diff --git a/modules/archive/__init__.py b/modules/archive/__init__.py
index 75980466..4a445e21 100644
--- a/modules/archive/__init__.py
+++ b/modules/archive/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import asyncio
 import json
 import pathlib
 from abc import ABC
-from typing import Callable, List, Tuple, Iterable
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Callable, List, Optional, Tuple, Iterable
 
 from sqlalchemy import not_
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
@@ -12,14 +13,15 @@ from wrolpi.collections import Collection
 from wrolpi.common import logger, register_modeler, register_refresh_cleanup, limit_concurrent, split_lines_by_length, \
     slow_logger, get_title_from_html, TRACE_LEVEL
 from wrolpi.db import get_db_session
-from wrolpi.downloader import Downloader, Download, DownloadResult
+from wrolpi.downloader import Downloader, Download, DownloadContext, DownloadResult
 from wrolpi.errors import UnrecoverableDownloadError
 from wrolpi.files.models import FileGroup
 from wrolpi.vars import PYTEST, DOCKERIZED, DOWNLOAD_USER_AGENT
 from . import lib
 from .api import archive_bp  # noqa
 from .errors import InvalidArchive
-from .lib import is_singlefile_file, request_archive, SINGLEFILE_HEADER, get_url_from_singlefile
+from .lib import is_singlefile_file, request_archive, SINGLEFILE_HEADER, get_url_from_singlefile, \
+    SinglefileArtifacts, WrittenArchiveFiles, extract_singlefile_artifacts, register_archive, write_archive_files
 from .models import Archive
 
 PRETTY_NAME = 'Archive'
@@ -29,6 +31,24 @@ logger = logger.getChild(__name__)
 __all__ = ['ArchiveDownloader', 'archive_downloader', 'model_archive']
 
 
+@dataclass
+class PreparedArchive:
+    """Plan produced by ArchiveDownloader.prepare_download.
+
+    Holds everything execute_download needs (URL, destination, settings) so the I/O
+    phase has no DB session.
+    """
+    url: str
+    destination: Optional[pathlib.Path]
+    settings: dict
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ExecutedArchive:
+    """Output of ArchiveDownloader.execute_download: files are on disk and ready to register."""
+    written: WrittenArchiveFiles
+
+
 class ArchiveDownloader(Downloader, ABC):
     name = 'archive'
     pretty_name = 'Archive'
@@ -40,59 +60,57 @@ class ArchiveDownloader(Downloader, ABC):
         file_groups = list(session.query(FileGroup).filter(FileGroup.url.in_(urls), FileGroup.model == 'archive'))
         return file_groups
 
-    async def do_download(self, download: Download) -> DownloadResult:
-        if download.attempts > 3:
+    def prepare_download(self, session: Session, download: Download) -> PreparedArchive:
+        """Resolve destination directory.  Caller commits (or rolls back on raise)."""
+        if (download.attempts or 0) > 3:
             raise UnrecoverableDownloadError(f'Max download attempts reached for {download.url}')
 
-        # Get destination from settings (passed by RSS downloader from download.destination column)
-        destination = None
-        if download.settings and download.settings.get('destination'):
-            destination = pathlib.Path(download.settings['destination'])
+        settings = download.settings or dict()
+        # Destination from settings (e.g. set by the RSS sub-downloader) wins over collection lookup.
+        destination = pathlib.Path(settings['destination']) if settings.get('destination') else None
 
-        # If no destination provided, use the domain collection's directory
-        # get_or_set_directory will format from template and save on first use
         if not destination:
-            with get_db_session(commit=True) as session:
-                collection = lib.get_or_create_domain_collection(session, download.url)
-                if collection:
-                    destination = collection.get_or_set_directory(session)
+            collection = lib.get_or_create_domain_collection(session, download.url)
+            if collection:
+                destination = collection.get_or_set_directory(session)
 
