--persist now only controls whether the playlist is replaced.

src/config/config.go

@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@ type Flags struct {
 	ExcludeLocal bool
 	Persist      bool
 	PersistSet   bool
-	SearchMBID   string
-	RefreshOnly  bool
+	SearchMBID     string
+	RefreshOnly    bool
+	CleanDownloads bool
 }
 
 type ServerConfig struct {

src/config/flags.go

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) GetFlags() error {
 	var showVersion bool
 	var searchMBID string
 	var refreshOnly bool
+	var cleanDownloads bool
 	// Long flags
 	flag.StringVarP(&configPath, "config", "c", ".env", "Path of the configuration file")
 	flag.StringVarP(&playlist, "playlist", "p", "weekly-exploration", "Playlist where to get tracks. Supported: weekly-exploration, weekly-jams, daily-jams, on-repeat")
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) GetFlags() error {
 	flag.BoolVarP(&showVersion, "version", "v", false, "Print version and exit")
 	flag.StringVar(&searchMBID, "search-mbid", "", "Test Plex search for a single recording MBID (resolves via ListenBrainz, then searches your library)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&refreshOnly, "refresh-only", false, "Trigger alibrary rescan and exit; skips discovery and downloads")
+	flag.BoolVar(&cleanDownloads, "clean-downloads", false, "Delete previously downloaded tracks before downloading new ones (requires USE_SUBDIRECTORY)")
 
   flag.Parse()
 
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) GetFlags() error {
 	cfg.Flags.Persist = persist
 	cfg.Flags.SearchMBID = searchMBID
 	cfg.Flags.RefreshOnly = refreshOnly
+	cfg.Flags.CleanDownloads = cleanDownloads
 
 	// for deprecation purposes (can be removed at a later date)
 	cfg.Flags.PersistSet = persistSet

src/main/main.go

@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ func main() {
 		if err != nil {
 			slog.Warn(err.Error(), "notify", true)
 		}
-		if cfg.DownloadCfg.UseSubDir {
-			downloader.DeleteSongs()
-		}
+	}
+	if cfg.Flags.CleanDownloads && cfg.DownloadCfg.UseSubDir {
+		downloader.DeleteSongs()
 	}
 	if cfg.Flags.DownloadMode != "force" {
 		if err := client.CheckTracks(tracks); err != nil { // Check if tracks exist on system before downloading

src/web/backend/server.go

@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ func (s *Server) registerRoutes() {
 	s.mux.Handle("/api/ui/config/schedules", s.authStore.RequireAuth(http.HandlerFunc(s.handleSaveSchedule)))
 	s.mux.Handle("/api/ui/config/path-template", s.authStore.RequireAuth(http.HandlerFunc(s.handleSavePathTemplate)))
 	s.mux.Handle("/api/ui/config/enrich-metadata", s.authStore.RequireAuth(http.HandlerFunc(s.handleSaveEnrichMetadata)))
+	s.mux.Handle("/api/ui/config/persist", s.authStore.RequireAuth(http.HandlerFunc(s.handleSavePersist)))
+	s.mux.Handle("/api/ui/config/clean-downloads", s.authStore.RequireAuth(http.HandlerFunc(s.handleSaveCleanDownloads)))
 
 	// Path template presets: GET list, POST add; DELETE per name under prefix
 	s.mux.HandleFunc("/api/ui/path-templates", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -555,6 +557,20 @@ func (s *Server) handleSaveSchedule(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Carry over --persist=false / --clean-downloads if globally set
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(s.cfg.WebEnvPath)
+	for k, v := range parseEnvText(string(data)) {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(k, "_FLAGS") && v != "" {
+			if strings.Contains(v, "--persist=false") {
+				defaultFlags = addFlag(defaultFlags, "--persist=false")
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(v, "--clean-downloads") {
+				defaultFlags = addFlag(defaultFlags, "--clean-downloads")
+			}
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
 	updates := map[string]string{}
 	if !body.Enabled {
 		// Toggle off — truly disable, regardless of day value carried over from state
@@ -627,6 +643,91 @@ func (s *Server) handleSaveEnrichMetadata(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request
 	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 }
 
