diff --git a/internal/dl/ytdlp.go b/internal/dl/ytdlp.go
index 5553697..09084fb 100644
--- a/internal/dl/ytdlp.go
+++ b/internal/dl/ytdlp.go
@@ -194,6 +194,24 @@ func (c *Client) GetPlaylistInfo(url string) (*domain.MediaInfo, error) {
 		return cached, nil
 	}
 
+	isPlaylist, mi, err := c.DetectPlaylist(url)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if !isPlaylist {
+		mi.IsPlaylist = false
+		mi.PlaylistCount = 0
+		mi.PlaylistEntries = nil
+	}
+
+	c.setCache(url, mi)
+	return mi, nil
+}
+
+// DetectPlaylist runs a fast flat yt-dlp check to determine if the URL is a playlist.
+// It returns basic info without format details. For non-playlist URLs it returns false.
+// Does NOT cache the result so a subsequent GetMediaInfo call fetches full format info.
+func (c *Client) DetectPlaylist(url string) (bool, *domain.MediaInfo, error) {
 	args := []string{
 		"-J", "--flat-playlist", "--no-download",
 		"--no-warnings",
@@ -206,29 +224,29 @@ func (c *Client) GetPlaylistInfo(url string) (*domain.MediaInfo, error) {
 		args = append(args, "--proxy", c.proxyURL)
 	}
 
-	slog.Info("fetching playlist info", "url", url)
+	slog.Info("detecting playlist", "url", url)
 	out, err := c.run(args)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("yt-dlp playlist info failed: %w", err)
+		return false, nil, fmt.Errorf("yt-dlp playlist detection failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	var info ytdlpInfo
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(out, &info); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse yt-dlp playlist output: %w", err)
+	var rawInfo ytdlpInfo
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(out, &rawInfo); err != nil {
+		return false, nil, fmt.Errorf("parse yt-dlp output: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	mi := &domain.MediaInfo{
 		URL:             url,
-		Title:           info.Title,
-		Uploader:        info.Uploader,
-		Thumbnail:       info.Thumbnail,
-		IsPlaylist:      true,
-		PlaylistCount:   info.PlaylistCount,
-		PlaylistEntries: c.parsePlaylistEntries(info.Entries),
+		Title:           rawInfo.Title,
+		Uploader:        rawInfo.Uploader,
+		Thumbnail:       rawInfo.Thumbnail,
+		Duration:        rawInfo.Duration,
+		IsPlaylist:      rawInfo.Playlist != "",
+		PlaylistCount:   rawInfo.PlaylistCount,
+		PlaylistEntries: c.parsePlaylistEntries(rawInfo.Entries),
 	}
 
-	c.setCache(url, mi)
-	return mi, nil
+	return mi.IsPlaylist, mi, nil
 }
 
 func (c *Client) parsePlaylistEntries(entries []json.RawMessage) []domain.PlaylistEntry {
@@ -319,7 +337,6 @@ func (c *Client) StartDownload(job *domain.DownloadJob, downloadDir string) (<-c
 	// Language selection if specified
 	if job.Language != "" {
 		args = append(args, "--sub-langs", job.Language)
-		args = append(args, "--audio-multi-streams")
 	}
 
 	// Cookies
diff --git a/internal/handler/download.go b/internal/handler/download.go
index 1ee70af..5e6bc21 100644
--- a/internal/handler/download.go
+++ b/internal/handler/download.go
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ func (h *Handler) handleURLInput(ctx context.Context, chatID int64, text string,
 		fetchingMsgID = fetchingMsg.ID
 	}
 
+	// Fast playlist detection first — avoids expensive full metadata fetch for large playlists.
+	isPlaylist, plInfo, detectErr := h.YtDlp.DetectPlaylist(url)
+	if detectErr == nil && isPlaylist {
+		h.editText(ctx, chatID, fetchingMsgID, fmt.Sprintf("Playlist detected: %s (%d videos)", plInfo.Title, plInfo.PlaylistCount), nil)
+		h.handlePlaylist(ctx, chatID, userID, url, plInfo)
+		return
+	}
+
 	info, err := h.YtDlp.GetMediaInfo(url)
 	if err != nil {
 		errMsg := err.Error()
@@ -121,12 +129,6 @@ func (h *Handler) handleURLInput(ctx context.Context, chatID int64, text string,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if info.IsPlaylist {
-		h.editText(ctx, chatID, fetchingMsgID, fmt.Sprintf("Playlist detected: %s (%d videos)", info.Title, info.PlaylistCount), nil)
-		h.handlePlaylist(ctx, chatID, userID, url, info)
-		return
-	}
-
 	if len(info.Formats) == 0 {
 		h.editText(ctx, chatID, fetchingMsgID, "No formats available for this URL.", nil)
 		return
@@ -146,16 +148,6 @@ func (h *Handler) handleURLInput(ctx context.Context, chatID int64, text string,
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Edit the fetching message to show the media title, then send a separate photo preview.
-	previewText := fmt.Sprintf("Title: %s", info.Title)
-	if info.Uploader != "" {
-		previewText += fmt.Sprintf("\nChannel: %s", info.Uploader)
-	}
-	if info.Duration > 0 {
-		previewText += fmt.Sprintf("\nDuration: %s", formatDuration(info.Duration))
-	}
-	h.editText(ctx, chatID, fetchingMsgID, previewText, nil)
-
 	h.sendMediaPreview(ctx, chatID, info)
 
 	ss := &stepState{
@@ -181,7 +173,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleURLInput(ctx context.Context, chatID int64, text string,
 		}
 	}
 	kb := formatKeyboard("format_", labels, ss.FormatIDs)
-	h.sendWithKB(ctx, chatID, "Select format:", kb)
+	h.editText(ctx, chatID, fetchingMsgID, "Select format:", &kb)
 }
 
 // handleFormatSelection processes a format pick from the unified list.