diff --git a/pkg/download/delete_recovery_test.go b/pkg/download/delete_recovery_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c82d9ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/download/delete_recovery_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+package download
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/GopeedLab/gopeed/internal/fetcher"
+	"github.com/GopeedLab/gopeed/pkg/base"
+)
+
+func TestFailedDeleteDuringResolveCanContinue(t *testing.T) {
+	release := make(chan struct{})
+	var once sync.Once
+	defer once.Do(func() { close(release) })
+	m := &deleteResolveManager{generationTestManager: &generationTestManager{
+		resolveStarted: make(chan struct{}), resolveRelease: release, holdOpen: true,
+	}, returned: make(chan struct{})}
+	s := &singleFailureTaskDeleteStorage{Storage: NewMemStorage()}
+	d := NewDownloader(&DownloaderConfig{Storage: s, StorageDir: t.TempDir(), TempDir: t.TempDir(), FetchManagers: []fetcher.FetcherManager{m}})
+	if err := d.Setup(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer d.Close()
+	id, err := d.CreateDirect(&base.Request{URL: "generation://failed-delete-resolve"}, &base.Options{Path: t.TempDir()})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	waitDeleteTest(t, m.resolveStarted)
+	task := d.GetTask(id)
+	s.fail.Store(true)
+	if err := d.Delete(&TaskFilter{IDs: []string{id}}, false); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected storage deletion failure")
+	}
+	once.Do(func() { close(release) })
+	waitDeleteTest(t, m.returned)
+	task.lock.Lock()
+	task.lock.Unlock()
+	if m.starts.Load() != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("invalidated startup must not reach Start")
+	}
+	if err := d.Continue(&TaskFilter{IDs: []string{id}}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed deletion left task in %s, cannot continue: %v", d.taskStatus(task), err)
+	}
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(3 * time.Second)
+	for m.starts.Load() == 0 && time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	if m.starts.Load() != 1 {
+		t.Fatal("continued task did not start exactly once")
+	}
+	task.lock.Lock()
+	task.lock.Unlock()
+}
+
+type deleteRecoveryStorage struct {
+	Storage
+	bucket string
+	fail   atomic.Bool
+}
+
+func (s *deleteRecoveryStorage) Delete(bucket, key string) error {
+	if bucket == s.bucket && s.fail.Swap(false) {
+		return errors.New("injected deletion failure")
+	}
+	return s.Storage.Delete(bucket, key)
+}
+
+// Unlike the generation fixture, this fetcher stops its watcher on Pause and
+// cannot be started again after Close, as with a dropped BT torrent.
+type deleteRecoveryManager struct {
+	generationTestManager
+	failClose atomic.Bool
+	restored  atomic.Int64
+}
+
+func (m *deleteRecoveryManager) Build() fetcher.Fetcher {
+	return m.wrap(m.generationTestManager.Build().(*generationTestFetcher))
+}
+
+func (m *deleteRecoveryManager) wrap(f *generationTestFetcher) *deleteRecoveryFetcher {
+	return &deleteRecoveryFetcher{generationTestFetcher: f, manager: m, waiting: make(chan struct{})}
+}
+
+func (m *deleteRecoveryManager) Store(fetcher.Fetcher) (any, error) {
+	return &recoveryTestData{SeedBytes: 42}, nil
+}
+
+func (m *deleteRecoveryManager) Restore() (any, func(*fetcher.FetcherMeta, any) fetcher.Fetcher) {
+	return &recoveryTestData{}, func(meta *fetcher.FetcherMeta, value any) fetcher.Fetcher {
+		m.restored.Store(value.(*recoveryTestData).SeedBytes)
+		return m.wrap(&generationTestFetcher{manager: &m.generationTestManager, meta: meta})
+	}
+}
+
+type deleteRecoveryFetcher struct {
+	*generationTestFetcher
+	manager     *deleteRecoveryManager
+	closed      atomic.Bool
+	running     atomic.Bool
+	waiting     chan struct{}
+	once        sync.Once
+	waitRelease <-chan struct{}
+	waitSuccess bool
+}
+
+func (f *deleteRecoveryFetcher) Start() error {
+	if f.closed.Load() {
+		return errors.New("cannot restart a closed fetcher")
+	}
+	f.running.Store(true)
+	return f.generationTestFetcher.Start()
+}
+
+func (f *deleteRecoveryFetcher) Pause() error {
+	if f.running.Swap(false) {
+		f.done <- errors.New("paused")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *deleteRecoveryFetcher) Close() error {
+	f.closed.Store(true)