+        return PreparedArchive(url=download.url, destination=destination, settings=settings)
+
+    async def execute_download(self, prepared: PreparedArchive, ctx: DownloadContext) -> ExecutedArchive:
+        """Run the archive container or local singlefile + readability/screenshot extraction,
+        then write the artifacts to disk.  No DB."""
         if DOCKERIZED or PYTEST:
-            # Perform the archive in the Archive docker container.  (Typically in the development environment).
-            singlefile, readability, screenshot = await request_archive(download.url)
-            archive: Archive = await lib.model_archive_result(
-                download.url, singlefile, readability, screenshot, destination=destination)
-            archive_id = archive.id
+            singlefile, readability, screenshot = await request_archive(prepared.url)
+            artifacts = SinglefileArtifacts(url=prepared.url, singlefile=singlefile,
+                                            readability=readability, screenshot=screenshot)
         else:
-            # Perform the archive using locally installed executables.
-            singlefile = await self.do_singlefile(download)
-            archive = await lib.singlefile_to_archive(singlefile, destination=destination)
-            archive_id = archive.id
+            singlefile_bytes = await self.do_singlefile(prepared, ctx)
+            artifacts = await extract_singlefile_artifacts(singlefile_bytes)
+
+        written = write_archive_files(artifacts.url, artifacts.singlefile, artifacts.readability,
+                                      artifacts.screenshot, destination=prepared.destination)
+        return ExecutedArchive(written=written)
+
+    def finalize_download(self, session: Session, download: Download,
+                          executed: ExecutedArchive) -> DownloadResult:
+        """Register the Archive record, apply tags, persist parent_download_url. Caller commits."""
+        archive = register_archive(session, executed.written)
+
+        if tag_names := download.tag_names:
+            for name in tag_names:
+                archive.add_tag(session, name)
 
         settings = download.settings or dict()
+        if parent_download_url := settings.get('parent_download_url'):
+            try:
+                archive.file_group.update_wrolpi_json({'parent_download_url': parent_download_url})
+            except ValueError as e:
+                logger.warning(f'Failed to update wrolpi json for {archive}: {e}')
 
-        with get_db_session() as session:
-            archive = Archive.find_by_id(session, archive_id)
-            need_commit = False
-            if tag_names := download.tag_names:
-                for name in tag_names:
-                    archive.add_tag(session, name)
-                    need_commit = True
+        logger.info(f'Successfully downloaded Archive {download.url} {archive}')
+        return DownloadResult(success=True, location=archive.location)
 
-                if need_commit:
-                    session.commit()
-
-            if parent_download_url := settings.get('parent_download_url'):
-                try:
-                    archive.file_group.update_wrolpi_json({'parent_download_url': parent_download_url})
-                except ValueError as e:
-                    logger.warning(f'Failed to update wrolpi json for {archive}: {e}')
-
-            logger.info(f'Successfully downloaded Archive {download.url} {archive}')
-
-            return DownloadResult(success=True, location=archive.location)
-
-    async def do_singlefile(self, download: Download) -> bytes:
+    async def do_singlefile(self, prepared: PreparedArchive, ctx: DownloadContext) -> bytes:
         """Create a Singlefile from the archive's URL."""
         # Get browser settings from config
         config = lib.get_archive_downloader_config()
@@ -119,11 +137,12 @@ class ArchiveDownloader(Downloader, ABC):
                '--user-agent', user_agent,
                '--dump-content',
                '--load-deferred-images-dispatch-scroll-event',
-               download.url,
+               prepared.url,
                )
         cwd = pathlib.Path('/home/wrolpi')
         cwd = cwd if cwd.is_dir() else None
-        result = await self.process_runner(download, cmd, cwd)
+        # cancel_wrapper reads cancellation from ctx; the Download is only for log messages.
+        result = await self.process_runner(Download(url=prepared.url), cmd, cwd, ctx=ctx)
 
         stderr = result.stderr.decode()
         log_output = stderr or result.stdout.decode() or 'No stderr or stdout!'
@@ -134,11 +153,11 @@ class ArchiveDownloader(Downloader, ABC):
 
         if not result.stdout:
             e = ChildProcessError(log_output[:1000])
-            raise RuntimeError(f'Singlefile created was empty: {download.url}') from e
+            raise RuntimeError(f'Singlefile created was empty: {prepared.url}') from e
 
