diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/createSnapshot.test.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/createSnapshot.test.ts
index f3a0baed..867efb15 100644
--- a/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/createSnapshot.test.ts
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/createSnapshot.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { createSnapshot } from "../createSnapshot";
 import { resolveSnapshotAlbums } from "../resolveSnapshotAlbums";
 import { selectPlaycountSnapshots } from "@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/selectPlaycountSnapshots";
 import { insertPlaycountSnapshot } from "@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/insertPlaycountSnapshot";
+import { deletePlaycountSnapshot } from "@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot";
 import { start } from "workflow/api";
 
 vi.mock("../resolveSnapshotAlbums", () => ({ resolveSnapshotAlbums: vi.fn() }));
@@ -13,6 +14,9 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/selectPlaycountSnapshots", () => ({
 vi.mock("@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/insertPlaycountSnapshot", () => ({
   insertPlaycountSnapshot: vi.fn(),
 }));
+vi.mock("@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot", () => ({
+  deletePlaycountSnapshot: vi.fn(),
+}));
 vi.mock("workflow/api", () => ({ start: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("@/app/workflows/playcountSnapshotWorkflow", () => ({
   playcountSnapshotWorkflow: vi.fn(),
@@ -180,4 +184,172 @@ describe("createSnapshot", () => {
     });
     vi.useRealTimers();
   });
+
+  // chat#1912 row 7: two simultaneous identical requests both insert before
+  // either can see the other. On re-read the loser must withdraw its claim and
+  // hand back the winner's, so exactly one capture is scraped and one row
+  // survives.
+  it("withdraws its own claim when a concurrent request won the race", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(resolveSnapshotAlbums).mockResolvedValue(["a1"]);
+    vi.mocked(insertPlaycountSnapshot).mockResolvedValue({ id: "mine" } as never);
+    const scope = {
+      album_ids: ["a1"],
+      platforms: ["spotify"],
+      schedule: "once",
+      state: "queued",
+      album_count: 1,
+      estimated_cost_usd: 0.003,
+    };
+    vi.mocked(selectPlaycountSnapshots)
+      // pre-check: nobody has claimed it yet
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([] as never)
+      // reconcile: the other request's row landed first
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "theirs", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" },
+        { ...scope, id: "mine", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" },
+      ] as never);
+
+    const result = await createSnapshot({
+      accountId: "acc_1",
+      body: { album_ids: ["a1"], platforms: ["spotify"], schedule: "once" },
+    });
+
+    expect(deletePlaycountSnapshot).toHaveBeenCalledWith("mine");
+    expect(start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      data: {
+        status: "success",
+        snapshot_id: "theirs",
+        state: "queued",
+        album_count: 1,
+        estimated_cost_usd: 0,
+        reused: true,
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps its claim and scrapes when it won the race", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(resolveSnapshotAlbums).mockResolvedValue(["a1"]);
+    vi.mocked(insertPlaycountSnapshot).mockResolvedValue({ id: "mine" } as never);
+    const scope = {
+      album_ids: ["a1"],
+      platforms: ["spotify"],
+      schedule: "once",
+      state: "queued",
+      album_count: 1,
+      estimated_cost_usd: 0.003,
+    };
+    vi.mocked(selectPlaycountSnapshots)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([] as never)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "mine", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" },
+        { ...scope, id: "theirs", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" },
+      ] as never);
+
+    const result = await createSnapshot({
+      accountId: "acc_1",
+      body: { album_ids: ["a1"], platforms: ["spotify"], schedule: "once" },
+    });
+
+    expect(deletePlaycountSnapshot).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(start).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), ["mine"]);
+    expect((result as { data: { snapshot_id: string } }).data.snapshot_id).toBe("mine");
+  });
+
+  // Review finding (coderabbit + cubic P1, 2026-07-30). The reconcile used to
+  // count only `queued` claims, but findReusableSnapshot treats queued,
+  // running and done as reusable. A winner that advanced to `running` between
+  // the pre-check and the re-read was therefore invisible, and both requests
+  // scraped — the exact race this row exists to close.