+	_ = f.Pause()
+	if f.manager.failClose.Swap(false) {
+		return errors.New("close failed after stopping the fetcher")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *deleteRecoveryFetcher) Wait() error {
+	f.once.Do(func() { close(f.waiting) })
+	err := f.generationTestFetcher.Wait()
+	if f.waitRelease != nil {
+		<-f.waitRelease
+		if f.waitSuccess {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func TestFailedDeleteRunningTaskCanResumeAndComplete(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, stage := range []string{bucketTask, bucketTaskStats, bucketSave, "close", "files", "late-close", "late-close-error"} {
+		t.Run(stage, func(t *testing.T) {
+			s := &deleteRecoveryStorage{Storage: NewMemStorage(), bucket: stage}
+			lateClose := stage == "late-close" || stage == "late-close-error"
+			if lateClose {
+				s.bucket = bucketSave
+			}
+			m := &deleteRecoveryManager{generationTestManager: generationTestManager{holdOpen: true}}
+			d := NewDownloader(&DownloaderConfig{Storage: s, StorageDir: t.TempDir(), TempDir: t.TempDir(), FetchManagers: []fetcher.FetcherManager{m}})
+			if err := d.Setup(); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			defer d.Close()
+			id, err := d.CreateDirect(&base.Request{URL: "generation://recover-running"}, &base.Options{Path: t.TempDir()})
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			task := d.GetTask(id)
+			task.lock.Lock()
+			f := task.fetcher.(*deleteRecoveryFetcher)
+			task.lock.Unlock()
+			waitDeleteTest(t, f.waiting)
+			watcher, _ := d.watchedTasks.Load(id)
+			var release chan struct{}
+			var releaseOnce sync.Once
+			if lateClose {
+				release = make(chan struct{})
+				defer releaseOnce.Do(func() { close(release) })
+				f.waitRelease = release
+				f.waitSuccess = stage == "late-close"
+			}
+			var blockedPath string
+			if stage == "files" {
+				blockedPath = task.Meta.SingleFilepath()
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(blockedPath, 0700); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(blockedPath, "keep"), []byte("nonempty"), 0600); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+			}
+			s.fail.Store(true)
+			m.failClose.Store(stage == "close")
+			if err := d.Delete(&TaskFilter{IDs: []string{id}}, stage == "files"); err == nil {
+				t.Fatal("expected deletion failure")
+			}
+			if f.running.Load() || d.taskStatus(task) != base.DownloadStatusPause {
+				t.Fatal("failed deletion must restore a paused task and stop transmission")
+			}
+			if !lateClose {
+				waitDeleteTest(t, watcher.(*taskWatcher).done)
+			}
+			var saved Task
+			if exists, err := s.Get(bucketTask, id, &saved); err != nil || !exists || saved.Status != base.DownloadStatusPause {
+				t.Fatalf("failed deletion did not persist paused recovery: exists=%v err=%v status=%s", exists, err, saved.Status)
+			}
+			var checkpoint recoveryTestData
+			exists, err := s.Get(bucketSave, id, &checkpoint)
+			if stage == "files" {
+				if err != nil || exists {
+					t.Fatalf("file cleanup must not leave a checkpoint for removed bytes: exists=%v err=%v", exists, err)
+				}
+			} else if err != nil || !exists || checkpoint.SeedBytes != 42 {
+				t.Fatalf("failed deletion lost checkpoint: exists=%v err=%v checkpoint=%+v", exists, err, checkpoint)
+			}
+			if blockedPath != "" {
+				if err := os.RemoveAll(blockedPath); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+			}
+			if err := d.Continue(&TaskFilter{IDs: []string{id}}); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			task.lock.Lock()
+			resumed := task.fetcher.(*deleteRecoveryFetcher)
+			task.lock.Unlock()
+			waitDeleteTest(t, resumed.waiting)
+			if stage == bucketSave || stage == "close" || stage == "files" || lateClose {
+				wantSeed := int64(42)
+				if stage == "files" {
+					wantSeed = 0
+				}
+				if resumed == f || m.restored.Load() != wantSeed {
+					t.Fatal("closed fetcher was not rebuilt from the retained checkpoint")
+				}
+			}
+			if lateClose {
+				releaseOnce.Do(func() { close(release) })
+				waitDeleteTest(t, watcher.(*taskWatcher).done)
+				if d.taskStatus(task) != base.DownloadStatusRunning {
+					t.Fatal("old completion changed the replacement run's status")
+				}
