentAll(ctx context.Context, ds model.DataStore) error {
 // enqueueMissingAll is the safety net for entities a scan never enqueued (added between scans, or scanner off).
 func enqueueMissingAll(ctx context.Context, ds model.DataStore) error {
 	queue := ds.ArtworkQueue(ctx)
-	for _, kind := range recheckKinds {
+	for _, kind := range RecheckKinds {
 		if _, err := queue.EnqueueAllMissing(kind, model.ArtworkPriorityRecheck); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/core/artwork/resolve.go b/core/artwork/resolve.go
index cc5bbf1b5..2a36e6dfd 100644
--- a/core/artwork/resolve.go
+++ b/core/artwork/resolve.go
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ func (r *resolver) resolve(ctx context.Context, item model.ArtworkQueueItem) (re
 	}
 }
 
+// WalksPriorityChain reports whether the resolver picks this kind's artwork from a configurable
+// priority chain; playlists and radios resolve from a fixed order, so there is no walk to explain.
+func WalksPriorityChain(kind model.Kind) bool {
+	return kind == model.KindArtistArtwork || kind == model.KindAlbumArtwork
+}
+
 // fetchExternalAlbum and fetchExternalArtist are the only places resolution touches the network,
 // so a local-only resolver is stopped here rather than at each point in the chain walk.
 func (r *resolver) fetchExternalAlbum(ctx context.Context, al model.Album) (io.ReadCloser, string, bool) {
@@ -151,7 +157,7 @@ func (r *resolver) resolveAlbum(ctx context.Context, albumID string) (resolution
 			if res, ok = chain.try(pattern, res, ok); ok {
 				return res, nil
 			}
-		case pattern == ExternalCandidate:
+		case pattern == externalCandidate:
 			if rd, name, isErr := r.fetchExternalAlbum(ctx, *al); rd != nil {
 				return resolution{reader: rd, source: ExternalPrefix + name}, nil
 			} else if isErr {
@@ -218,7 +224,7 @@ func (r *resolver) resolveArtist(ctx context.Context, artistID string) (resoluti
 			continue
 		}
 		switch {
-		case pattern == ExternalCandidate:
+		case pattern == externalCandidate:
 			if rd, name, isErr := r.fetchExternalArtist(ctx, *ar); rd != nil {
 				return resolution{reader: rd, source: ExternalPrefix + name}, nil
 			} else if isErr {
@@ -385,7 +391,7 @@ func (r *resolver) resolveMediaFile(ctx context.Context, id string) (resolution,
 func resolveExternalStep(gate gateFunc, name string, sf sourceFunc) (res resolution, ok bool, extErr bool) {
 	r, path, err := gate(name, sf)
 	if r != nil {
-		return resolution{reader: r, source: ExternalCandidate, sourcePath: path}, true, false
+		return resolution{reader: r, source: externalCandidate, sourcePath: path}, true, false
 	}
 	return resolution{}, false, err != nil && !errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound)
 }
diff --git a/core/artwork/resolve_test.go b/core/artwork/resolve_test.go
index 9a0962cf2..23b1ef436 100644
--- a/core/artwork/resolve_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/resolve_test.go
@@ -630,3 +630,15 @@ var _ = Describe("decodeTile", func() {
 		Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 	})
 })
+
+var _ = Describe("WalksPriorityChain", func() {
+	It("is true for the kinds the resolver walks", func() {
+		Expect(WalksPriorityChain(model.KindArtistArtwork)).To(BeTrue())
+		Expect(WalksPriorityChain(model.KindAlbumArtwork)).To(BeTrue())
+	})
+
+	It("is false for the kinds resolved directly", func() {
+		Expect(WalksPriorityChain(model.KindPlaylistArtwork)).To(BeFalse())
+		Expect(WalksPriorityChain(model.KindRadioArtwork)).To(BeFalse())
+	})
+})
diff --git a/core/artwork/trace.go b/core/artwork/trace.go
index 26e5c7b99..5d02fa4ff 100644
--- a/core/artwork/trace.go
+++ b/core/artwork/trace.go
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
-// Outcome is what the priority chain observed for one candidate. The CLI branches on these,
-// so they are part of the package's API, not private labels.
+// Outcome is what the priority chain observed for one candidate; the CLI renders and branches on these.
 type Outcome string
 
 const (
@@ -22,10 +21,10 @@ const (
 )
 
 const (
-	// ExternalCandidate labels the external tier itself, for the cases that never reach an agent.
-	ExternalCandidate = "external"
+	// externalCandidate labels the external tier itself, for the cases that never reach an agent.
+	externalCandidate = "external"
 	// ExternalPrefix qualifies a candidate or a stored source with the agent that produced it.
-	ExternalPrefix = ExternalCandidate + ":"
+	ExternalPrefix = externalCandidate + ":"
 )
 
 // TraceStep is one candidate the priority chain considered.
diff --git a/core/artwork/trace_test.go b/core/artwork/trace_test.go
index 24c32a4b0..06068323a 100644
--- a/core/artwork/trace_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/trace_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ var _ = Describe("trace vocabulary", func() {
 		Expect([]Outcome{
 			OutcomeHit, OutcomeMiss, OutcomeUnreadable, OutcomeSkipped, OutcomeWouldTry, OutcomeError,
 		}).To(Equal([]Outcome{"hit", "miss", "unreadable", "skipped", "would-try", "error"}))
-		Expect(ExternalCandidate).To(Equal("external"))
+		Expect(externalCandidate).To(Equal("external"))
 		Expect(ExternalPrefix).To(Equal("external:"))
 	})
 })
@@ -111,11 +111,6 @@ var _ = Describe("chainState tracing", func() {
 			{Candidate: "embedded", Outcome: OutcomeHit, Detail: "/music/a.flac"},
 		}))
 	})
-
-	It("does not panic when no trace is attached", func() {
-		c := chainState{}
-		Expect(func() { _, _ = c.try("cover.*", resolution{}, false) }).ToNot(Panic())
-	})
 })
 
 var _ = Describe("external gate tracing", func() {
@@ -414,11 +409,6 @@ var _ = Describe("NewTracingResolver", func() {
 		t = &ChainTrace{}
 	})
 
-	It("uses the offline gate when live is false", func() {
-		r := NewTracingResolver(nil, nil, nil, t, false)
-		Expect(r).ToNot(BeNil())
-	})
-
 	Context("offline", func() {
 		var fake *fakeImageAgent
 
diff --git a/core/artwork/worker_test.go b/core/artwork/worker_test.go
index 9fad4b503..53b6a43b2 100644
--- a/core/artwork/worker_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/worker_test.go
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Worker", func() {
 			Expect(ia.Hash).To(Equal("cafebabe"), "a persistent outage must not discard served art")
 		})
 
-		// Media files are excluded from recheckKinds, so an absent row here would never be
+		// Media files are excluded from RecheckKinds, so an absent row here would never be
 		// revisited: a transient read error would look permanent.
 		It("does not settle absent on exhaustion for a kind with no recheck path", func() {
 			conf.Server.EnableMediaFileCoverArt = true