diff --git a/src/app/admin/components/RecentRequestsTable.tsx b/src/app/admin/components/RecentRequestsTable.tsx
index 75b6916..5690a51 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/components/RecentRequestsTable.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/components/RecentRequestsTable.tsx
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ export function RecentRequestsTable({ ebookSidecarEnabled = false, annasArchiveB
   // View Details modal state
   const [viewDetailsAsin, setViewDetailsAsin] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [viewDetailsStatus, setViewDetailsStatus] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [viewDetailsRequestId, setViewDetailsRequestId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [viewDetailsUserId, setViewDetailsUserId] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   // Build API URL with current local filters
   const apiUrl = `/api/admin/requests?page=${page}&pageSize=${pageSize}&search=${encodeURIComponent(debouncedSearch)}&status=${status}&userId=${userId}&sortBy=${sortBy}&sortOrder=${sortOrder}`;
@@ -328,9 +330,16 @@ export function RecentRequestsTable({ ebookSidecarEnabled = false, annasArchiveB
   const hasActiveFilters = debouncedSearch || status !== 'all' || userId;
 
   // Action handlers
-  const handleViewDetails = (asin: string, requestStatus?: string) => {
+  const handleViewDetails = (
+    asin: string,
+    requestStatus?: string,
+    requestId?: string,
+    userId?: string,
+  ) => {
     setViewDetailsAsin(asin);
     setViewDetailsStatus(requestStatus || null);
+    setViewDetailsRequestId(requestId || null);
+    setViewDetailsUserId(userId || null);
   };
 
   const handleDeleteClick = (requestId: string, title: string) => {
@@ -728,7 +737,7 @@ export function RecentRequestsTable({ ebookSidecarEnabled = false, annasArchiveB
                         onManualSearch={handleManualSearch}
                         onCancel={handleCancel}
                         onRetryDownload={handleRetryDownload}
-                        onViewDetails={(asin) => handleViewDetails(asin, request.status)}
+                        onViewDetails={(asin) => handleViewDetails(asin, request.status, request.requestId, request.userId)}
                         onFetchEbook={handleFetchEbook}
                         onSearchTermsUpdated={() => mutate(apiUrl)}
                         ebookSidecarEnabled={ebookSidecarEnabled}
@@ -884,9 +893,13 @@ export function RecentRequestsTable({ ebookSidecarEnabled = false, annasArchiveB
           onClose={() => {
             setViewDetailsAsin(null);
             setViewDetailsStatus(null);
+            setViewDetailsRequestId(null);
+            setViewDetailsUserId(null);
           }}
           isAvailable={viewDetailsStatus === 'available' || viewDetailsStatus === 'completed'}
           requestStatus={viewDetailsStatus}
+          requestId={viewDetailsRequestId}
+          requestedByUserId={viewDetailsUserId}
         />
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/admin/page.tsx b/src/app/admin/page.tsx
index beb27c2..5e754e9 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/page.tsx
@@ -427,6 +427,8 @@ function PendingApprovalSection({ requests }: { requests: PendingApprovalRequest
           onClose={() => { setDetailsAsin(null); setDetailsRequestId(null); }}
           requestStatus="awaiting_approval"
           requestedByUsername={detailsRequest?.user.plexUsername ?? null}
+          requestId={detailsRequestId}
+          requestedByUserId={detailsRequest?.user.id ?? null}
           adminActions={
             <ApprovalActionButtons
               isLoading={loadingStates[detailsRequestId] || false}
diff --git a/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookCard.tsx b/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookCard.tsx
index 35b9cae..9eccded 100644
--- a/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookCard.tsx
@@ -273,6 +273,8 @@ export function AudiobookCard({
         requestStatus={displayAudiobook.requestStatus}
         isAvailable={audiobook.isAvailable}
         requestedByUsername={audiobook.requestedByUsername}
+        requestId={audiobook.requestId}
+        requestedByUserId={audiobook.requestedByUserId}
         hasReportedIssue={audiobook.hasReportedIssue}
       />
     </>
diff --git a/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.tsx b/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.tsx
index 2d790dc..17097d2 100644
--- a/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { FolderArrowDownIcon, EyeSlashIcon } from '@heroicons/react/24/outline';
 import { EyeSlashIcon as EyeSlashSolidIcon } from '@heroicons/react/24/solid';
 import { fetchWithAuth } from '@/lib/utils/api';
 import { useIsIgnored, useToggleIgnore } from '@/lib/hooks/useIgnoredAudiobooks';
+import { ADVANCEABLE_FROM_INTERACTIVE_SEARCH } from '@/lib/constants/request-statuses';
 