+				current, exists := d.watchedTasks.Load(id)
+				if !exists || current.(*taskWatcher).fetcher != resumed {
+					t.Fatal("old completion removed the replacement watcher")
+				}
+			}
+			resumed.running.Store(false)
+			resumed.done <- nil
+			waitForTaskStatus(t, d, id, base.DownloadStatusDone, 3*time.Second)
+			if m.starts.Load() != 2 {
+				t.Fatal("resuming should start one new transfer")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/download/downloader.go b/pkg/download/downloader.go
index e94950bf..0d1979a5 100644
--- a/pkg/download/downloader.go
+++ b/pkg/download/downloader.go
@@ -540,6 +540,11 @@ func (d *Downloader) saveTask(task *Task) error {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
+	return d.saveTaskLocked(task)
+}
+
+// saveTaskLocked requires the lifetime mutex when the task has one.
+func (d *Downloader) saveTaskLocked(task *Task) error {
 	data, err := task.fetcherManager.Store(task.fetcher)
 	if err != nil {
 		d.Logger.Error().Stack().Err(err).Msgf("serialize fetcher failed: %s", task.ID)
@@ -1552,32 +1557,52 @@ func (d *Downloader) doDelete(task *Task, force bool) (err error) {
 	task.lifetime.deleted.Store(true)
 	task.statusLock.Lock()
 	task.runGeneration++
+	if task.Status == base.DownloadStatusRunning {
+		// Close/Pause can wake the completion watcher. Make it observe a
+		// stopped run before touching the fetcher, including on deletion errors.
+		task.updateStatus(base.DownloadStatusPause)
+		task.Progress.Speed = 0
+	}
 	task.statusLock.Unlock()
 	task.lifetime.mu.Lock()
 	defer task.lifetime.mu.Unlock()
+	defer d.releaseBlobTask(task)
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
-			// Keep failed deletions recoverable without validating the old run.
+			// The startup generation stays invalid. Stop any physical transfer
+			// before restoring a state that Continue is allowed to restart.
+			var pauseErr error
+			if task.fetcher != nil {
+				pauseErr = task.fetcher.Pause()
+			}
+			task.statusLock.Lock()
+			if pauseErr != nil {
+				task.updateStatus(base.DownloadStatusError)
+				err = errors.Join(err, pauseErr)
+			}
+			task.statusLock.Unlock()
 			task.lifetime.deleted.Store(false)
 		}
 	}()
-	defer d.releaseBlobTask(task)
 	err = func() error {
 		if err := d.storage.Delete(bucketTask, task.ID); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err := d.storage.Delete(bucketSave, task.ID); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
 		if err := d.storage.Delete(bucketTaskStats, task.ID); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
 		if task.fetcher != nil {
+			task.lifetime.restoreFetcher.Store(true)
 			if err := task.fetcher.Close(); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
+		// Retain recovery state through Close, which can make the fetcher
+		// unusable even on failure. Clear it before removing any file bytes.
+		if err := d.storage.Delete(bucketSave, task.ID); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		if force && task.Meta.Res != nil {
 			if task.Meta.Res.Name != "" {
 				if err := os.RemoveAll(task.Meta.FolderPath()); err != nil {
@@ -1897,18 +1922,34 @@ func (d *Downloader) getProtocolConfig(name string, v any) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// wait task done
-func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
-	if _, loaded := d.watchedTasks.LoadOrStore(task.ID, true); loaded {
+type taskWatcher struct {
+	fetcher fetcher.Fetcher
+	done    chan struct{}
+}
+
+// A replacement fetcher needs its own watcher even if Close has not yet
+// returned the previous fetcher's final notification.
+func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task, f fetcher.Fetcher) {
+	task.lock.Lock()
+	if task.fetcher != f {
+		task.lock.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
+	if existing, loaded := d.watchedTasks.Load(task.ID); loaded && existing.(*taskWatcher).fetcher == f {
+		task.lock.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+	watcher := &taskWatcher{fetcher: f, done: make(chan struct{})}
+	d.watchedTasks.Store(task.ID, watcher)
+	task.lock.Unlock()
 	defer func() {
-		d.watchedTasks.Delete(task.ID)
+		d.watchedTasks.CompareAndDelete(task.ID, watcher)
+		close(watcher.done)
 	}()
 