+// handleSavePersist toggles persist by injecting/removing --persist=false
+// from every active *_FLAGS entry, which is what start.sh feeds to the CLI.
+func (s *Server) handleSavePersist(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if r.Method != http.MethodPost {
+		http.Error(w, "method not allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		return
+	}
+	var body struct {
+		Enabled bool `json:"enabled"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "invalid JSON: "+err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if err := s.toggleFlagInEnv(!body.Enabled, "--persist=false"); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Clean up the deprecated PERSIST env var if present
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(s.cfg.WebEnvPath)
+	if _, ok := parseEnvText(string(data))["PERSIST"]; ok {
+		_ = updateEnvKeys(s.cfg.WebEnvPath, map[string]string{"PERSIST": ""}, web.SampleEnv)
+	}
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+// handleSaveCleanDownloads toggles --clean-downloads in every active *_FLAGS entry.
+func (s *Server) handleSaveCleanDownloads(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if r.Method != http.MethodPost {
+		http.Error(w, "method not allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		return
+	}
+	var body struct {
+		Enabled bool `json:"enabled"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "invalid JSON: "+err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+	if err := s.toggleFlagInEnv(body.Enabled, "--clean-downloads"); err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+// toggleFlagInEnv adds or removes a CLI flag from every active *_FLAGS entry.
+func (s *Server) toggleFlagInEnv(add bool, flag string) error {
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(s.cfg.WebEnvPath)
+	env := parseEnvText(string(data))
+	updates := map[string]string{}
+	for k, v := range env {
+		if !strings.HasSuffix(k, "_FLAGS") || v == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		var updated string
+		if add {
+			updated = addFlag(v, flag)
+		} else {
+			updated = removeFlag(v, flag)
+		}
+		if updated != v {
+			updates[k] = updated
+		}
+	}
+	return updateEnvKeys(s.cfg.WebEnvPath, updates, web.SampleEnv)
+}
+
+func addFlag(flags, flag string) string {
+	if strings.Contains(flags, flag) {
+		return flags
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(flags + " " + flag)
+}
+
+func removeFlag(flags, flag string) string {
+	f := strings.ReplaceAll(flags, flag, "")
+	for strings.Contains(f, "  ") {
+		f = strings.ReplaceAll(f, "  ", " ")
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(f)
+}
+
 // updateEnvKeys reads the env file (falling back to fallback if missing), updates the
 // given key=value pairs in-place preserving comments, and writes the result back.
 func updateEnvKeys(path string, updates map[string]string, fallback []byte) error {

src/web/frontend/src/components/Settings.jsx

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   fetchConfig, fetchConfigRaw, saveConfig, resetConfig,
   saveSchedule, startRun, stopRun, fetchRunStatus, fetchLogs,
   fetchCustomPlaylists, deleteCustomPlaylist, savePathTemplate, saveEnrichMetadata,
+  savePersist, saveCleanDownloads,
   fetchPathTemplatePresets, addPathTemplatePreset, deletePathTemplatePreset,
 } from '../lib/api'
 import { parseSlogLine, cronToFields, highlightEnv } from '../lib/utils'
@@ -223,6 +224,7 @@ function HomeSection() {
     ]).then(([{ values, sources }, customList]) => {
       setEnvSources(sources || {})
       setLbUser(values.LISTENBRAINZ_USER || '')
+      setNoPersist((values.WEEKLY_EXPLORATION_FLAGS || values.WEEKLY_JAMS_FLAGS || values.DAILY_JAMS_FLAGS || values.ON_REPEAT_FLAGS || '').includes('--persist=false'))
       setCustomPlaylists(customList)
 
