diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7771630..b08f709 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.45.11 - 2026-05-26
+
+- Fixed watchlist auto-download queueing so the first manual or scheduled refresh after adding a `Watching` series can pick up already-available missing episodes instead of waiting for a later refresh cycle.
+- Kept add-time `initial` watchlist refreshes non-downloading, so tracking a show still seeds metadata first and only later refreshes are allowed to enqueue backlog or newly released episodes.
+
 ## 0.45.10 - 2026-05-26
 
 - Fixed watchlist-synced movie downloads so successful movie jobs move existing watchlist entries into `Finished` instead of leaving them stuck in `Watching` or `Planned`.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4a10bcb..7b6f37a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Small local web UI for a system-wide `ani-cli` install.
 
-Current version: `0.45.10`
+Current version: `0.45.11`
 
 ## Project Layout
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ Container notes:
 - Track shows on `/watchlist`.
 - Refresh watchlist episode counts in the background.
 - Schedule periodic watchlist refresh jobs.
-- Auto-download newly discovered episodes for `Watching` entries after later refreshes.
+- Auto-download newly discovered episodes for `Watching` entries after later refreshes, including backlog episodes already available on the first non-initial refresh.
 - Send Discord webhook notifications for refresh discoveries and failures.
 - Send Discord webhook notifications for completed downloads.
 - Optionally move fully completed watchlist libraries into separate Jellyfin TV and movie folders.
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ Jellyfin handoff:
 Watchlist queueing:
 
 - Manual `Download all` and automatic watchlist downloads now queue directly from the stored watchlist title and `show_id`, so they no longer fail just because a fresh provider search returns a shifted or incomplete result list.
+- The first manual or scheduled refresh after adding a `Watching` show can now queue already-available missing episodes even if the seeded add-time refresh has not populated `last_checked` yet.
 - Removing a watchlist entry now detaches its existing queue jobs from later watchlist sync, so finishing an old queued download cannot silently recreate that deleted show.
 - Manual watchlist `Download all` now uses the anime's own configured auto-download quality when one is set.
 - Completed movie downloads now keep their `movie` media type during watchlist sync and move movie-tagged watchlist entries into `Finished`, which keeps later Jellyfin handoff eligibility consistent.
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 91d6116..a1cf49f 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.45.10
+0.45.11
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 34e65d9..d345aee 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -2411,8 +2411,6 @@ def queue_watchlist_auto_download(item, refresh_source="manual"):
         return {"queued": False, "reason": "config_disabled"}
     if normalize_watchlist_category(item.get("category")) != "watching":
         return {"queued": False, "reason": "category"}
-    if not item.get("previous_last_checked"):
-        return {"queued": False, "reason": "initial_refresh"}
 
     mode = str(item.get("auto_download_mode") or config.get("auto_download_mode") or "dub").strip().lower()
     quality = str(item.get("auto_download_quality") or config.get("auto_download_quality") or "best").strip().lower()
diff --git a/test_app.py b/test_app.py
index a551e4f..fa63ca3 100644
--- a/test_app.py
+++ b/test_app.py
@@ -2422,6 +2422,60 @@ class AutoDownloadQueueTests(unittest.TestCase):
             }
         )
 
+    def test_queue_watchlist_auto_download_can_queue_backlog_on_first_manual_refresh(self):
+        item = {
+            "show_id": "show-first-refresh",
+            "title": "First Refresh Show",
+            "category": "watching",
+            "previous_last_checked": None,
+            "had_new_episodes": False,
+            "dub_episode_values": ["1", "2", "3"],
+            "sub_episode_values": [],
+            "auto_download_mode": "dub",
+            "auto_download_quality": "best",
+            "auto_download_name": "First Refresh Show",
+            "auto_download_series": "1",
+            "auto_download_offset": None,
+            "downloaded_dub_episodes": [],
+            "downloaded_sub_episodes": [],
+        }
+        download_queue = mock.Mock()
+        download_queue.covered_episodes.return_value = set()
+        download_queue.add.return_value = {"id": "job-first-refresh", "episodes": "1-3"}
+        runtime = {
+            "config": {
+                "auto_download_enabled": True,
+                "auto_download_mode": "dub",
+                "auto_download_quality": "best",
+                "download_dir": "/tmp/downloads",
+            },
+            "download_queue": download_queue,
+        }
+        with mock.patch.object(APP, "ensure_runtime", return_value=runtime), mock.patch.object(
+            APP,
+            "search_anime",
+            side_effect=AssertionError("search should not be required"),
+        ):
+            result = APP.queue_watchlist_auto_download(item, refresh_source="manual")
+
+        self.assertTrue(result["queued"])
+        self.assertEqual(result["episodes"], ["1-3"])
+        download_queue.add.assert_called_once_with(
+            {
+                "show_id": "show-first-refresh",
+                "query": "First Refresh Show",
+                "title": "First Refresh Show",
+                "anime_name": "First Refresh Show",
+                "media_type": "tv",
+                "season": "1",
+                "episode_offset": None,
+                "mode": "dub",
+                "quality": "best",
+                "episodes": "1-3",
+                "download_dir": "/tmp/downloads",
+            }
+        )
+
     def test_queue_watchlist_auto_download_passes_episode_offset_to_jobs(self):
         item = {
             "show_id": "show-77",