diff --git a/pytorrent/services/rtorrent/files.py b/pytorrent/services/rtorrent/files.py
index f9ac10f..e483c32 100644
--- a/pytorrent/services/rtorrent/files.py
+++ b/pytorrent/services/rtorrent/files.py
@@ -541,17 +541,31 @@ def torrent_download_zip_items(profile: dict, torrent_hash: str, indexes: list[i
     return items
 
 
+def _remote_file_exists(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, source_path: str) -> bool:
+    # Note: Export fallback checks candidate .torrent files on the rTorrent host before staging, avoiding stale tied-file paths.
+    clean = _remote_clean_path(source_path)
+    if not clean:
+        return False
+    script = 'p=$1; [ -f "$p" ] && [ -r "$p" ] && printf OK || true'
+    try:
+        return str(_rt_execute(c, "execute.capture", "sh", "-c", script, "pytorrent-file-exists", clean) or "").strip() == "OK"
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
 def _remote_stage_path(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, source_path: str, suffix: str = "") -> str:
     token = uuid.uuid4().hex
     safe_suffix = ''.join(ch if ch.isalnum() or ch in '.-_' else '_' for ch in str(suffix or ''))[:80]
     target = f"{download_tmp_dir().rstrip('/')}/pytorrent-download-{token}{safe_suffix}"
     script = (
         'src=$1; dst=$2; '
-        'if [ ! -f "$src" ]; then echo "ERR\tmissing source"; exit 0; fi; '
+        'if [ ! -f "$src" ]; then printf "ERR\tmissing source: %s\n" "$src"; exit 0; fi; '
+        'if [ ! -r "$src" ]; then printf "ERR\tsource is not readable: %s\n" "$src"; exit 0; fi; '
         'cp -- "$src" "$dst" 2>/tmp/pytorrent-cp-err-$$ || { rc=$?; err=$(cat /tmp/pytorrent-cp-err-$$ 2>/dev/null); rm -f /tmp/pytorrent-cp-err-$$; printf "ERR\t%s\t%s\n" "$rc" "$err"; exit 0; }; '
         'rm -f /tmp/pytorrent-cp-err-$$; chmod 0644 "$dst" 2>/dev/null || true; printf "OK\t%s\n" "$dst"'
     )
-    output = str(_rt_execute(c, "execute.capture", "sh", "-c", script, "pytorrent-stage-file", source_path, target) or "").strip()
+    clean_source = _remote_clean_path(source_path)
+    output = str(_rt_execute(c, "execute.capture", "sh", "-c", script, "pytorrent-stage-file", clean_source, target) or "").strip()
     parts = (output.splitlines()[0] if output else "").split("\t", 2)
     if len(parts) >= 2 and parts[0] == "OK":
         return parts[1]
@@ -643,14 +657,48 @@ def _torrent_raw_from_method(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, torrent_hash: str) -> bytes
     return None
 
 
-def _torrent_source_file(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, torrent_hash: str) -> str:
+def _rtorrent_session_path(c: ScgiRtorrentClient) -> str:
+    for method in ("session.path", "get_session"):
+        try:
+            value = str(c.call(method) or "").strip()
+        except Exception:
+            continue
+        if value:
+            return _remote_clean_path(value)
+    return ""
+
+
+def _torrent_source_file_candidates(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, torrent_hash: str) -> list[str]:
+    # Note: rTorrent may keep stale watch/tied paths; session candidates preserve .torrent export when the original source was moved.
+    candidates: list[str] = []
     for method in ("d.tied_to_file", "d.get_tied_to_file", "d.loaded_file", "d.get_loaded_file", "d.session_file", "d.get_session_file"):
         try:
             value = str(c.call(method, torrent_hash) or "").strip()
         except Exception:
             continue
         if value:
-            return value
+            candidates.append(value)
+    session_path = _rtorrent_session_path(c)
+    hash_values = []
+    clean_hash = str(torrent_hash or "").strip()
+    if clean_hash:
+        hash_values.extend([clean_hash, clean_hash.upper(), clean_hash.lower()])
+    for h in dict.fromkeys(hash_values):
+        if session_path:
+            candidates.append(_remote_join(session_path, f"{h}.torrent"))
+        candidates.append(f"/tmp/{h}.torrent")
+    result = []
+    for item in candidates:
+        clean = _remote_clean_path(item)
+        if clean and clean not in result:
+            result.append(clean)
+    return result
+
+
+def _torrent_source_file(c: ScgiRtorrentClient, torrent_hash: str) -> str:
+    for source in _torrent_source_file_candidates(c, torrent_hash):
+        if _remote_file_exists(c, source):
+            return source
     return ""