         if SINGLEFILE_HEADER.encode() not in result.stdout:
             e = ChildProcessError(log_output[:1000])
-            raise RuntimeError(f'Singlefile created was invalid: {download.url}') from e
+            raise RuntimeError(f'Singlefile created was invalid: {prepared.url}') from e
 
         return result.stdout
 
diff --git a/modules/archive/conftest.py b/modules/archive/conftest.py
index 9fc6648c..07490064 100644
--- a/modules/archive/conftest.py
+++ b/modules/archive/conftest.py
@@ -9,7 +9,26 @@ import pytz
 
 from modules.archive.lib import archive_strftime
 from modules.archive.models import Archive
+from wrolpi.cmd import run_command
 from wrolpi.collections import Collection
+from wrolpi.downloader import DownloadContext
+
+
+def make_test_ctx(*, is_cancelled=None, can_download=None,
+                  outside_download_window=None, run_command_=None,
+                  download_timeout=None) -> DownloadContext:
+    """Build a DownloadContext suitable for downloader unit tests.
+
+    Defaults to a never-cancelled context that uses the real run_command.  Tests can
+    override any callable to simulate cancellation, throttling, or fake subprocess output.
+    """
+    return DownloadContext(
+        is_cancelled=is_cancelled or (lambda: False),
+        can_download=can_download or (lambda: True),
+        outside_download_window=outside_download_window or (lambda: False),
+        run_command=run_command_ or run_command,
+        download_timeout=download_timeout,
+    )
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
diff --git a/modules/archive/lib.py b/modules/archive/lib.py
index b07f4cd6..526d3af3 100644
--- a/modules/archive/lib.py
+++ b/modules/archive/lib.py
@@ -710,17 +710,19 @@ async def request_screenshot(url: str, singlefile_path: pathlib.Path) -> Optiona
     return screenshot
 
 
-async def model_archive_result(url: str, singlefile: str, readability: dict, screenshot: bytes,
-                               destination: pathlib.Path = None) -> Archive:
-    """
-    Convert results from ArchiveDownloader into real files.  Create Archive record.
+@dataclass
+class WrittenArchiveFiles:
+    """The on-disk artifacts produced by write_archive_files."""
+    url: str
+    paths: List[pathlib.Path]
 
-    Args:
-        url: The URL that was archived
-        singlefile: The HTML content from SingleFile
-        readability: The readability extraction results
-        screenshot: The screenshot bytes
-        destination: Optional directory to save files to. If provided, files go here instead of archive/<domain>
+
+def write_archive_files(url: str, singlefile: str, readability: Optional[dict],
+                        screenshot: Optional[bytes],
+                        destination: Optional[pathlib.Path] = None) -> WrittenArchiveFiles:
+    """Pure I/O: write the singlefile/readability/screenshot/json files to disk.
+
+    Returns the URL and the list of paths to register, leaving DB work to register_archive.
     """
     readability = readability.copy() if readability else readability
     # First try to get the title from Readability.
@@ -770,22 +772,47 @@ async def model_archive_result(url: str, singlefile: str, readability: dict, scr
         archive_files.screenshot)
     paths = list(filter(None, paths))
 
