diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands_v2/legacy_compat.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands_v2/legacy_compat.rs
index 3df26210a..e8b0a8720 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands_v2/legacy_compat.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands_v2/legacy_compat.rs
@@ -923,8 +923,13 @@ pub async fn v2_cache_track_for_offline(
     let file_path = cache_state.track_file_path(track_id, "flac");
     let file_path_str = file_path.to_string_lossy().to_string();
     {
+        let limit_bytes = *cache_state.limit_bytes.lock().await;
         let guard = cache_state.db.lock().await;
         let db = guard.as_ref().ok_or("No active session - please log in")?;
+        // Pre-flight: refuse new downloads when the cache is already at or
+        // above the configured limit (Fix #5d).
+        let cache_root = std::path::PathBuf::from(cache_state.get_cache_path());
+        crate::offline_cache::maintenance::check_cache_limit(db, &cache_root, limit_bytes)?;
         db.insert_track(&track_info, &file_path_str)?;
     }
 
@@ -995,8 +1000,14 @@ pub async fn v2_cache_tracks_batch_for_offline(
 
     // Single transactional batch insert
     {
+        let limit_bytes = *cache_state.limit_bytes.lock().await;
         let guard = cache_state.db.lock().await;
         let db = guard.as_ref().ok_or("No active session - please log in")?;
+        // Pre-flight: refuse new batch downloads when the cache is already at
+        // or above the configured limit (Fix #5d). One check covers the whole
+        // batch; this is intentionally simple and does not predict batch size.
+        let cache_root = std::path::PathBuf::from(cache_state.get_cache_path());
+        crate::offline_cache::maintenance::check_cache_limit(db, &cache_root, limit_bytes)?;
         let refs: Vec<(&crate::offline_cache::TrackCacheInfo, String)> = batch
             .iter()
             .map(|(info, path)| (info, path.clone()))
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/offline_cache/maintenance.rs b/src-tauri/src/offline_cache/maintenance.rs
index 05308c539..e1502bb07 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/offline_cache/maintenance.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/offline_cache/maintenance.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,39 @@ pub fn remove_album_cached_tracks(
     })
 }
 
+/// Pre-flight cache-limit check executed before queuing new downloads.
+///
+/// Returns `Ok(())` when:
+/// - `limit_bytes` is `None` (no limit configured); OR
+/// - the current `total_size_bytes` from the cache stats is strictly below the
+///   configured limit.
+///
+/// Returns `Err(message)` when the cache has already met or exceeded the
+/// configured limit. The message is suitable for surfacing to end users via a
+/// toast.
+///
+/// Intentionally simple: it does not predict the new track's size. Sufficient
+/// for v1 — the user gets feedback the moment they hit the limit and can free
+/// space or raise the limit through the offline cache manager.
+pub fn check_cache_limit(
+    db: &OfflineCacheDb,
+    offline_root: &Path,
+    limit_bytes: Option<u64>,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let limit = match limit_bytes {
+        Some(value) => value,
+        None => return Ok(()),
+    };
+    let stats = db.get_stats(&offline_root.to_string_lossy(), Some(limit))?;
+    if stats.total_size_bytes >= limit {
+        return Err(
+            "Offline cache limit reached. Free space or raise the limit in the offline cache manager."
+                .to_string(),
+        );
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Filters tracks targeted by re-download: skip in-flight Downloading,
 /// optionally restrict to Failed only.
 pub fn select_redownload_targets(