diff --git a/backend/novasonic-server.js b/backend/novasonic-server.js
index 917a67c..f437f2f 100644
--- a/backend/novasonic-server.js
+++ b/backend/novasonic-server.js
@@ -251,25 +251,16 @@ async function fetchSpotifyToken() {
 
 async function _spApi(path, token) {
   const url = path.startsWith('http') ? path : `https://api.spotify.com/v1${path}`;
-  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 4; attempt++) {
-    const r = await _fetchTimeout(url, { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` } });
-    if (r.status === 429) {
-      const retryAfter = parseInt(r.headers.get('Retry-After') || '5', 10);
-      // Long Retry-After = token is banned — invalidate cache and fail immediately
-      if (retryAfter > 60) {
-        _spTokenCache = null;
-        _spTokenExpiry = 0;
-        throw new Error(`Spotify-Token für ${Math.round(retryAfter / 3600)}h gesperrt (Rate Limit). Token-Cache geleert — nächster Versuch holt neuen Token.`);
-      }
-      const wait = (retryAfter + 1) * 1000;
-      console.log(`[spotify] 429 waiting ${retryAfter + 1}s`);
-      await new Promise(res => setTimeout(res, wait));
-      continue;
-    }
-    if (!r.ok) throw new Error(`Spotify API Fehler ${r.status}: ${path}`);
-    return r.json();
+  const r = await _fetchTimeout(url, { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` } });
+  if (r.status === 429) {
+    const retryAfter = parseInt(r.headers.get('Retry-After') || '10', 10);
+    _spTokenCache  = null;
+    _spTokenExpiry = 0;
+    console.log(`[spotify] 429 Retry-After=${retryAfter}s — failing fast`);
+    throw new Error(`RATE_LIMITED:${retryAfter}`);
   }
-  throw new Error('Spotify API rate-limited — bitte kurz warten und erneut versuchen');
+  if (!r.ok) throw new Error(`Spotify API Fehler ${r.status}: ${path}`);
+  return r.json();
 }
 
 async function _spAllPlaylistTracks(id, token) {
@@ -423,6 +414,10 @@ app.post('/api/spotify/resolve', async (req, res) => {
     if (e.message.includes('403') && e.message.includes('/playlists/')) {
       return res.status(403).json({ error: 'EDITORIAL_PLAYLIST' });
     }
+    if (e.message.startsWith('RATE_LIMITED:')) {
+      const secs = parseInt(e.message.split(':')[1], 10) || 30;
+      return res.status(429).json({ error: 'RATE_LIMITED', retryAfter: secs });
+    }
     res.status(500).json({ error: e.message });
   }
 });
diff --git a/src/spotify.js b/src/spotify.js
index 6e7e8d6..68ee4ac 100644
--- a/src/spotify.js
+++ b/src/spotify.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export async function resolveSpotifyLink() {
     if (!res.ok) {
       const err = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
       if (err.error === 'EDITORIAL_PLAYLIST') throw new Error('EDITORIAL_PLAYLIST');
+      if (err.error === 'RATE_LIMITED') throw new Error(`RATE_LIMITED:${err.retryAfter || 30}`);
       throw new Error(err.error || err.message || `HTTP ${res.status}`);
     }
     const data = await res.json();
@@ -79,6 +80,17 @@ export async function resolveSpotifyLink() {
       inner.innerHTML = `<div style="color:var(--danger);padding:16px;background:var(--surface);border-radius:10px">Zeitüberschreitung — der Server hat nicht rechtzeitig geantwortet. Läuft das Backend?</div>`;
       return;
     }
+    if (e.message.startsWith('RATE_LIMITED:')) {
+      const secs = parseInt(e.message.split(':')[1], 10) || 30;
+      const mins = secs >= 60 ? `${Math.ceil(secs / 60)} Min.` : `${secs}s`;
+      inner.innerHTML = `<div style="color:var(--text);padding:16px;background:var(--surface);border-radius:10px;border-left:3px solid var(--warning,#f59e0b)">
+        <div style="font-weight:600;margin-bottom:6px">⏳ Spotify Rate Limit</div>
+        <div style="font-size:13px;line-height:1.5;color:var(--text2)">
+          Spotify hat zu viele Anfragen erhalten. Bitte in ca. <strong>${mins}</strong> erneut versuchen.
+        </div>
+      </div>`;
+      return;
+    }
     if (e.message === 'EDITORIAL_PLAYLIST') {
       inner.innerHTML = `<div style="padding:16px;background:var(--surface);border-radius:10px;border-left:3px solid #1DB954">
         <div style="font-weight:600;margin-bottom:10px;color:#1DB954">💡 Editorial Playlist erkannt</div>