+    return WrittenArchiveFiles(url=url, paths=paths)
+
+
+def register_archive(session: Session, written: WrittenArchiveFiles) -> Archive:
+    """Pure DB: create the Archive record from already-written files. Caller commits."""
+    archive = Archive.from_paths(session, *written.paths)
+    archive.file_group.download_datetime = now()
+    archive.url = written.url
+    archive.collection = get_or_create_domain_collection(session, written.url)
+
+    # Update collection's file_format to track the format used for this file
+    config = get_archive_downloader_config()
+    if archive.collection and config.file_name_format:
+        if not archive.collection.file_format:
+            # Set initial file_format on collection
+            archive.collection.file_format = config.file_name_format
+            save_domains_config.activate_switch()
+
+    archive.flush()
+    return archive
+
+
+async def model_archive_result(url: str, singlefile: str, readability: dict, screenshot: bytes,
+                               destination: pathlib.Path = None) -> Archive:
+    """
+    Convert results from ArchiveDownloader into real files.  Create Archive record.
+
+    Thin wrapper around write_archive_files + register_archive that opens its own
+    transaction.  New code (notably the phase-split ArchiveDownloader) should call
+    the helpers directly so the caller controls the session.
+
+    Args:
+        url: The URL that was archived
+        singlefile: The HTML content from SingleFile
+        readability: The readability extraction results
+        screenshot: The screenshot bytes
+        destination: Optional directory to save files to. If provided, files go here instead of archive/<domain>
+    """
+    written = write_archive_files(url, singlefile, readability, screenshot, destination=destination)
     with get_db_session(commit=True) as session:
-        archive = Archive.from_paths(session, *paths)
-        archive.file_group.download_datetime = now()
-        archive.url = url
-        archive.collection = get_or_create_domain_collection(session, url)
-
-        # Update collection's file_format to track the format used for this file
-        config = get_archive_downloader_config()
-        if archive.collection and config.file_name_format:
-            if not archive.collection.file_format:
-                # Set initial file_format on collection
-                archive.collection.file_format = config.file_name_format
-                save_domains_config.activate_switch()
-
-        archive.flush()
-
+        archive = register_archive(session, written)
     return archive
 
 
@@ -1421,43 +1448,63 @@ async def html_to_readability(html: str | bytes, url: str, timeout: int = 120):
             raise RuntimeError(f'Failed to extract readability for {url} got {result.return_code}') from e
 
 
-async def singlefile_to_archive(singlefile: bytes, destination: pathlib.Path = None) -> Archive:
-    """
-    Convert a SingleFile to an Archive.
+@dataclass
+class SinglefileArtifacts:
+    """Pure-data result of running a singlefile through readability + screenshot extraction."""
+    url: str
+    singlefile: bytes
+    readability: dict
+    screenshot: Optional[bytes]
 
-    This is done by extracting readability, creating a screenshot, then attaching them to an Archive/FileGroup.
 
-    Args:
-        singlefile: The SingleFile HTML bytes
-        destination: Optional directory to save files to. If provided, files go here instead of archive/<domain>
-    """
-    # Get URL first because it does some simple checking of `singlefile`
+async def extract_singlefile_artifacts(singlefile: bytes) -> SinglefileArtifacts:
+    """Pure async I/O: extract readability and screenshot from a singlefile. No DB."""
+    # Get URL first because it does some simple checking of `singlefile`.
     url = get_url_from_singlefile(singlefile)
     singlefile = singlefile.encode() if isinstance(singlefile, str) else singlefile
 
     if DOCKERIZED:
         # Perform the archive in the Archive docker container.  (Typically in the development environment).
-        singlefile = base64.b64encode(singlefile).decode()
-        logger.debug(f'singlefile_to_archive sending to archive service: {url}')
-        singlefile, readability, screenshot = await request_archive(url, singlefile=singlefile)
+        encoded = base64.b64encode(singlefile).decode()
+        logger.debug(f'extract_singlefile_artifacts sending to archive service: {url}')
+        singlefile, readability, screenshot = await request_archive(url, singlefile=encoded)
     else:
         # JSON from readability-extractor
         readability = dict()
         try:
-            logger.debug(f'singlefile_to_archive extracting readability: {url}')
+            logger.debug(f'extract_singlefile_artifacts extracting readability: {url}')
             readability = await html_to_readability(singlefile, url)
         except RuntimeError as e:
             logger.error(f'Failed to extract readability from: {url}', exc_info=e)
 
         screenshot = None
         try:
-            logger.debug(f'singlefile_to_archive creating screenshot: {url}')
+            logger.debug(f'extract_singlefile_artifacts creating screenshot: {url}')
             screenshot = html_screenshot(singlefile)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f'Failed to extract screenshot from: {url}', exc_info=e)
 
