diff --git a/data/download_queue.json b/data/download_queue.json
index 036a576..7467f94 100644
--- a/data/download_queue.json
+++ b/data/download_queue.json
@@ -1,25 +1,5 @@
 {
   "pending": [
-    {
-      "id": "1c4ade94-0a9f-4b75-8ed7-ceb8995c6865",
-      "serie_id": "highschool-dxd",
-      "serie_folder": "Highschool DxD",
-      "serie_name": "Highschool DxD",
-      "episode": {
-        "season": 1,
-        "episode": 2,
-        "title": null
-      },
-      "status": "pending",
-      "priority": "NORMAL",
-      "added_at": "2025-11-20T17:12:34.485183Z",
-      "started_at": null,
-      "completed_at": null,
-      "progress": null,
-      "error": null,
-      "retry_count": 0,
-      "source_url": null
-    },
     {
       "id": "c4bb6196-7a58-4338-8747-100970fd3834",
       "serie_id": "highschool-dxd",
@@ -30,11 +10,11 @@
         "episode": 3,
         "title": null
       },
-      "status": "pending",
+      "status": "cancelled",
       "priority": "NORMAL",
       "added_at": "2025-11-20T17:12:34.485225Z",
-      "started_at": null,
-      "completed_at": null,
+      "started_at": "2025-11-20T18:09:04.527701Z",
+      "completed_at": "2025-11-20T18:09:27.852314Z",
       "progress": null,
       "error": null,
       "retry_count": 0,
@@ -963,5 +943,5 @@
   ],
   "active": [],
   "failed": [],
-  "timestamp": "2025-11-20T17:54:12.722000+00:00"
+  "timestamp": "2025-11-20T18:09:27.852598+00:00"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/server/services/download_service.py b/src/server/services/download_service.py
index 5312d9d..bccc440 100644
--- a/src/server/services/download_service.py
+++ b/src/server/services/download_service.py
@@ -77,10 +77,14 @@ class DownloadService:
         
         # Control flags
         self._is_stopped = True  # Queue processing is stopped by default
+        self._is_shutting_down = False  # Flag to indicate shutdown
         
         # Executor for blocking operations
         self._executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=1)
         
+        # Track active download task for cancellation
+        self._active_download_task: Optional[asyncio.Task] = None
+        
         # Statistics tracking
         self._total_downloaded_mb: float = 0.0
         self._download_speeds: deque[float] = deque(maxlen=10)
@@ -500,7 +504,11 @@ class DownloadService:
                 )
                 
                 # Process the download (this will wait until complete)
-                await self._process_download(item)
+                self._active_download_task = asyncio.create_task(
+                    self._process_download(item)
+                )
+                await self._active_download_task
+                self._active_download_task = None
                 
                 # Small delay between downloads
                 await asyncio.sleep(1)
@@ -771,6 +779,11 @@ class DownloadService:
             item: Download item to process
         """
         try:
+            # Check if shutting down
+            if self._is_shutting_down:
+                logger.info("Skipping download due to shutdown")
+                return
+                
             # Update status
             item.status = DownloadStatus.DOWNLOADING
             item.started_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
@@ -814,6 +827,19 @@ class DownloadService:
             else:
                 raise AnimeServiceError("Download returned False")
             
+        except asyncio.CancelledError:
+            # Handle task cancellation during shutdown
+            logger.info(
+                "Download cancelled during shutdown",
+                item_id=item.id,
+            )
+            item.status = DownloadStatus.CANCELLED
+            item.completed_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+            # Return item to pending queue if not shutting down
+            if not self._is_shutting_down:
+                self._add_to_pending_queue(item, front=True)
+            raise  # Re-raise to properly cancel the task
+            
         except Exception as e:
             # Handle failure
             item.status = DownloadStatus.FAILED
@@ -845,27 +871,31 @@ class DownloadService:
         logger.info("Download queue service initialized")
 
     async def stop(self) -> None:
-        """Stop the download queue service and wait for active download.
+        """Stop the download queue service and cancel active downloads.
         
-        Note: This waits for the current download to complete.
+        Cancels any active download and shuts down the thread pool immediately.
         """
         logger.info("Stopping download queue service...")
         
-        # Wait for active download to complete (with timeout)
-        timeout = 30  # seconds
-        start_time = asyncio.get_event_loop().time()
+        # Set shutdown flag
+        self._is_shutting_down = True
+        self._is_stopped = True
         
-        while (
-            self._active_download
-            and (asyncio.get_event_loop().time() - start_time) < timeout
-        ):
-            await asyncio.sleep(1)
+        # Cancel active download task if running
+        if self._active_download_task and not self._active_download_task.done():
+            logger.info("Cancelling active download task...")
+            self._active_download_task.cancel()
+            try:
+                await self._active_download_task
+            except asyncio.CancelledError:
+                logger.info("Active download task cancelled")
         
         # Save final state
         self._save_queue()
         
-        # Shutdown executor
-        self._executor.shutdown(wait=True)
+        # Shutdown executor immediately, don't wait for tasks
+        logger.info("Shutting down thread pool executor...")
+        self._executor.shutdown(wait=False, cancel_futures=True)
         
         logger.info("Download queue service stopped")