 	// wait task upload done
 	if task.Uploading {
-		if uploader, ok := task.fetcher.(fetcher.Uploader); ok {
+		if uploader, ok := f.(fetcher.Uploader); ok {
 			go func() {
 				err := uploader.WaitUpload()
 				if err != nil {
@@ -1916,9 +1957,19 @@ func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
 				}
 
 				// Check if the task is deleted
-				if d.GetTask(task.ID) != nil {
+				listed := d.GetTask(task.ID) != nil
+				task.lock.Lock()
+				task.statusLock.Lock()
+				current := task.fetcher == f && listed
+				var snapshot *Task
+				if current {
 					task.Uploading = false
-					d.putTaskRecord(task, task.clone())
+					snapshot = task.clone()
+				}
+				task.statusLock.Unlock()
+				task.lock.Unlock()
+				if current {
+					d.putTaskRecord(task, snapshot)
 				}
 			}()
 		}
@@ -1929,7 +1980,13 @@ func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
 	}
 
 	for {
-		err := task.fetcher.Wait()
+		task.lock.Lock()
+		current := task.fetcher == f
+		task.lock.Unlock()
+		if !current {
+			return
+		}
+		err := f.Wait()
 		if err != nil {
 			status := d.taskStatus(task)
 			if status == base.DownloadStatusPause || status == base.DownloadStatusWait {
@@ -1940,9 +1997,9 @@ func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
 				sourceErr = d.blob.SourceError(task.Meta.Req.URL)
 			}
 			if sourceErr != nil {
-				d.doOnBlobSourceError(task, sourceErr)
+				d.handleOnErrorForFetcher(task, sourceErr, true, f)
 			} else {
-				d.doOnError(task, err)
+				d.handleOnErrorForFetcher(task, err, false, f)
 			}
 			if d.taskStatus(task) == base.DownloadStatusRunning {
 				continue
@@ -1951,12 +2008,12 @@ func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
 		}
 
 		// When delete a not resolved task, need check if the task resource is nil
-		if task.Meta.Res == nil || d.GetTask(task.ID) == nil {
+		if d.GetTask(task.ID) == nil {
 			return
 		}
 		if d.blob != nil && task.Meta.Req != nil {
 			if err := d.blob.SourceError(task.Meta.Req.URL); err != nil {
-				d.doOnBlobSourceError(task, err)
+				d.handleOnErrorForFetcher(task, err, true, f)
 				if d.taskStatus(task) == base.DownloadStatusRunning {
 					continue
 				}
@@ -1964,7 +2021,7 @@ func (d *Downloader) watch(task *Task) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if !d.markTaskDone(task) {
+		if !d.markTaskDoneForFetcher(task, f) {
 			return
 		}
 		if err := d.captureTaskStats(task, false, true); err != nil {
@@ -2078,10 +2135,18 @@ func (d *Downloader) doOnBlobSourceError(task *Task, err error) {
 }
 
 func (d *Downloader) handleOnError(task *Task, err error, resetFetcher bool) {
+	d.handleOnErrorForFetcher(task, err, resetFetcher, nil)
+}
+
+func (d *Downloader) handleOnErrorForFetcher(task *Task, err error, resetFetcher bool, expected fetcher.Fetcher) {
 	if task == nil || task.lock == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	task.lock.Lock()
+	if expected != nil && task.fetcher != expected {
+		task.lock.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
 	if !d.markTaskError(task) {
 		task.lock.Unlock()
 		return
@@ -2170,10 +2235,11 @@ func (d *Downloader) resetTaskFetcher(task *Task) error {
 }
 