       const s = {}
@@ -512,6 +514,8 @@ function DownloadPathSection() {
   const [showModal, setShowModal] = useState(false)
   const [openMenuIdx, setOpenMenuIdx] = useState(null)
   const [enrichEnabled, setEnrichEnabled] = useState(false)
+  const [replacePlaylist, setReplacePlaylist] = useState(true)
+  const [cleanDownloads, setCleanDownloads] = useState(false)
   const [templateEnabled, setTemplateEnabled] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -524,6 +528,9 @@ function DownloadPathSection() {
         ...jsonPresets,
       ]
       setEnrichEnabled(values.ENRICH_TRACK_METADATA === 'true')
+      const anyFlags = values.WEEKLY_EXPLORATION_FLAGS || values.WEEKLY_JAMS_FLAGS || values.DAILY_JAMS_FLAGS || values.ON_REPEAT_FLAGS || ''
+      setReplacePlaylist(anyFlags.includes('--persist=false'))
+      setCleanDownloads(anyFlags.includes('--clean-downloads'))
       const t = values.PATH_TEMPLATE || ''
       if (t) {
         setTemplateEnabled(true)
@@ -551,6 +558,18 @@ function DownloadPathSection() {
     try { await saveEnrichMetadata(next) } catch { setEnrichEnabled(!next) }
   }
 
+  const handleReplaceToggle = async () => {
+    const next = !replacePlaylist
+    setReplacePlaylist(next)
+    try { await savePersist(!next) } catch { setReplacePlaylist(!next) }
+  }
+
+  const handleCleanToggle = async () => {
+    const next = !cleanDownloads
+    setCleanDownloads(next)
+    try { await saveCleanDownloads(next) } catch { setCleanDownloads(!next) }
+  }
+
   const handleTemplateToggle = async () => {
     if (templateEnabled) {
       setTemplateEnabled(false)
@@ -636,6 +655,38 @@ function DownloadPathSection() {
         </button>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Replace playlist toggle */}
+      <div className="flex items-start justify-between mt-3 mb-1 gap-4">
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">
+          <span className="text-[13px] text-white">Update playlist in place</span>
+          <span className="text-[11px] text-muted">Keep a single playlist per type and refresh it with new recommendations each run. When off, a new playlist is created every time and previous ones are kept.</span>
+        </div>
+        <button
+          role="switch"
+          aria-checked={replacePlaylist}
+          onClick={handleReplaceToggle}
+          className={`relative inline-flex h-[22px] w-10 shrink-0 cursor-pointer rounded-full transition-colors duration-200 ${replacePlaylist ? 'bg-accent' : 'bg-[#383838]'}`}
+        >
+          <span className={`inline-block h-[18px] w-[18px] my-[2px] rounded-full bg-white shadow transition-transform duration-200 ${replacePlaylist ? 'translate-x-[20px]' : 'translate-x-[2px]'}`} />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Clean old downloads toggle */}
+      <div className="flex items-start justify-between mt-3 mb-1 gap-4">
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">
+          <span className="text-[13px] text-white">Clean old downloads</span>
+          <span className="text-[11px] text-muted">Remove previously downloaded tracks before each run. Only affects Explo's download folder, not your main library.</span>
+        </div>
+        <button
+          role="switch"
+          aria-checked={cleanDownloads}
+          onClick={handleCleanToggle}
+          className={`relative inline-flex h-[22px] w-10 shrink-0 cursor-pointer rounded-full transition-colors duration-200 ${cleanDownloads ? 'bg-accent' : 'bg-[#383838]'}`}
+        >
+          <span className={`inline-block h-[18px] w-[18px] my-[2px] rounded-full bg-white shadow transition-transform duration-200 ${cleanDownloads ? 'translate-x-[20px]' : 'translate-x-[2px]'}`} />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
       {/* Organize into folders toggle */}
       <div className="flex items-start justify-between mt-3 mb-1 gap-4">
         <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">

src/web/frontend/src/lib/api.js

@@ -231,6 +231,24 @@ export async function saveEnrichMetadata(enabled) {
   if (!res.ok) throw new Error(await res.text())
 }
 
+export async function savePersist(enabled) {
+  const res = await apiFetch('/api/ui/config/persist', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ enabled }),
+  })
+  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(await res.text())
+}
+
+export async function saveCleanDownloads(enabled) {
+  const res = await apiFetch('/api/ui/config/clean-downloads', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ enabled }),
+  })
+  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(await res.text())
+}
+
 export async function fetchBackgroundArt() {
   try {
     const res = await fetch('/api/ui/background-art')