+  it("defers to a winner that has already started running", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(resolveSnapshotAlbums).mockResolvedValue(["a1"]);
+    vi.mocked(insertPlaycountSnapshot).mockResolvedValue({ id: "mine" } as never);
+    const scope = {
+      album_ids: ["a1"],
+      platforms: ["spotify"],
+      schedule: "once",
+      album_count: 1,
+      estimated_cost_usd: 0.003,
+    };
+    vi.mocked(selectPlaycountSnapshots)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([] as never)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "theirs", state: "running", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" },
+        { ...scope, id: "mine", state: "queued", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" },
+      ] as never);
+
+    const result = await createSnapshot({
+      accountId: "acc_1",
+      body: { album_ids: ["a1"], platforms: ["spotify"], schedule: "once" },
+    });
+
+    expect(deletePlaycountSnapshot).toHaveBeenCalledWith("mine");
+    expect(start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect((result as { data: { snapshot_id: string } }).data.snapshot_id).toBe("theirs");
+  });
+
+  // A failed capture is not a claim: nothing can be handed back from it, so a
+  // new request must go ahead and scrape.
+  it("does not defer to a failed claim", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(resolveSnapshotAlbums).mockResolvedValue(["a1"]);
+    vi.mocked(insertPlaycountSnapshot).mockResolvedValue({ id: "mine" } as never);
+    const scope = {
+      album_ids: ["a1"],
+      platforms: ["spotify"],
+      schedule: "once",
+      album_count: 1,
+      estimated_cost_usd: 0.003,
+    };
+    vi.mocked(selectPlaycountSnapshots)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([] as never)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "failed", state: "failed", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" },
+        { ...scope, id: "mine", state: "queued", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" },
+      ] as never);
+
+    await createSnapshot({
+      accountId: "acc_1",
+      body: { album_ids: ["a1"], platforms: ["spotify"], schedule: "once" },
+    });
+
+    expect(deletePlaycountSnapshot).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(start).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), ["mine"]);
+  });
+
+  // Preview verification of 8 concurrent identical requests: exactly one row
+  // and one scrape survived (the point of this row), but four callers were
+  // handed the id of a mid-ranked claim that then withdrew itself, leaving
+  // them polling a snapshot that no longer exists. After withdrawing, re-read
+  // and hand back a claim that is still standing.
+  it("never hands back a claim that has itself withdrawn", async () => {
+    vi.mocked(resolveSnapshotAlbums).mockResolvedValue(["a1"]);
+    vi.mocked(insertPlaycountSnapshot).mockResolvedValue({ id: "mine" } as never);
+    const scope = {
+      album_ids: ["a1"],
+      platforms: ["spotify"],
+      schedule: "once",
+      album_count: 1,
+      estimated_cost_usd: 0.003,
+      state: "queued",
+    };
+    vi.mocked(selectPlaycountSnapshots)
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([] as never)
+      // reconcile: a mid-ranked claim looks canonical from here
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "midranked", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" },
+        { ...scope, id: "mine", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:02.000Z" },
+      ] as never)
+      // after withdrawing: midranked has withdrawn too, the true earliest stands
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { ...scope, id: "earliest", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" },
+      ] as never);
+
+    const result = await createSnapshot({
+      accountId: "acc_1",
+      body: { album_ids: ["a1"], platforms: ["spotify"], schedule: "once" },
+    });
+
+    expect(deletePlaycountSnapshot).toHaveBeenCalledWith("mine");
+    expect((result as { data: { snapshot_id: string } }).data.snapshot_id).toBe("earliest");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/pickCanonicalSnapshot.test.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/pickCanonicalSnapshot.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..734dd004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/__tests__/pickCanonicalSnapshot.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { pickCanonicalSnapshot } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/pickCanonicalSnapshot";
+import type { Tables } from "@/types/database.types";
+
+const row = (over: Partial<Tables<"playcount_snapshots">>) =>
+  ({
+    id: "b",
+    created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z",
+    ...over,
+  }) as Tables<"playcount_snapshots">;
+
+describe("pickCanonicalSnapshot", () => {
+  // chat#1912 row 7. Two simultaneous identical requests both insert before
+  // either can see the other, so the pre-check cannot help. Both then re-read
+  // and must independently agree on the same winner, or they both scrape.