-    logger.trace(f'singlefile_to_archive modeling: {url}')
-    archive: Archive = await model_archive_result(url, singlefile, readability, screenshot, destination=destination)
+    return SinglefileArtifacts(url=url, singlefile=singlefile, readability=readability, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+
+async def singlefile_to_archive(singlefile: bytes, destination: pathlib.Path = None) -> Archive:
+    """
+    Convert a SingleFile to an Archive.
+
+    Thin wrapper around extract_singlefile_artifacts + write_archive_files + register_archive
+    that opens its own transaction.  New code should call the helpers directly so the caller
+    controls the session.
+
+    Args:
+        singlefile: The SingleFile HTML bytes
+        destination: Optional directory to save files to. If provided, files go here instead of archive/<domain>
+    """
+    artifacts = await extract_singlefile_artifacts(singlefile)
+    logger.trace(f'singlefile_to_archive modeling: {artifacts.url}')
+    written = write_archive_files(artifacts.url, artifacts.singlefile, artifacts.readability,
+                                  artifacts.screenshot, destination=destination)
+    with get_db_session(commit=True) as session:
+        archive = register_archive(session, written)
     return archive
 
 
diff --git a/modules/archive/test/test_archive_downloader.py b/modules/archive/test/test_archive_downloader.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2fc24c92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/archive/test/test_archive_downloader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+"""Phase-split ArchiveDownloader tests.
+
+These tests exercise prepare_download / execute_download / finalize_download in
+isolation.  None of them use async_client or test_download_manager — that's the
+whole point of the refactor.
+"""
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+from modules.archive import (
+    ExecutedArchive,
+    PreparedArchive,
+    archive_downloader,
+)
+from modules.archive.conftest import make_test_ctx
+from modules.archive.lib import write_archive_files
+from modules.archive.models import Archive
+from modules.archive.test.test_lib import make_fake_archive_result
+from wrolpi.collections import Collection
+from wrolpi.downloader import Download, DownloadResult
+from wrolpi.errors import UnrecoverableDownloadError
+
+
+def test_prepare_max_attempts_raises(test_session):
+    """prepare_download enforces the attempt cap before any I/O."""
+    download = Download(url='https://example.com/x', downloader='archive', attempts=4)
+
+    with pytest.raises(UnrecoverableDownloadError):
+        archive_downloader.prepare_download(test_session, download)
+
+
+def test_prepare_uses_collection_directory(test_session, test_directory):
+    """When a domain Collection has a directory, prepare_download routes the archive there."""
+    custom_dir = test_directory / 'archive/News/example.com'
+    custom_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    test_session.add(Collection(name='example.com', kind='domain', directory=custom_dir))
+    test_session.commit()
+
+    download = Download(url='https://example.com/some-article', downloader='archive', settings={})
+
+    prepared = archive_downloader.prepare_download(test_session, download)
+
+    assert isinstance(prepared, PreparedArchive)
+    assert prepared.url == 'https://example.com/some-article'
+    assert prepared.destination == custom_dir
+
+
+def test_prepare_explicit_destination_overrides_collection(test_session, test_directory):
+    """An explicit settings['destination'] beats the domain collection's directory."""
+    collection_dir = test_directory / 'archive/News/example.com'
+    collection_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    test_session.add(Collection(name='example.com', kind='domain', directory=collection_dir))
+    test_session.commit()
+
+    explicit_dir = test_directory / 'archive/Special/my-archives'
+    explicit_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    download = Download(
+        url='https://example.com/some-article',
+        downloader='archive',
+        settings={'destination': str(explicit_dir)},
+    )
+
+    prepared = archive_downloader.prepare_download(test_session, download)
+
+    assert prepared.destination == explicit_dir
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_execute_cancels_via_ctx(test_session, test_directory, monkeypatch):
+    """When ctx reports cancelled, the cancel_wrapper that the dispatch puts around
+    execute_download returns a cancel DownloadResult — no global download_manager,
+    no Sanic shared_ctx."""
+    # Force the local-singlefile path so the run_command stub is what blocks.
+    import modules.archive
+    monkeypatch.setattr(modules.archive, 'DOCKERIZED', False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(modules.archive, 'PYTEST', False)
+
+    async def never_completes(*args, **kwargs):
+        await asyncio.sleep(60)
+        raise AssertionError('should have been cancelled')
+
+    # Pre-cancelled: the very first poll inside cancel_wrapper aborts the run.
+    ctx = make_test_ctx(is_cancelled=lambda: True, run_command_=never_completes)
+    prepared = PreparedArchive(
+        url='https://example.com/x',
+        destination=test_directory / 'archive/example.com',
+        settings={},
+    )
+    prepared.destination.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    # Mirror the dispatch layer: wrap execute_download in cancel_wrapper.
+    coro = archive_downloader.execute_download(prepared, ctx)
+    result = await archive_downloader.cancel_wrapper(coro, Download(url=prepared.url), ctx=ctx)
+
+    assert isinstance(result, DownloadResult)
+    assert result.success is False
+    assert 'cancel' in (result.error or '').lower()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_finalize_adds_tags(async_client, test_session, test_directory, tag_factory):
+    """finalize_download applies download.tag_names to the registered Archive.
+
+    Uses async_client because tag_factory's upsert_tag activates a Sanic switch
+    (shared_ctx.switches_lock). That's an orthogonal coupling — the rest of
+    finalize_download is Sanic-free.
+    """
+    singlefile, readability, screenshot = make_fake_archive_result()
+    destination = test_directory / 'archive/example.com'
+    destination.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    written = write_archive_files('https://example.com/x', singlefile, readability, screenshot,
+                                  destination=destination)
+    executed = ExecutedArchive(written=written)
+
+    tag = await tag_factory()
+    download = Download(
+        url='https://example.com/x',
+        downloader='archive',
+        tag_names=[tag.name],
+    )
+
+    result = archive_downloader.finalize_download(test_session, download, executed)
+    test_session.commit()
+
+    assert result.success is True
+    archives = test_session.query(Archive).all()
+    assert len(archives) == 1
+    archive_tag_names = [tf.tag.name for tf in archives[0].file_group.tag_files]
+    assert tag.name in archive_tag_names
diff --git a/modules/archive/test/test_lib.py b/modules/archive/test/test_lib.py
index 1fc4659a..46537a00 100644
--- a/modules/archive/test/test_lib.py
+++ b/modules/archive/test/test_lib.py
@@ -1185,8 +1185,12 @@ async def test_archive_download_uses_domain_collection_directory(async_client, t
     test_session.add(download)
     test_session.commit()
 