 interface AudiobookDetailsModalProps {
   asin: string;
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ interface AudiobookDetailsModalProps {
   requestStatus?: string | null;
   isAvailable?: boolean;
   requestedByUsername?: string | null;
+  /** In-flight request id for this audiobook (own or other user's). When set together with an advanceable status and own/admin viewer, Interactive Search → Download routes through select-torrent instead of creating a new request. */
+  requestId?: string | null;
+  /** Owner of the in-flight request (matcher-populated). Used together with the viewer's id/role to gate advance-vs-create routing. */
+  requestedByUserId?: string | null;
   hideRequestActions?: boolean;
   hasReportedIssue?: boolean;
   aiReason?: string | null;
@@ -79,6 +84,8 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
   requestStatus = null,
   isAvailable = false,
   requestedByUsername = null,
+  requestId = null,
+  requestedByUserId = null,
   hideRequestActions = false,
   hasReportedIssue = false,
   aiReason = null,
@@ -89,7 +96,7 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
   const { audiobook, audibleBaseUrl, isLoading, error } = useAudiobookDetails(isOpen ? asin : null);
   const { createRequest, isLoading: isRequesting } = useCreateRequest();
   const { ebookStatus, revalidate: revalidateEbookStatus } = useEbookStatus(isOpen && isAvailable ? asin : null);
-  const { downloadAvailable, requestId } = useDownloadStatus(isOpen ? asin : null);
+  const { downloadAvailable, requestId: downloadRequestId } = useDownloadStatus(isOpen ? asin : null);
   const { fetchEbook, isLoading: isFetchingEbook } = useFetchEbookByAsin();
 
   const { isIgnored, ignoredId, isLoading: isLoadingIgnore } = useIsIgnored(isOpen ? asin : null);
@@ -118,6 +125,15 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
   const status = getStatusInfo(isAvailable, effectiveStatus, requestedByUsername);
   const canShowEbookButtons = isAvailable && ebookStatus?.ebookSourcesEnabled && !ebookStatus?.hasActiveEbookRequest;
 
+  // Advance the existing request via select-torrent (instead of creating a new one)
+  // only when the viewer owns the request, or is admin, AND the status is one we route on.
+  // Outside this predicate the search modal falls back to today's "create new request" path.
+  const shouldAdvance = !!requestId
+    && !!user
+    && (requestedByUserId === user.id || user.role === 'admin')
+    && (ADVANCEABLE_FROM_INTERACTIVE_SEARCH as readonly string[]).includes(effectiveStatus ?? '');
+  const advanceRequestId = shouldAdvance ? requestId ?? undefined : undefined;
+
   useEffect(() => {
     setMounted(true);
   }, []);
@@ -192,10 +208,10 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
   };
 
   const handleDownload = async () => {
-    if (!requestId) return;
+    if (!downloadRequestId) return;
     setIsDownloading(true);
     try {
-      const res = await fetchWithAuth(`/api/requests/${requestId}/download-token`, { method: 'POST' });
+      const res = await fetchWithAuth(`/api/requests/${downloadRequestId}/download-token`, { method: 'POST' });
       if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to get download link');
       const { downloadUrl } = await res.json();
       window.location.href = downloadUrl;
@@ -576,7 +592,7 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
                   )}
 