 func (d *Downloader) restoreTask(task *Task) error {
-	if task.fetcher == nil {
+	if task.fetcher == nil || task.lifetime.restoreFetcher.Load() {
 		if err := d.restoreFetcher(task); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		task.lifetime.restoreFetcher.Store(false)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -2181,10 +2247,16 @@ func (d *Downloader) restoreTask(task *Task) error {
 func (d *Downloader) restoreFetcher(task *Task) error {
 	v, f := task.fetcherManager.Restore()
 	if v != nil {
-		_, err := d.storage.Get(bucketSave, task.ID, v)
+		present, err := d.storage.Get(bucketSave, task.ID, v)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if !present && task.lifetime.restoreFetcher.Load() {
+			// File cleanup can fail after the checkpoint was removed. Resolve
+			// afresh rather than starting a closed protocol with empty state.
+			task.Meta.Res = nil
+			task.Progress.Downloaded = 0
+		}
 	}
 	task.fetcher = f(task.Meta, v)
 	if task.fetcher == nil {
@@ -2398,7 +2470,17 @@ func (d *Downloader) prepareTask(task *Task) error {
 	task.statusLock.Unlock()
 	preparedTask.Meta = &preparedMeta
 	preparedTask.NeedsPreparation = false
-	if err := d.saveTask(&preparedTask); err != nil {
+	// The candidate save and publication are one operation with respect to
+	// deletion, which reads the live metadata to decide which files to remove.
+	task.lifetime.mu.Lock()
+	defer task.lifetime.mu.Unlock()
+	task.statusLock.Lock()
+	current := !task.lifetime.deleted.Load() && task.runGeneration == preparedTask.runGeneration
+	task.statusLock.Unlock()
+	if !current {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err := d.saveTaskLocked(&preparedTask); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	task.statusLock.Lock()
@@ -2436,6 +2518,7 @@ func (d *Downloader) doStart(task *Task) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	started := false
+	var startedFetcher fetcher.Fetcher
 	handler := func() error {
 		task.lock.Lock()
 		defer task.lock.Unlock()
@@ -2517,6 +2600,7 @@ func (d *Downloader) doStart(task *Task) (err error) {
 			return startErr
 		}
 		started = true
+		startedFetcher = task.fetcher
 		if err := d.captureTaskStats(task, true, true); err != nil {
 			// Statistics are auxiliary. A storage or serialization failure must not
 			// turn an already-started download into a failed task.
@@ -2538,7 +2622,7 @@ func (d *Downloader) doStart(task *Task) (err error) {
 			if d.taskIsRunningGeneration(task, generation) {
 				d.emit(EventKeyStart, task)
 			}
-			go d.watch(task)
+			go d.watch(task, startedFetcher)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -2660,14 +2744,21 @@ func (d *Downloader) taskStatus(task *Task) base.Status {
 }
 
 func (d *Downloader) markTaskDone(task *Task) bool {
+	return d.markTaskDoneForFetcher(task, nil)
+}
+
+func (d *Downloader) markTaskDoneForFetcher(task *Task, expected fetcher.Fetcher) bool {
 	if task == nil || task.statusLock == nil {
 		return false
 	}
 	task.lock.Lock()
 	defer task.lock.Unlock()
+	if expected != nil && task.fetcher != expected {
+		return false
+	}
 	task.statusLock.Lock()
 	defer task.statusLock.Unlock()
-	if task.lifetime.deleted.Load() || task.Status != base.DownloadStatusRunning {
+	if task.lifetime.deleted.Load() || task.Status != base.DownloadStatusRunning || task.Meta.Res == nil {
 		return false
 	}
 	task.Progress.Used = task.timer.Used()
diff --git a/pkg/download/model.go b/pkg/download/model.go
index 77867b30..99c635f3 100644
--- a/pkg/download/model.go
+++ b/pkg/download/model.go
@@ -44,17 +44,19 @@ type CreateTaskBatchResult struct {
 	ParentID string   `json:"parentId,omitempty"`
 }
 
-// Task represents a download unit.
-// Options flow path:
-// REST Request (model.CreateTask/ResolveTask) -> pkg/download Downloader -> Task.Meta.Opts (base.Options) -> Fetcher.Resolve/Start (e.g. internal/protocol/http/fetcher.go)
 // taskLifetime is shared with preparation candidates. Its mutex serializes
 // physical starts and persistence with deletion; the tombstone also invalidates
 // work that is currently outside that mutex (for example Resolve).
 type taskLifetime struct {
 	mu      sync.Mutex
 	deleted atomic.Bool
+	// Close can make a fetcher unusable even when a later deletion step fails.
+	restoreFetcher atomic.Bool
 }
 
+// Task represents a download unit.
+// Options flow path:
+// REST Request (model.CreateTask/ResolveTask) -> pkg/download Downloader -> Task.Meta.Opts (base.Options) -> Fetcher.Resolve/Start (e.g. internal/protocol/http/fetcher.go)
 type Task struct {
 	ID       string               `json:"id"`
 	Protocol string               `json:"protocol"`