-    # Call the archive downloader
-    result = await archive_downloader.do_download(download)
+    # Drive the phase-split API directly: prepare → execute → finalize.
+    from modules.archive.conftest import make_test_ctx
+    prepared = archive_downloader.prepare_download(test_session, download)
+    executed = await archive_downloader.execute_download(prepared, make_test_ctx())
+    result = archive_downloader.finalize_download(test_session, download, executed)
+    test_session.commit()
 
     # Verify the download was successful
     assert result.success is True
@@ -1247,8 +1251,12 @@ async def test_archive_download_explicit_destination_overrides_domain_collection
     test_session.add(download)
     test_session.commit()
 
-    # Call the archive downloader
-    result = await archive_downloader.do_download(download)
+    # Drive the phase-split API directly: prepare → execute → finalize.
+    from modules.archive.conftest import make_test_ctx
+    prepared = archive_downloader.prepare_download(test_session, download)
+    executed = await archive_downloader.execute_download(prepared, make_test_ctx())
+    result = archive_downloader.finalize_download(test_session, download, executed)
+    test_session.commit()
 
     # Verify the download was successful
     assert result.success is True
diff --git a/wrolpi/downloader.py b/wrolpi/downloader.py
index ba25fb5e..227d6a11 100644
--- a/wrolpi/downloader.py
+++ b/wrolpi/downloader.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from enum import Enum
 from http import HTTPStatus
 from itertools import filterfalse
 from typing import List, Dict, Generator, Iterable, Coroutine, Any
-from typing import Tuple, Optional
+from typing import Tuple, Optional, Callable, Awaitable
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 
@@ -173,6 +173,38 @@ class DownloadResult:
     settings: dict = field(default_factory=dict)
 
