diff --git a/app/disc_images.py b/app/disc_images.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ae45f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/disc_images.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import hashlib
+import io
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import httpx
+from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException
+from fastapi.responses import FileResponse
+from PIL import Image
+from sqlalchemy import text
+
+from .db import engine
+
+# Local WebP cache for Discogs release covers. RecordGod + DealGod share a VPS, so there's no point
+# in a remote image service or a second copy — RecordGod compresses + serves covers itself.
+# Storage path is CONFIGURABLE (DISC_IMAGE_DIR env): a default now, per-store storage override later
+# when shops host their own. Covers are tiny (q72, longest side <=600px). On-demand: converted on first
+# request, then served from disk. See RECORDGOD_NAVIGATOR_PLAN / recordgod-engine.
+IMAGE_DIR = Path(os.getenv("DISC_IMAGE_DIR", "/app/disc_images"))
+WEBP_QUALITY = 72
+MAX_DIM = 600
+
+router = APIRouter()
+
+
+def _path(release_id: int) -> Path:
+    h = hashlib.sha256(str(release_id).encode()).hexdigest()
+    return IMAGE_DIR / h[:2] / f"{h}.webp"
+
+
+@router.get("/img/r/{release_id}")
+async def release_image(release_id: int):
+    """Tiny WebP of a release cover — convert from disc_release.thumb on first hit, then serve from disk."""
+    p = _path(release_id)
+    if not p.exists():
+        async with engine.connect() as conn:
+            row = (await conn.execute(text("SELECT thumb FROM disc_release WHERE id = :r"),
+                                      {"r": release_id})).first()
+        src = row[0] if row else None
+        if not src:
+            raise HTTPException(404, "no source image")
+        try:
+            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=15, follow_redirects=True) as c:
+                r = await c.get(src, headers={"User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0 (RecordGod)"})
+            r.raise_for_status()
+            img = Image.open(io.BytesIO(r.content)).convert("RGB")
+            img.thumbnail((MAX_DIM, MAX_DIM))
+            p.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            img.save(p, "WEBP", quality=WEBP_QUALITY, method=6)
+        except Exception:
+            raise HTTPException(502, "image fetch/convert failed")
+    return FileResponse(p, media_type="image/webp",
+                        headers={"Cache-Control": "public, max-age=2592000"})
diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index cc4412b..e62053c 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from .shop_routes import router as shop_router              # noqa: E402
 from .sales_routes import router as sales_router            # noqa: E402
 from .navigator_routes import router as navigator_router    # noqa: E402
 from .collections_routes import router as collections_router # noqa: E402
+from .disc_images import router as disc_images_router         # noqa: E402
 from .db import engine                                      # noqa: E402
 from sqlalchemy import text as _sqltext                     # noqa: E402
 
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ app.include_router(shop_router)
 app.include_router(sales_router)
 app.include_router(navigator_router)
 app.include_router(collections_router)
+app.include_router(disc_images_router)
 
 
 _STARTUP_DDL = [
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 20a610f..1c7f24d 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ uvicorn[standard]
 sqlalchemy[asyncio]
 asyncpg
 httpx
+pillow
 cryptography
diff --git a/site/search.html b/site/search.html
index bf5a40f..61fd340 100644
--- a/site/search.html
+++ b/site/search.html
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ const hdr=()=>({'Authorization':'Bearer '+TOKEN});
 const get=u=>fetch(u,{headers:hdr()}).then(r=>r.json());
 const money=n=>n==null?'—':'$'+Number(n).toFixed(2);
 const esc=s=>(s||'').replace(/[&<>"]/g,c=>({'&':'&amp;','<':'&lt;','>':'&gt;','"':'&quot;'}[c]));
+// WebP cover via RecordGod's own image cache; fall back to the raw discogs thumb if the cover can't convert
+const imgTag=it=> it.release_id ? `<img src="/img/r/${it.release_id}" onerror="this.onerror=null;this.src='${(it.thumb||'').replace(/'/g,'')}'">` : (it.thumb?`<img src="${esc(it.thumb)}">`:'<span class=ph></span>');
 
 // ── facing convention (copied from WowPlatter production, see RECORDGOD_NAVIGATOR_PLAN §3) ──
 const CELL=0.34;
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@ async function run(){
   const d=await get('/admin/inventory?q='+encodeURIComponent(q));
   $('#count').textContent=`${d.total} match${d.total===1?'':'es'} — click to locate`;
   $('#res').innerHTML=(d.items||[]).map(it=>`<div class="ri" onclick='locate(${it.crate_id||'null'}, ${JSON.stringify(it.sku||'')})'>
-    ${it.thumb?`<img src="${it.thumb}">`:'<span class=ph></span>'}
+    ${imgTag(it)}
     <div class="t"><div class="nm">${esc(it.title||it.sku)}</div>
       <div class="muted">${esc(it.artist||'')} ${it.condition?'· '+esc(it.condition):''} · <b class="${it.in_stock?'pink':'oos'}">${money(it.price)}</b></div>
       ${it.crate?`<span class="loc">📍 ${esc(it.crate)}</span>`:'<span class="muted">· no bin</span>'}</div></div>`).join('')