diff --git a/core/tidal_client.py b/core/tidal_client.py
index 49270403..41dc7605 100644
--- a/core/tidal_client.py
+++ b/core/tidal_client.py
@@ -529,6 +529,12 @@ class TidalClient:
                 return True
             return bool(self.access_token and self.refresh_token)
 
+        # Token still valid — no refresh needed. (Restored: #949 moved this short-circuit
+        # into the boot-phase branch only, so every post-boot call fell through to the
+        # refresh below — a constant silent-refresh loop on a perfectly valid token.)
+        if self.access_token and time.time() < self.token_expires_at:
+            return True
+
         # Backoff: if refresh recently failed, don't retry for 5 minutes
         if hasattr(self, '_refresh_failed_at') and self._refresh_failed_at:
             if time.time() - self._refresh_failed_at < 300:
diff --git a/tests/test_tidal_token_refresh_loop.py b/tests/test_tidal_token_refresh_loop.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f62da188
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_tidal_token_refresh_loop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""Regression: post-boot, is_authenticated() must NOT refresh a still-valid Tidal token.
+
+#949 moved the "token still valid -> return True" short-circuit into the boot-phase branch
+only, so every post-boot call fell through to the silent refresh — a constant-refresh loop
+(wolf's logs: "access token expired -> refresh -> success" every few seconds)."""
+
+import time
+
+import core.boot_phase as boot_phase
+from core.tidal_client import TidalClient
+
+
+def _client(expires_at):
+    c = TidalClient.__new__(TidalClient)
+    c.access_token = "tok"
+    c.refresh_token = "refresh"
+    c.token_expires_at = expires_at
+    c._refresh_calls = 0
+
+    def _fake_refresh():
+        c._refresh_calls += 1
+        return True
+
+    c._refresh_access_token = _fake_refresh
+    return c
+
+
+def test_valid_token_does_not_refresh_post_boot(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(boot_phase, "_boot_active", False)   # post-boot
+    c = _client(time.time() + 3600)                          # valid for an hour
+    assert c.is_authenticated() is True
+    assert c._refresh_calls == 0                             # MUST NOT refresh a valid token
+
+
+def test_expired_token_still_refreshes_post_boot(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(boot_phase, "_boot_active", False)
+    c = _client(time.time() - 10)                            # expired
+    assert c.is_authenticated() is True
+    assert c._refresh_calls == 1                             # expired -> one refresh
+
+
+def test_valid_token_returns_true_during_boot(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(boot_phase, "_boot_active", True)    # boot phase
+    c = _client(time.time() + 3600)
+    assert c.is_authenticated() is True
+    assert c._refresh_calls == 0                             # boot never probes/refreshes