 
+@dataclass
+class DownloadContext:
+    """Per-download seam between DownloadManager and a Downloader.
+
+    Carries cancellation queries, the subprocess runner, and the effective timeout.
+    Production builds these as closures over api_app.shared_ctx and the singleton
+    DownloadManager (see DownloadContext.production); tests construct them directly
+    so a Downloader can run without Sanic's mp stack.
+    """
+    is_cancelled: Callable[[], bool]
+    can_download: Callable[[], bool]
+    outside_download_window: Callable[[], bool]
+    run_command: Callable[..., Awaitable[CommandResult]]
+    download_timeout: Optional[int]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def production(cls, manager: 'DownloadManager', download_id: int) -> 'DownloadContext':
+        """Build a context whose closures read shared_ctx + the manager.
+
+        This is the only place that knows about Sanic's multiprocessing model.
+        Cross-worker cancellation still flows through
+        api_app.shared_ctx.download_manager_data['killed_downloads']; this just
+        names the seam."""
+        return cls(
+            is_cancelled=lambda: download_id in api_app.shared_ctx.download_manager_data['killed_downloads'],
+            can_download=lambda: manager.can_download,
+            outside_download_window=lambda: manager.outside_download_window,
+            run_command=run_command,
+            download_timeout=get_wrolpi_config().download_timeout or None,
+        )
+
+
 class DownloadStatus(str, Enum):
     new = 'new'
     pending = 'pending'
@@ -387,7 +419,30 @@ class Downloader:
     def __repr__(self):
         return f'<Downloader name={self.name}>'
 
-    async def do_download(self, download: Download) -> DownloadResult:
+    async def do_download(self, download: Download, ctx: 'DownloadContext' = None) -> DownloadResult:
+        """Legacy single-phase entry point.
+
+        Subclasses opting in to the phase-split API override prepare_download /
+        execute_download / finalize_download instead and leave this unimplemented.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def prepare_download(self, session: Session, download: Download) -> Optional[Any]:
+        """Synchronous DB-bound prep. Caller (DownloadManager) opens and commits the session.
+
+        Returning None signals the subclass has not opted in to the phase-split API and
+        DownloadManager should fall back to do_download.  Returning any other value
+        (typically a dataclass) is passed unchanged to execute_download.
+        """
+        return None
+
+    async def execute_download(self, prepared: Any, ctx: 'DownloadContext') -> Any:
+        """Async I/O-bound work.  No DB session — does network and subprocess work,
+        returns plain data for finalize_download to persist."""
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def finalize_download(self, session: Session, download: Download, executed: Any) -> DownloadResult:
+        """Synchronous DB-bound persistence. Caller opens and commits the session."""
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
     def already_downloaded(self, session: Session, *urls: List[str]):
@@ -397,24 +452,33 @@ class Downloader:
 
     async def process_runner(self, download: Download, cmd: Tuple[str | pathlib.Path, ...], cwd: pathlib.Path,
                              timeout: int = None, debug: bool = True,
-                             stdout_callback: callable = None, env: dict = None) -> CommandResult:
+                             stdout_callback: callable = None, env: dict = None,
+                             ctx: 'DownloadContext' = None) -> CommandResult:
         """
         Run a subprocess using the provided arguments.  This process can be killed by the Download Manager.
 
         Global timeout takes precedence over the timeout argument, unless it is 0.  (Smaller global timeout wins)
+
+        When ctx is provided, ctx.run_command and ctx.download_timeout are used and cancellation
+        is polled through ctx.  When ctx is None (legacy callers), behavior is unchanged.
         """
         if cwd and not cwd.is_dir():
             raise RuntimeError('cwd directory does not exist')
 
-        config_timeout = get_wrolpi_config().download_timeout
+        if ctx is not None:
+            config_timeout = ctx.download_timeout
+            runner = ctx.run_command
+        else:
+            config_timeout = get_wrolpi_config().download_timeout
+            runner = run_command
         # 0 means no timeout. Prefer config timeout, then argument, then class default.
         if config_timeout:
             timeout = config_timeout
         elif timeout is None:
             timeout = self.timeout
-        coro = run_command(cmd, cwd=cwd, timeout=timeout, log_command=debug,
-                           stdout_callback=stdout_callback, env=env)
-        result = await self.cancel_wrapper(coro, download)
+        coro = runner(cmd, cwd=cwd, timeout=timeout, log_command=debug,
+                      stdout_callback=stdout_callback, env=env)
+        result = await self.cancel_wrapper(coro, download, ctx=ctx)
 
         if __debug__ and logger.isEnabledFor(TRACE_LEVEL):
             for line in result.stdout.decode().splitlines():
@@ -425,17 +489,26 @@ class Downloader:
         return result
 
