diff --git a/src/main-runtime.production-path.test.ts b/src/main-runtime.production-path.test.ts
index 67eac41..6a95717 100644
--- a/src/main-runtime.production-path.test.ts
+++ b/src/main-runtime.production-path.test.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ describe('main runtime safety production paths', () => {
         expect(closeHandler.indexOf('finish({ success: true, filename })')).toBeGreaterThan(closeHandler.indexOf('partialDownloadRegistry.commit'));
     });
 
+    it('announces tool preparation before every download tool gate', () => {
+        const source = mainSource();
+        const vod = source.slice(source.indexOf('async function downloadVOD'), source.indexOf('async function processDownloadMergeGroup'));
+        const live = source.slice(source.indexOf('async function downloadLiveStream'), source.indexOf('async function downloadVOD'));
+        const mergeGroup = source.slice(source.indexOf('async function processDownloadMergeGroup'), source.indexOf('// ---- PHASE 2: MERGING ----'));
+        for (const [label, fragment] of [['vod', vod], ['live', live], ['merge', mergeGroup]] as const) {
+            const announce = fragment.indexOf("tBackend('statusPreparingTools')");
+            const gate = fragment.indexOf('await ensureStreamlinkInstalled()');
+            expect(announce, `${label} announces tool preparation`).toBeGreaterThan(-1);
+            expect(gate, `${label} gates on streamlink`).toBeGreaterThan(announce);
+        }
+        expect(source).not.toContain("tBackend('statusCheckingTools')");
+    });
+
     it('reports the auto-install failure guidance on every download tool gate', () => {
         const source = mainSource();
         const mergeGroup = source.slice(source.indexOf('async function processDownloadMergeGroup'), source.indexOf('// ---- PHASE 2: MERGING ----'));
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 6723515..82d3189 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ import {
     refreshBundledToolPaths, ensureStreamlinkInstalled, ensureFfmpegInstalled,
     getManagedToolStatuses, repairManagedTools, resetManagedTools,
     canExecute, canExecuteCommand,
-    cacheVerifiedStreamlinkCommand, isVerifiedStreamlinkCommand,
+    cacheVerifiedStreamlinkCommand,
     cacheVerifiedFfmpegCommands, isVerifiedFfmpegCommands,
     invalidateVerifiedToolCaches, setManagedToolExecutionObserver
 } from './tools';
@@ -5885,6 +5885,16 @@ async function downloadLiveStream(
     item: QueueItem,
     onProgress: (progress: DownloadProgress) => void
 ): Promise<DownloadResult> {
+    onProgress({
+        id: item.id,
+        progress: -1,
+        speed: '',
+        eta: '',
+        status: tBackend('statusPreparingTools'),
+        currentPart: 0,
+        totalParts: 0
+    });
+
     const streamlinkReady = await ensureStreamlinkInstalled();
     if (!streamlinkReady) {
         return { success: false, error: tBackend('streamlinkAutoInstallFailed') };
@@ -6203,21 +6213,15 @@ async function downloadVOD(
         };
     }
 
-    const streamlinkCmd = getStreamlinkCommand();
-    const streamlinkVersionArgs = [...streamlinkCmd.prefixArgs, '--version'];
-    const streamlinkAlreadyVerified = isVerifiedStreamlinkCommand(streamlinkCmd.command, streamlinkVersionArgs);
-
-    if (!streamlinkAlreadyVerified) {
-        onProgress({
-            id: item.id,
-            progress: -1,
-            speed: '',
-            eta: '',
-            status: tBackend('statusCheckingTools'),
-            currentPart: 0,
-            totalParts: 0
-        });
-    }
+    onProgress({
+        id: item.id,
+        progress: -1,
+        speed: '',
+        eta: '',
+        status: tBackend('statusPreparingTools'),
+        currentPart: 0,
+        totalParts: 0
+    });
 
     const streamlinkReady = await ensureStreamlinkInstalled();
     if (!streamlinkReady) {
@@ -6469,6 +6473,16 @@ async function processDownloadMergeGroup(
 
     // ---- PHASE 1: DOWNLOADING ----
     if (mg.mergePhase === 'downloading') {
+        onProgress({
+            id: item.id,
+            progress: -1,
+            speed: '',
+            eta: '',
+            status: tBackend('statusPreparingTools'),
+            currentPart: 0,
+            totalParts: 0
+        });
+
         const streamlinkReady = await ensureStreamlinkInstalled();
         if (!streamlinkReady) {
             return { success: false, error: tBackend('streamlinkAutoInstallFailed') };
diff --git a/src/main/domain/i18n-backend.ts b/src/main/domain/i18n-backend.ts
index 1922c69..21a20f0 100644
--- a/src/main/domain/i18n-backend.ts
+++ b/src/main/domain/i18n-backend.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export const BACKEND_MESSAGES = {
         diskSpaceShortGeneric: 'Zu wenig Speicherplatz.',
         attemptFailed: 'Versuch {attempt}/{max} fehlgeschlagen ({errorClass}): {error}',
         retryingIn: 'Neuer Versuch in {seconds}s ({errorClass})...',
-        statusCheckingTools: 'Prüfe Download-Tools...',
+        statusPreparingTools: 'Download-Tools werden vorbereitet …',
         statusDownloadStarted: 'Download wird gestartet …',
         statusBytesDownloaded: '{bytes} heruntergeladen',
         statusFetchingChatReplay: 'Chat-Replay wird heruntergeladen...',
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export const BACKEND_MESSAGES = {
         diskSpaceShortGeneric: 'Not enough disk space.',
         attemptFailed: 'Attempt {attempt}/{max} failed ({errorClass}): {error}',
         retryingIn: 'Retrying in {seconds}s ({errorClass})...',
-        statusCheckingTools: 'Checking download tools...',
+        statusPreparingTools: 'Preparing download tools …',
         statusDownloadStarted: 'Starting download …',
         statusBytesDownloaded: '{bytes} downloaded',
         statusFetchingChatReplay: 'Fetching chat replay...',