diff --git a/internal/episodes/service/cache_store.go b/internal/episodes/service/cache_store.go
index 00140534..79ca5ea3 100644
--- a/internal/episodes/service/cache_store.go
+++ b/internal/episodes/service/cache_store.go
@@ -4,32 +4,28 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"mal/integrations/jikan"
 	"mal/internal/db"
 	"mal/internal/domain"
 	"mal/internal/observability"
 )
 
-const episodeAvailabilityPayloadVersion = 2
+const episodeAvailabilityPayloadVersion = 4
 
-func (s *EpisodeService) store(ctx context.Context, anime domain.Anime, jikanEpisodes []jikan.Episode, availability domain.EpisodeAvailability, source string, now time.Time, providerSuccess bool) (domain.CanonicalEpisodeList, error) {
+func (s *EpisodeService) store(ctx context.Context, anime domain.Anime, availability domain.EpisodeAvailability, source string, now time.Time) (domain.CanonicalEpisodeList, error) {
 	nextRefreshSQL := nextRefreshAt(anime, now)
-	episodes := mergeEpisodesForAnime(anime, jikanEpisodes, availability, now, providerSuccess)
+	episodes := mergeEpisodes(nil, availability, 0)
 	payload := domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{
 		AnimeID:             anime.MalID,
 		Episodes:            episodes,
 		Source:              source,
 		AvailabilityVersion: episodeAvailabilityPayloadVersion,
-		ReleaseChecked:      !providerSuccess,
+		ReleaseChecked:      false,
 		LastAttemptAt:       now.Format(time.RFC3339),
 		FailureCount:        0,
 	}
-	if providerSuccess {
-		payload.LastSuccessAt = now.Format(time.RFC3339)
-	}
+	payload.LastSuccessAt = now.Format(time.RFC3339)
 	if nextRefreshSQL.Valid {
 		payload.NextRefreshAt = nextRefreshSQL.Time.Format(time.RFC3339)
 	}
@@ -39,7 +35,7 @@ func (s *EpisodeService) store(ctx context.Context, anime domain.Anime, jikanEpi
 		return domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{}, err
 	}
 
-	if !s.writeEpisodeAvailabilityCache(ctx, anime, source, body, now, providerSuccess, nextRefreshSQL) {
+	if !s.writeEpisodeAvailabilityCache(ctx, anime, source, body, now, true, nextRefreshSQL) {
 		return payload, nil
 	}
 
@@ -242,8 +238,11 @@ func (s *EpisodeService) decodeCachedPayload(anime domain.Anime, raw string) (do
 		)
 		return domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{}, false
 	}
+	if payload.Source == "jikan_fallback" || payload.Source == "legacy_disabled" {
+		return domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{}, false
+	}
 
-	if isStaleAiringEpisodePayload(anime, payload) {
+	if isStaleProviderEpisodePayload(payload) {
 		observability.Info(
 			"episodes_cached_payload_rejected_stale_version",
 			"episodes",
@@ -258,20 +257,6 @@ func (s *EpisodeService) decodeCachedPayload(anime domain.Anime, raw string) (do
 		return domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{}, false
 	}
 
-	if isUncheckedAiringJikanFallback(anime, payload) {
-		observability.Info(
-			"episodes_cached_payload_rejected_unchecked_fallback",
-			"episodes",
-			"",
-			map[string]any{
-				"anime_id":        anime.MalID,
-				"cached_episodes": len(payload.Episodes),
-				"source":          payload.Source,
-			},
-		)
-		return domain.CanonicalEpisodeList{}, false
-	}
-
 	if !isCanonicalEpisodePayloadValid(payload, anime.Episodes) {
 		observability.Info(
 			"episodes_cached_payload_rejected",
@@ -289,17 +274,6 @@ func (s *EpisodeService) decodeCachedPayload(anime domain.Anime, raw string) (do
 	return payload, true
 }
 
-func isStaleAiringEpisodePayload(anime domain.Anime, payload domain.CanonicalEpisodeList) bool {
-	return isAiring(anime) && len(payload.Episodes) > 0 && payload.AvailabilityVersion < episodeAvailabilityPayloadVersion
-}
-
-func isUncheckedAiringJikanFallback(anime domain.Anime, payload domain.CanonicalEpisodeList) bool {
-	if !isAiring(anime) || payload.ReleaseChecked || len(payload.Episodes) == 0 {
-		return false
-	}
-	return payload.Source == "jikan_fallback" || payload.Source == "legacy_disabled"
-}
-
-func isAiring(anime domain.Anime) bool {
-	return anime.Airing || strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(anime.Status), "Currently Airing")
+func isStaleProviderEpisodePayload(payload domain.CanonicalEpisodeList) bool {
+	return payload.Source != "" && payload.Source != "jikan_fallback" && payload.Source != "legacy_disabled" && payload.AvailabilityVersion < episodeAvailabilityPayloadVersion
 }