+  it("picks the earliest claim", () => {
+    const winner = row({ id: "late", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:05.000Z" });
+    const early = row({ id: "early", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:01.000Z" });
+
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([winner, early])?.id).toBe("early");
+  });
+
+  // Same-millisecond inserts are the whole point of this function, so the
+  // tie-break must be total and identical for every caller.
+  it("breaks an exact timestamp tie by id, deterministically", () => {
+    const a = row({ id: "aaa", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" });
+    const b = row({ id: "bbb", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:00.000Z" });
+
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([a, b])?.id).toBe("aaa");
+    // Order of the input must not change the answer, or the two racers disagree.
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([b, a])?.id).toBe("aaa");
+  });
+
+  it("returns the only claim when there is no race", () => {
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([row({ id: "solo" })])?.id).toBe("solo");
+  });
+
+  it("returns null for no claims", () => {
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([])).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("ignores claims with no timestamp rather than crowning them", () => {
+    const dated = row({ id: "dated", created_at: "2026-07-30T12:00:09.000Z" });
+    const undatedRow = row({ id: "aaa", created_at: null });
+
+    expect(pickCanonicalSnapshot([undatedRow, dated])?.id).toBe("dated");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/createSnapshot.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/createSnapshot.ts
index 53cb4a1d..f330e94f 100644
--- a/lib/research/playcounts/createSnapshot.ts
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/createSnapshot.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ import { insertPlaycountSnapshot } from "@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/inse
 import { playcountSnapshotWorkflow } from "@/app/workflows/playcountSnapshotWorkflow";
 import { findReusableSnapshot } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/findReusableSnapshot";
 import { buildReusedSnapshotResult } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/buildReusedSnapshotResult";
+import { pickCanonicalSnapshot } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/pickCanonicalSnapshot";
+import { sameScope } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/sameScope";
+import { isReusableSnapshotState } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/isReusableSnapshotState";
+import { deletePlaycountSnapshot } from "@/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot";
 import { getMonthlySpendUsd } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/getMonthlySpendUsd";
 import { CreateSnapshotBody } from "@/lib/research/playcounts/validateCreateSnapshotRequest";
 
@@ -87,6 +91,43 @@ export async function createSnapshot(params: {
     estimated_cost_usd: estimatedCostUsd,
   });
 
+  // The insert is a claim, not yet a scrape. Two simultaneous identical
+  // requests both get here before either can see the other, so re-read and
+  // let the earliest claim win — the loser withdraws its row and hands back
+  // the winner's rather than starting a second capture (chat#1912 row 7).
+  const claims = await selectPlaycountSnapshots({
+    account: params.accountId,
+    createdAfter: reuseCutoff.toISOString(),
+  });
+  const canonical = pickCanonicalSnapshot(
+    claims.filter(
+      candidate =>
+        candidate.id === row.id ||
+        (sameScope(candidate, albumIds, params.body.platforms, params.body.schedule) &&
+          isReusableSnapshotState(candidate.state)),
+    ),
+  );
+  if (canonical && canonical.id !== row.id) {
+    await deletePlaycountSnapshot(row.id);
+
+    // The claim that looked canonical from here may itself have been a loser
+    // that withdrew, which would hand this caller a snapshot id that no longer
+    // exists. Re-read after withdrawing so the id returned is one still
+    // standing (observed with 8 concurrent requests during verification).
