diff --git a/allstarr/Services/Common/BaseDownloadService.cs b/allstarr/Services/Common/BaseDownloadService.cs
index 9e971a7..9ccfad8 100644
--- a/allstarr/Services/Common/BaseDownloadService.cs
+++ b/allstarr/Services/Common/BaseDownloadService.cs
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ public abstract class BaseDownloadService : IDownloadService
                 IOFile.SetLastAccessTime(localPath, DateTime.UtcNow);
             }
             
+            // Start background Odesli conversion for lyrics (if not already cached)
+            StartBackgroundOdesliConversion(externalProvider, externalId);
+            
             return IOFile.OpenRead(localPath);
         }
 
@@ -125,6 +128,10 @@ public abstract class BaseDownloadService : IDownloadService
             localPath = await DownloadSongInternalAsync(externalProvider, externalId, triggerAlbumDownload: true, cancellationToken);
             var elapsed = (DateTime.UtcNow - startTime).TotalMilliseconds;
             Logger.LogInformation("Download completed, starting stream ({ElapsedMs}ms total): {Path}", elapsed, localPath);
+            
+            // Start background Odesli conversion for lyrics (after stream starts)
+            StartBackgroundOdesliConversion(externalProvider, externalId);
+            
             return IOFile.OpenRead(localPath);
         }
         catch (OperationCanceledException)
@@ -141,6 +148,37 @@ public abstract class BaseDownloadService : IDownloadService
         }
     }
     
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Starts background Odesli conversion for lyrics support.
+    /// This is called AFTER streaming starts so it doesn't block the client.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void StartBackgroundOdesliConversion(string externalProvider, string externalId)
+    {
+        _ = Task.Run(async () =>
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                // Provider-specific conversion (override in subclasses if needed)
+                await ConvertToSpotifyIdAsync(externalProvider, externalId);
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Logger.LogDebug(ex, "Background Spotify ID conversion failed for {Provider}:{ExternalId}", externalProvider, externalId);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+    
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Converts external track ID to Spotify ID for lyrics support.
+    /// Override in provider-specific services if needed.
+    /// </summary>
+    protected virtual Task ConvertToSpotifyIdAsync(string externalProvider, string externalId)
+    {
+        // Default implementation does nothing
+        // Provider-specific services can override this
+        return Task.CompletedTask;
+    }
+    
     public DownloadInfo? GetDownloadStatus(string songId)
     {
         ActiveDownloads.TryGetValue(songId, out var info);
diff --git a/allstarr/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFDownloadService.cs b/allstarr/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFDownloadService.cs
index 53b0494..6468a33 100644
--- a/allstarr/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFDownloadService.cs
+++ b/allstarr/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFDownloadService.cs
@@ -108,9 +108,6 @@ public class SquidWTFDownloadService : BaseDownloadService
         Logger.LogInformation("Track download URL obtained from hifi-api: {Url}", downloadInfo.DownloadUrl);
         Logger.LogInformation("Using format: {Format} (Quality: {Quality})", downloadInfo.MimeType, downloadInfo.AudioQuality);
 
-        // Start Spotify ID conversion in parallel with download (don't await yet)
-        var spotifyIdTask = _odesliService.ConvertTidalToSpotifyIdAsync(trackId, cancellationToken);
-
         // Determine extension from MIME type
         var extension = downloadInfo.MimeType?.ToLower() switch
         {
@@ -199,42 +196,26 @@ public class SquidWTFDownloadService : BaseDownloadService
         // Close file before writing metadata
         await outputFile.DisposeAsync();
         
-		// Wait for Spotify ID conversion to complete (with 2 second timeout)
-		// If Odesli is slow, we'll skip it and add the Spotify ID later in background
-		var spotifyId = await Task.WhenAny(
-			spotifyIdTask,
-			Task.Delay(2000, cancellationToken)
-		) == spotifyIdTask ? await spotifyIdTask : null;
-		
-		if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(spotifyId))
+		// Start Spotify ID conversion in background (for lyrics support)
+		// This doesn't block streaming - lyrics endpoint will fetch it on-demand if needed
+		_ = Task.Run(async () =>
 		{
-			song.SpotifyId = spotifyId;
-			Logger.LogDebug("Spotify ID obtained: {SpotifyId}", spotifyId);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			Logger.LogDebug("Spotify ID not available yet (Odesli timeout), will update in background");
-			
-			// Continue Odesli conversion in background (for future lyrics requests)
-			_ = Task.Run(async () =>
+			try
 			{
-				try
+				var spotifyId = await _odesliService.ConvertTidalToSpotifyIdAsync(trackId, CancellationToken.None);
+				if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(spotifyId))
 				{
-					var bgSpotifyId = await spotifyIdTask;
-					if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(bgSpotifyId))
-					{
-						Logger.LogDebug("Background Spotify ID obtained: {SpotifyId}", bgSpotifyId);
-						// Note: We don't re-write metadata here, just cache the ID for lyrics
-					}
+					Logger.LogDebug("Background Spotify ID obtained for Tidal/{TrackId}: {SpotifyId}", trackId, spotifyId);
+					// Spotify ID is cached by Odesli service for future lyrics requests
 				}
-				catch (Exception ex)
-				{
-					Logger.LogDebug(ex, "Background Spotify ID conversion failed");
-				}
-			});
-		}
+			}
+			catch (Exception ex)
+			{
+				Logger.LogDebug(ex, "Background Spotify ID conversion failed for Tidal/{TrackId}", trackId);
+			}
+		});
 
-        // Write metadata and cover art
+        // Write metadata and cover art (without Spotify ID - it's only needed for lyrics)
         await WriteMetadataAsync(outputPath, song, cancellationToken);
 
         return outputPath;
@@ -327,6 +308,24 @@ public class SquidWTFDownloadService : BaseDownloadService
 	
     #region Utility Methods
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Converts Tidal track ID to Spotify ID for lyrics support.
+    /// Called in background after streaming starts.
+    /// </summary>
+    protected override async Task ConvertToSpotifyIdAsync(string externalProvider, string externalId)
+    {
+        if (externalProvider != "squidwtf")
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var spotifyId = await _odesliService.ConvertTidalToSpotifyIdAsync(externalId, CancellationToken.None);
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(spotifyId))
+        {
+            Logger.LogDebug("Background Spotify ID obtained for Tidal/{TrackId}: {SpotifyId}", externalId, spotifyId);
+            // Spotify ID is cached by Odesli service for future lyrics requests
+        }
+    }
 
     #endregion