     @staticmethod
-    async def cancel_wrapper(coro: Coroutine, download: Download):
+    async def cancel_wrapper(coro: Coroutine, download: Download, ctx: 'DownloadContext' = None):
         """
         Converts an async coroutine to a task.  If DownloadManager receives a kill request, this method will cancel
         the task.
+
+        When ctx is provided, cancellation is polled through ctx.is_cancelled / ctx.can_download /
+        ctx.outside_download_window.  When ctx is None, the global download_manager singleton is
+        used (legacy path for unmigrated subclasses).
         """
         download_id = download.id
         task = asyncio.create_task(coro)
         try:
             while not task.done():
-                if download_manager.download_is_killed(download_id) or not download_manager.can_download:
+                if ctx is not None:
+                    cancelled = ctx.is_cancelled() or not ctx.can_download()
+                    outside_window = ctx.outside_download_window()
+                else:
+                    cancelled = download_manager.download_is_killed(download_id) or not download_manager.can_download
                     outside_window = download_manager.outside_download_window
+                if cancelled:
                     logger.warning(f'Cancel download of {download.url}')
                     task.cancel()
                     try:
@@ -449,7 +522,16 @@ class Downloader:
                             error=error,
                         )
                     finally:
-                        download_manager.unkill_download(download_id)
+                        if ctx is None:
+                            download_manager.unkill_download(download_id)
+                        else:
+                            # Manager still owns the killed-downloads list; clear via singleton.
+                            # The ctx is read-only with respect to cancellation state.
+                            try:
+                                download_manager.unkill_download(download_id)
+                            except Exception:
+                                # In tests without a manager, silently ignore.
+                                pass
                 else:
                     # Wait for the download to complete.  Cancel if requested.
                     await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
@@ -1449,11 +1531,30 @@ async def signal_download_download(download_id: int, download_url: str):
 
             try_again = True
             try:
-                # Create download coroutine.  Wrap it, so it can be canceled.
-                if not inspect.iscoroutinefunction(downloader.do_download):
-                    raise RuntimeError(f'Coroutine expected from {downloader} do_download method.')
-                coro = downloader.do_download(download)
-                result = await downloader.cancel_wrapper(coro, download)
+                # Phase-split path: subclass opts in by overriding prepare_download to return non-None.
+                # Legacy path: do_download remains the single entry point.
+                ctx = DownloadContext.production(download_manager, download_id)
+                with get_db_session(commit=True) as s:
+                    prepared = downloader.prepare_download(s, download)
+
+                if prepared is not None:
+                    # New phase-split path: caller (us) owns transaction boundaries.
+                    coro = downloader.execute_download(prepared, ctx)
+                    executed = await downloader.cancel_wrapper(coro, download, ctx=ctx)
+                    if isinstance(executed, DownloadResult):
+                        # cancel_wrapper short-circuited with a cancel result.
+                        result = executed
+                    else:
+                        with get_db_session(commit=True) as s:
+                            result = downloader.finalize_download(s, download, executed)
+                else:
+                    # Legacy path.  Subclasses on this path have signature do_download(self, download)
+                    # without ctx, so we must NOT pass ctx as a positional arg.  cancel_wrapper continues
+                    # to use the global download_manager (ctx=None).
+                    if not inspect.iscoroutinefunction(downloader.do_download):
+                        raise RuntimeError(f'Coroutine expected from {downloader} do_download method.')
+                    coro = downloader.do_download(download)
+                    result = await downloader.cancel_wrapper(coro, download)
             except BotBlockedDownloadError as e:
                 # Bot detection or invalid cookies - stop all pending downloads from this domain.
                 worker_logger.warning(f'BotBlockedDownloadError for {url}', exc_info=e)