+    const remaining = await selectPlaycountSnapshots({
+      account: params.accountId,
+      createdAfter: reuseCutoff.toISOString(),
+    });
+    const survivor = pickCanonicalSnapshot(
+      remaining.filter(
+        candidate =>
+          sameScope(candidate, albumIds, params.body.platforms, params.body.schedule) &&
+          isReusableSnapshotState(candidate.state),
+      ),
+    );
+    return buildReusedSnapshotResult(survivor ?? canonical);
+  }
+
   await start(playcountSnapshotWorkflow, [row.id]);
 
   return {
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/findReusableSnapshot.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/findReusableSnapshot.ts
index 8cd8ee4b..1aa7b9f8 100644
Binary files a/lib/research/playcounts/findReusableSnapshot.ts and b/lib/research/playcounts/findReusableSnapshot.ts differ
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/isReusableSnapshotState.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/isReusableSnapshotState.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57819f43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/isReusableSnapshotState.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/** A capture that failed has nothing to hand back; every other live state does. */
+const REUSABLE_STATES = new Set(["queued", "running", "done"]);
+
+/**
+ * Whether a capture in this state can satisfy a new request for the same scope.
+ *
+ * Shared by the reuse pre-check and the post-insert race reconcile. They must
+ * agree: if the reconcile recognised only `queued`, a winner that advanced to
+ * `running` between the two reads would be invisible and both requests would
+ * scrape — the exact race this is meant to close (chat#1912 rows 4 and 7).
+ */
+export function isReusableSnapshotState(state: string | null): boolean {
+  return REUSABLE_STATES.has(state ?? "");
+}
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/pickCanonicalSnapshot.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/pickCanonicalSnapshot.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..22d5e4c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/pickCanonicalSnapshot.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import type { Tables } from "@/types/database.types";
+
+/**
+ * Chooses which of several competing claims on the same scope is the real one.
+ *
+ * Two simultaneous identical requests both insert before either can see the
+ * other, so the reuse pre-check cannot help (chat#1912 row 7). Both then re-read
+ * and call this, and because the ordering is total and independent of input
+ * order they reach the same answer without coordinating: earliest claim wins,
+ * ties broken by id.
+ *
+ * Rows with no timestamp cannot be ordered and are never crowned.
+ */
+export function pickCanonicalSnapshot(
+  claims: Tables<"playcount_snapshots">[],
+): Tables<"playcount_snapshots"> | null {
+  const dated = claims.filter(row => !!row.created_at);
+  if (dated.length === 0) return null;
+
+  return dated.reduce((winner, row) => {
+    const a = new Date(row.created_at!).getTime();
+    const b = new Date(winner.created_at!).getTime();
+    if (a !== b) return a < b ? row : winner;
+    return row.id < winner.id ? row : winner;
+  });
+}
diff --git a/lib/research/playcounts/sameScope.ts b/lib/research/playcounts/sameScope.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..220549fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/research/playcounts/sameScope.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import type { Tables } from "@/types/database.types";
+
+const sameSet = (a: string[], b: string[]) =>
+  a.length === b.length && [...a].sort().join(" ") === [...b].sort().join(" ");
+
+/**
+ * Whether a snapshot row asks the same question as a request: same album set
+ * (order-insensitive), same platforms, same schedule.
+ *
+ * Shared by the reuse pre-check and the post-insert race reconcile so both
+ * agree on what "identical" means (chat#1912 rows 4 and 7).
+ */
+export function sameScope(
+  row: Tables<"playcount_snapshots">,
+  albumIds: string[],
+  platforms: string[],
+  schedule: string,
+): boolean {
+  if (row.schedule !== schedule) return false;
+  if (!sameSet(row.album_ids ?? [], albumIds)) return false;
+  return sameSet(row.platforms ?? [], platforms);
+}
diff --git a/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot.ts b/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb75017f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/supabase/playcount_snapshots/deletePlaycountSnapshot.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import supabase from "../serverClient";
+
+/**
+ * Delete a snapshot job row.
+ *
+ * Used to withdraw a losing claim when two simultaneous identical requests
+ * both inserted before either could see the other, so one capture is left
+ * rather than two (chat#1912 row 7).
+ *
+ * @param id - The snapshot id
+ * @throws Error if the delete fails
+ */
+export async function deletePlaycountSnapshot(id: string): Promise<void> {
+  const { error } = await supabase.from("playcount_snapshots").delete().eq("id", id);
+
+  if (error) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to delete playcount snapshot: ${error.message}`);
+  }
+}