                   {/* Download Link - subtle utility, visible from any context */}
-                  {isAvailable && downloadAvailable && requestId && user?.permissions?.download !== false && (
+                  {isAvailable && downloadAvailable && downloadRequestId && user?.permissions?.download !== false && (
                     <div>
                       <p className="text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">Download</p>
                       <button
@@ -807,6 +823,7 @@ export function AudiobookDetailsModal({
             onSuccess={() => {
               onRequestSuccess?.();
             }}
+            requestId={advanceRequestId}
             audiobook={{
               title: audiobook.title,
               author: audiobook.author,
diff --git a/src/lib/constants/request-statuses.ts b/src/lib/constants/request-statuses.ts
index 90bb47f..140b092 100644
--- a/src/lib/constants/request-statuses.ts
+++ b/src/lib/constants/request-statuses.ts
@@ -15,3 +15,15 @@ export const CANCELLABLE_STATUSES = [
   'awaiting_approval',
   'awaiting_release',
 ] as const;
+
+/**
+ * Statuses where an own (or admin-acted) request can be advanced via Interactive
+ * Search → Download by routing to /api/requests/[id]/select-torrent.
+ * Outside this set, the modal falls back to today's create-new-request path.
+ */
+export const ADVANCEABLE_FROM_INTERACTIVE_SEARCH = [
+  'pending',
+  'failed',
+  'awaiting_search',
+  'awaiting_release',
+] as const;
diff --git a/src/lib/hooks/useAudiobooks.ts b/src/lib/hooks/useAudiobooks.ts
index 4aa94c5..b340dcf 100644
--- a/src/lib/hooks/useAudiobooks.ts
+++ b/src/lib/hooks/useAudiobooks.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export interface Audiobook {
   isRequested?: boolean;  // Set if ANY user has requested this audiobook
   requestStatus?: string | null;  // Status of request (if any)
   requestId?: string | null;  // ID of request (if any)
+  requestedByUserId?: string | null;  // User id who requested (populated by audiobook-matcher; used to gate own-request interactive-search routing)
   requestedByUsername?: string | null;  // Username who requested (only if not current user)
   hasReportedIssue?: boolean;  // True if an open issue exists for this audiobook
   isIgnored?: boolean;  // True if this user has ignored this audiobook from auto-requests
diff --git a/tests/api/requests-actions.routes.test.ts b/tests/api/requests-actions.routes.test.ts
index 2b187bb..af8a830 100644
--- a/tests/api/requests-actions.routes.test.ts
+++ b/tests/api/requests-actions.routes.test.ts
@@ -409,6 +409,69 @@ describe('Request action routes', () => {
     expect(jobQueueMock.addNotificationJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  // awaiting_release happy-path coverage — Interactive Search → Download from
+  // AudiobookDetailsModal now routes through select-torrent for own/admin
+  // advanceable requests; the release-date gate is intentionally bypassed.
+  it('selects a torrent and queues download from awaiting_release (admin)', async () => {
+    authRequest.json.mockResolvedValue({ torrent: { title: 'Torrent', size: 100 } });
+    prismaMock.request.findUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'req-ar-admin',
+      userId: 'user-1',
+      status: 'awaiting_release',
+      audiobook: { id: 'ab-ar-1', title: 'Title', author: 'Author' },
+    } as any);
+    prismaMock.user.findUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'user-1',
+      role: 'admin',
+      autoApproveRequests: null,
+      plexUsername: 'adminuser',
+    } as any);
+    prismaMock.request.update.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'req-ar-admin',
+      status: 'downloading',
+      audiobook: { title: 'Title', author: 'Author' },
+    } as any);
+
+    const { POST } = await import('@/app/api/requests/[id]/select-torrent/route');
+    const response = await POST({} as any, { params: Promise.resolve({ id: 'req-ar-admin' }) });
+    const payload = await response.json();
+
+    expect(payload.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(jobQueueMock.addDownloadJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(jobQueueMock.addNotificationJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('stores selected torrent on awaiting_release when approval is required', async () => {
+    authRequest.json.mockResolvedValue({ torrent: { title: 'Torrent', size: 100 } });
+    configState.values.set('auto_approve_requests', 'false');
+    prismaMock.request.findUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'req-ar-user',
+      userId: 'user-1',
+      status: 'awaiting_release',
+      audiobook: { id: 'ab-ar-2', title: 'Title', author: 'Author' },
+    } as any);
+    prismaMock.user.findUnique.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'user-1',
+      role: 'user',
+      autoApproveRequests: null,
+      plexUsername: 'plexuser',
+    } as any);
+    prismaMock.request.update.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'req-ar-user',
+      status: 'awaiting_approval',
+      audiobook: { title: 'Title', author: 'Author' },
+    } as any);
+
+    const { POST } = await import('@/app/api/requests/[id]/select-torrent/route');
+    const response = await POST({} as any, { params: Promise.resolve({ id: 'req-ar-user' }) });
+    const payload = await response.json();
+
+    expect(payload.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(payload.message).toMatch(/approval/i);
+    expect(jobQueueMock.addDownloadJob).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(jobQueueMock.addNotificationJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it('returns error when ebook sidecar is disabled', async () => {
     configState.values.set('ebook_sidecar_enabled', 'false');
 
diff --git a/tests/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.test.tsx b/tests/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.test.tsx
index 63d5712..8192fa6 100644
--- a/tests/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal.test.tsx
@@ -38,8 +38,12 @@ vi.mock('@/lib/hooks/useRequests', () => ({
 }));
 
 vi.mock('@/components/requests/InteractiveTorrentSearchModal', () => ({
-  InteractiveTorrentSearchModal: ({ isOpen }: { isOpen: boolean }) => (
-    <div data-testid="interactive-modal" data-open={String(isOpen)} />
+  InteractiveTorrentSearchModal: ({ isOpen, requestId }: { isOpen: boolean; requestId?: string }) => (
+    <div
+      data-testid="interactive-modal"
+      data-open={String(isOpen)}
+      data-request-id={requestId ?? ''}
+    />
   ),
 }));
 
