diff --git a/internal/agent/daemon.go b/internal/agent/daemon.go
index 451e9d9..c160da3 100644
--- a/internal/agent/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/agent/daemon.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ type Daemon struct {
 
 	// pollNow triggers an immediate poll (e.g. on resume)
 	pollNow chan struct{}
+
+	// ScanNow triggers an immediate library scan (from heartbeat or WebSocket control event)
+	ScanNow chan struct{}
 }
 
 // NewDaemon creates a daemon with the given transport.
@@ -71,6 +74,7 @@ func NewDaemon(cfg DaemonConfig, transport Transport) *Daemon {
 		cfg:       cfg,
 		transport: transport,
 		pollNow:   make(chan struct{}, 1),
+		ScanNow:   make(chan struct{}, 1),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -236,6 +240,15 @@ func (d *Daemon) heartbeat(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 	WriteState(&d.State)
 
+	// Trigger library scan if requested
+	if resp.Scan {
+		log.Printf("Library scan requested by server")
+		select {
+		case d.ScanNow <- struct{}{}:
+		default: // scan already pending
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Log once per version when server suggests an upgrade
 	if resp.Upgrade != nil && resp.Upgrade.Version != "" && resp.Upgrade.Version != d.lastNotifiedVersion {
 		d.lastNotifiedVersion = resp.Upgrade.Version
@@ -266,9 +279,17 @@ func (d *Daemon) handleEvent(event ServerEvent) {
 		}
 
 	case "control":
-		if event.Control != nil && d.OnControlAction != nil {
+		if event.Control != nil {
 			log.Printf("Control action via WebSocket: %s task %s", event.Control.Action, event.Control.TaskID)
-			d.OnControlAction(event.Control.Action, event.Control.TaskID)
+			if event.Control.Action == "scan" {
+				select {
+				case d.ScanNow <- struct{}{}:
+				default:
+				}
+			}
+			if d.OnControlAction != nil {
+				d.OnControlAction(event.Control.Action, event.Control.TaskID)
+			}
 		}
 
 	case "disconnected":
diff --git a/internal/agent/types.go b/internal/agent/types.go
index dad1ddb..7cc8781 100644
--- a/internal/agent/types.go
+++ b/internal/agent/types.go
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ type HeartbeatResponse struct {
 	Success  bool           `json:"success"`
 	Upgrade  *UpgradeSignal `json:"upgrade,omitempty"`
 	Watching bool           `json:"watching,omitempty"` // true when a user is viewing download progress in the web UI
+	Scan     bool           `json:"scan,omitempty"`     // true when user triggered a library scan from the web UI
 }
 
 // UpgradeSignal tells the agent to upgrade to a specific version.
@@ -290,9 +291,10 @@ type DebridAccount struct {
 
 // LibrarySyncRequest sends scanned media items to the server.
 type LibrarySyncRequest struct {
-	Items       []LibrarySyncItem `json:"items"`
-	ScanPath    string            `json:"scanPath"`
-	IsLastBatch bool              `json:"isLastBatch"`
+	Items         []LibrarySyncItem `json:"items"`
+	ScanPath      string            `json:"scanPath"`
+	IsLastBatch   bool              `json:"isLastBatch"`
+	SyncStartedAt string            `json:"syncStartedAt,omitempty"` // ISO-8601; same for all batches in a session
 }
 
 // LibrarySyncItem is a single scanned media file with ffprobe metadata.
diff --git a/internal/cmd/daemon.go b/internal/cmd/daemon.go
index 958b379..916f6cd 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/daemon.go
@@ -416,14 +416,21 @@ func runDaemonStart() error {
 	}()
 
 	// Start auto-scan goroutine (daily library scan + sync)
-	if cfg.Library.ScanPath != "" && cfg.Library.AutoScan {
+	// Default scan_path to download dir so auto-scan works out of the box.
+	scanPath := cfg.Library.ScanPath
+	if scanPath == "" {
+		scanPath = cfg.Download.Dir
+	}
+	if scanPath != "" && cfg.Library.AutoScan {
+		scanCfg := cfg
+		scanCfg.Library.ScanPath = scanPath
 		scanInterval := 24 * time.Hour
 		if cfg.Library.ScanInterval != "" {
 			if parsed, err := time.ParseDuration(cfg.Library.ScanInterval); err == nil && parsed > 0 {
 				scanInterval = parsed
 			}
 		}
-		go runAutoScan(ctx, cfg, scanInterval, agentClient)
+		go runAutoScan(ctx, scanCfg, scanInterval, agentClient, d.ScanNow)
 	}
 
 	// Start daemon (blocks)
@@ -500,13 +507,15 @@ func formatSpeedLog(bps int64) string {
 	}
 }
 
-// runAutoScan runs a library scan + sync on a timer.
-func runAutoScan(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, interval time.Duration, ac *agent.Client) {
+// runAutoScan runs a library scan + sync on a timer or on-demand via scanNow channel.
+func runAutoScan(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, interval time.Duration, ac *agent.Client, scanNow <-chan struct{}) {
 	log.Printf("[auto-scan] enabled: every %s, path: %s", interval, cfg.Library.ScanPath)
 
 	// Run first scan after a short delay (let daemon stabilize)
 	select {
 	case <-time.After(30 * time.Second):
+	case <-scanNow:
+		// Immediate scan requested before initial delay
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return
 	}
@@ -549,6 +558,7 @@ func runAutoScan(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, interval time.Duration,
 		}
 
 		const batchSize = 100
+		syncStartedAt := time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
 		for i := 0; i < len(items); i += batchSize {
 			end := i + batchSize
 			if end > len(items) {
@@ -557,9 +567,10 @@ func runAutoScan(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, interval time.Duration,
 			isLast := end >= len(items)
 
 			_, err := ac.SyncLibrary(ctx, agent.LibrarySyncRequest{
-				Items:       items[i:end],
-				ScanPath:    cache.Path,
-				IsLastBatch: isLast,
+				Items:         items[i:end],
+				ScanPath:      cache.Path,
+				IsLastBatch:   isLast,
+				SyncStartedAt: syncStartedAt,
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Printf("[auto-scan] sync failed: %v", err)
@@ -579,6 +590,10 @@ func runAutoScan(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, interval time.Duration,
 		select {
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			doScan()
+		case <-scanNow:
+			log.Printf("[auto-scan] on-demand scan triggered")
+			ticker.Reset(interval)
+			doScan()
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/scan.go b/internal/cmd/scan.go
index 2d9e591..3633028 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/scan.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/scan.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ func syncToServer(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, cache *library.Library
 	totalSynced := 0
 	totalMatched := 0
 	totalRemoved := 0
+	syncStartedAt := time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
 
 	for i := 0; i < len(items); i += batchSize {
 		end := i + batchSize
@@ -177,9 +179,10 @@ func syncToServer(ctx context.Context, cfg config.Config, cache *library.Library
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\r  Syncing %d/%d items...\033[K", end, len(items))
 
 		resp, err := ac.SyncLibrary(ctx, agent.LibrarySyncRequest{
-			Items:       batch,
-			ScanPath:    cache.Path,
-			IsLastBatch: isLast,
+			Items:         batch,
+			ScanPath:      cache.Path,
+			IsLastBatch:   isLast,
+			SyncStartedAt: syncStartedAt,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("sync failed: %w", err)