diff --git a/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/provider.py b/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/provider.py
index b8351f4..275b060 100644
--- a/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/provider.py
+++ b/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/provider.py
@@ -95,11 +95,31 @@ class RTLPlusProvider(StreamingProvider):
     # ============================================================================
     def _get_rtlplus_authenticated_headers(self) -> Dict[str, str]:
         """
-        Get headers with authentication and RTL+ specific headers
+        Get headers with authentication and RTL+ specific headers.
 
-        This will automatically upgrade from anonymous to user token if possible
+        Upgrades from anonymous to user token only when user credentials are
+        configured but a user-level token has not yet been obtained, preventing
+        redundant re-authentication on every subsequent request.
         """
-        bearer_token = self.authenticator.get_bearer_token(force_upgrade=True)
+        from ...base.auth.base_auth import TokenAuthLevel
+
+        # Determine whether an upgrade attempt is warranted:
+        # - User credentials are stored → we *want* a user token
+        # - Current token is not yet at user level → upgrade is needed
+        # Once a user token is live, _classify_token returns USER_AUTHENTICATED
+        # and we skip the expensive re-auth entirely.
+        current_token = getattr(self.authenticator, "token", None) or \
+                        getattr(self.authenticator, "_token", None)
+        current_level = (
+            self.authenticator._classify_token(current_token)
+            if current_token
+            else TokenAuthLevel.UNKNOWN
+        )
+        force_upgrade = (
+            self.authenticator.has_user_credentials()
+            and current_level != TokenAuthLevel.USER_AUTHENTICATED
+        )
+        bearer_token = self.authenticator.get_bearer_token(force_upgrade=force_upgrade)
         return self.rtl_config.get_api_headers(access_token=bearer_token)
 
     def _get_event_manifest_headers(self) -> Dict[str, str]:
diff --git a/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/vod_manager.py b/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/vod_manager.py
index d744bcf..79539da 100644
--- a/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/vod_manager.py
+++ b/lib/streaming_providers/providers/rtlplus/vod_manager.py
@@ -124,10 +124,22 @@ class RTLPlusVodManager:
 
         if depth == 2:
             format_rrn = self._to_format_rrn(category_path[1])
+            if not format_rrn.startswith("rrn:"):
+                logger.warning(
+                    f"RTLPlusVodManager: invalid format RRN at depth 2: {format_rrn!r} "
+                    f"(path={category_path!r}) — skipping"
+                )
+                return []
             return self._list_seasons(format_rrn)
 
         if depth == 3:
             format_rrn = self._to_format_rrn(category_path[1])
+            if not format_rrn.startswith("rrn:"):
+                logger.warning(
+                    f"RTLPlusVodManager: invalid format RRN at depth 3: {format_rrn!r} "
+                    f"(path={category_path!r}) — skipping"
+                )
+                return []
             season_key = category_path[2]
             return self._list_episodes(format_rrn, season_key)