diff --git a/backend/app/worker.py b/backend/app/worker.py
index ab06b3f..b35d6f1 100644
--- a/backend/app/worker.py
+++ b/backend/app/worker.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import yt_dlp
 from sqlalchemy import text
 
+from app import sysconfig
 from app.config import settings
 from app.db import SessionLocal
 from app.downloads import edit as editmod
@@ -371,6 +372,16 @@ def _extract_with_fallback(job_id: int, asset_id: int, url: str, spec: dict, sta
     raise last_exc  # unreachable (loop either returns or raises)
 
 
+def _download_settings() -> tuple[str, int]:
+    """Layout + retention days from the DB config (admin-overridable on the Configuration page),
+    falling back to the env defaults. Read here, not from `settings`, so an admin edit takes effect."""
+    with SessionLocal() as db:
+        return (
+            sysconfig.get_str(db, "download_layout"),
+            sysconfig.get_int(db, "download_retention_days"),
+        )
+
+
 def _download(job_id: int, asset_id: int, source_kind: str, source_ref: str, spec: dict) -> None:
     staging = _staging_dir(asset_id)
     try:
@@ -402,14 +413,15 @@ def _download(job_id: int, asset_id: int, source_kind: str, source_ref: str, spe
             thumbnail_url=info.get("thumbnail"),
         )
 
-        rel = storage.rel_path(meta, ext, settings.download_layout)
+        layout, retention_days = _download_settings()
+        rel = storage.rel_path(meta, ext, layout)
         thumb = _find_thumbnail(staging, produced)
         storage.place_file(produced, settings.download_root, rel)
         nfo_ok = storage.write_sidecars(settings.download_root, rel, meta, thumb)
 
         final = storage.abs_path(settings.download_root, rel)
         size = final.stat().st_size if final.exists() else None
-        expires = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=settings.download_retention_days)
+        expires = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=retention_days)
 
         with SessionLocal() as db:
             asset = db.get(MediaAsset, asset_id)
@@ -554,7 +566,8 @@ def _process_edit(job_id: int, asset_id: int) -> None:
         storage.place_file(dest_staging, settings.download_root, rel)
         final = storage.abs_path(settings.download_root, rel)
         size = final.stat().st_size if final.exists() else None
-        expires = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=settings.download_retention_days)
+        _, retention_days = _download_settings()
+        expires = datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=retention_days)
 
         with SessionLocal() as db:
             asset = db.get(MediaAsset, asset_id)