@@ -327,4 +331,88 @@ describe('AudiobookDetailsModal', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTitle('Interactive Search')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByTitle('Manual Import')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  describe('Interactive Search routing (advance vs. create)', () => {
+    const openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId = async (props: {
+      user: { id: string; username: string; role?: string };
+      requestStatus?: string | null;
+      requestId?: string | null;
+      requestedByUserId?: string | null;
+    }) => {
+      useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ user: props.user });
+      const { AudiobookDetailsModal } = await import('@/components/audiobooks/AudiobookDetailsModal');
+
+      render(
+        <AudiobookDetailsModal
+          asin="ASIN123"
+          isOpen={true}
+          onClose={vi.fn()}
+          requestStatus={props.requestStatus ?? null}
+          requestId={props.requestId ?? null}
+          requestedByUserId={props.requestedByUserId ?? null}
+        />
+      );
+
+      await act(async () => {});
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByTitle('Interactive Search'));
+      const modal = screen.getByTestId('interactive-modal');
+      return modal.getAttribute('data-request-id') ?? '';
+    };
+
+    it.each(['pending', 'failed', 'awaiting_search', 'awaiting_release'])(
+      'forwards requestId when own user has an advanceable %s request',
+      async (status) => {
+        const forwarded = await openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId({
+          user: { id: 'user-1', username: 'u' },
+          requestStatus: status,
+          requestId: 'req-advance',
+          requestedByUserId: 'user-1',
+        });
+        expect(forwarded).toBe('req-advance');
+      }
+    );
+
+    it.each(['awaiting_approval', 'searching', 'downloading', 'processing', 'denied'])(
+      'does NOT forward requestId when own status is %s (blocked / non-advanceable)',
+      async (status) => {
+        const forwarded = await openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId({
+          user: { id: 'user-1', username: 'u' },
+          requestStatus: status,
+          requestId: 'req-x',
+          requestedByUserId: 'user-1',
+        });
+        expect(forwarded).toBe('');
+      }
+    );
+
+    it('does NOT forward requestId for a non-admin viewing another user\'s awaiting_search request', async () => {
+      const forwarded = await openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId({
+        user: { id: 'user-2', username: 'other' },
+        requestStatus: 'awaiting_search',
+        requestId: 'req-from-user-1',
+        requestedByUserId: 'user-1',
+      });
+      expect(forwarded).toBe('');
+    });
+
+    it('forwards requestId for an admin viewing another user\'s awaiting_search request', async () => {
+      const forwarded = await openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId({
+        user: { id: 'admin-1', username: 'admin', role: 'admin' },
+        requestStatus: 'awaiting_search',
+        requestId: 'req-from-user-1',
+        requestedByUserId: 'user-1',
+      });
+      expect(forwarded).toBe('req-from-user-1');
+    });
+
+    it('does NOT forward requestId when caller omits requestId entirely', async () => {
+      const forwarded = await openInteractiveAndReadForwardedRequestId({
+        user: { id: 'user-1', username: 'u' },
+        requestStatus: 'awaiting_search',
+        requestId: null,
+        requestedByUserId: 'user-1',
+      });
+      expect(forwarded).toBe('');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/tests/components/requests/InteractiveTorrentSearchModal.test.tsx b/tests/components/requests/InteractiveTorrentSearchModal.test.tsx
index dc0d3ba..3701107 100644
--- a/tests/components/requests/InteractiveTorrentSearchModal.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/components/requests/InteractiveTorrentSearchModal.test.tsx
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ describe('InteractiveTorrentSearchModal', () => {
     await waitFor(() => {
       expect(selectTorrentMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('req-123', baseResult);
     });
+    // When requestId is set, the modal must NOT fall into the create-new-request
+    // branch — that's the routing fix for own-request advanceable states.
+    expect(requestWithTorrentMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(onSuccess).toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });