diff --git a/lib/cron.ts b/lib/cron.ts
index e6e7e78..ac2a5b7 100644
--- a/lib/cron.ts
+++ b/lib/cron.ts
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ async function refreshCreditsJob() {
       (castEntry.lastFetchedAt && castEntry.lastFetchedAt < stale);
 
     if (needsRefresh) {
-      await refreshCredits(titleId);
+      await refreshCredits(titleId, { revalidate: false });
       await Bun.sleep(RATE_LIMIT_MS);
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/services/credits.ts b/lib/services/credits.ts
index 8d1914d..75cc092 100644
--- a/lib/services/credits.ts
+++ b/lib/services/credits.ts
@@ -280,7 +280,12 @@ export async function refreshCredits(
 
     if (revalidate) {
       for (const personId of personIds.values()) {
-        updateTag(`person-${personId}`);
+        try {
+          updateTag(`person-${personId}`);
+        } catch {
+          // updateTag only works inside Route Handlers / Server Actions;
+          // swallow the error when called from cron jobs or detached promises.
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/services/metadata.ts b/lib/services/metadata.ts
index ebcc3ee..ef97724 100644
--- a/lib/services/metadata.ts
+++ b/lib/services/metadata.ts
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ async function _getOrFetchTitleByTmdbId(tmdbId: number, type: "movie" | "tv") {
         extractAndStoreColors(existing.id, show.poster_path ?? null).catch(
           (err) => log.debug("Color extraction failed:", err),
         );
-        refreshCredits(existing.id).catch((err) =>
+        refreshCredits(existing.id, { revalidate: false }).catch((err) =>
           log.debug("Credits enrichment failed:", err),
         );
         refreshTrailer(existing.id).catch((err) =>
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ async function _getOrFetchTitleByTmdbId(tmdbId: number, type: "movie" | "tv") {
     extractAndStoreColors(row.id, movie.poster_path ?? null).catch((err) =>
       log.debug("Color extraction failed:", err),
     );
-    refreshCredits(row.id).catch((err) =>
+    refreshCredits(row.id, { revalidate: false }).catch((err) =>
       log.debug("Credits enrichment failed:", err),
     );
     refreshTrailer(row.id).catch((err) =>
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ async function _getOrFetchTitleByTmdbId(tmdbId: number, type: "movie" | "tv") {
   extractAndStoreColors(row.id, show.poster_path ?? null).catch((err) =>
     log.debug("Color extraction failed:", err),
   );
-  refreshCredits(row.id).catch((err) =>
+  refreshCredits(row.id, { revalidate: false }).catch((err) =>
     log.debug("Credits enrichment failed:", err),
   );
   refreshTrailer(row.id).catch((err) =>
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ export async function refreshTitle(titleId: string) {
     refreshTrailer(updated.id).catch((err) =>
       log.debug("Trailer enrichment failed:", err),
     );
-    refreshCredits(updated.id).catch((err) =>
+    refreshCredits(updated.id, { revalidate: false }).catch((err) =>
       log.debug("Credits enrichment failed:", err),
     );
     if (imageCacheEnabled()) {
@@ -586,7 +586,12 @@ export async function refreshRecommendations(
   });
 
   if (revalidate) {
-    updateTag(`recs-${titleId}`);
+    try {
+      updateTag(`recs-${titleId}`);
+    } catch {
+      // updateTag only works inside Route Handlers / Server Actions;
+      // swallow when called from cron jobs or detached promises.
+    }
   }
 }