diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/RequestListTable.spec.ts b/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/RequestListTable.spec.ts
index 373acaceb..9a6f01832 100644
--- a/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/RequestListTable.spec.ts
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/RequestListTable.spec.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ describe('RequestListTable', () => {
 
     expect(titleButton?.text()).toBe(LONG_TITLE)
   })
+
+  // A format asked for from a book's page carries no art, and used to show a blank placeholder.
+  it('falls back to the cover of the book a format request joins', () => {
+    const wrapper = render(request({ status: 'approved', matchedBookId: null, targetBookId: 434, coverUrl: null }))
+    const covers = wrapper.findAllComponents({ name: 'RequestCover' })
+
+    expect(covers.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+    for (const cover of covers) {
+      expect(cover.props('src')).toBeNull()
+      expect(cover.props('fallbackSources')).toEqual(['/api/v1/books/434/thumbnail?medium=audio'])
+    }
+  })
 })
 
 describe('RequestListTable pairs', () => {
diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/requestBookCover.spec.ts b/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/requestBookCover.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54118a999
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/__tests__/requestBookCover.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { requestBookCoverSources } from '../requestBookCover'
+
+describe('requestBookCoverSources', () => {
+  it('offers nothing for a request that names no book', () => {
+    expect(requestBookCoverSources({ mediaKind: 'audiobook', matchedBookId: null, targetBookId: null })).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it("asks the book a format request joins for that format's cover", () => {
+    expect(requestBookCoverSources({ mediaKind: 'audiobook', matchedBookId: null, targetBookId: 434 })).toEqual([
+      '/api/v1/books/434/thumbnail?medium=audio',
+    ])
+    expect(requestBookCoverSources({ mediaKind: 'ebook', matchedBookId: null, targetBookId: 434 })).toEqual([
+      '/api/v1/books/434/thumbnail?medium=ebook',
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('prefers the book the request became over the one it was aimed at', () => {
+    expect(requestBookCoverSources({ mediaKind: 'audiobook', matchedBookId: 500, targetBookId: 434 })).toEqual([
+      '/api/v1/books/500/thumbnail?medium=audio',
+    ])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/ReleasePickerPanel.vue b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/ReleasePickerPanel.vue
index 8dbe68162..eb14d694f 100644
--- a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/ReleasePickerPanel.vue
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/ReleasePickerPanel.vue
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import RequestDrawerToolbar from './RequestDrawerToolbar.vue'
 import RequestEmptyState from './RequestEmptyState.vue'
 import EntityNotFound from '@/components/EntityNotFound.vue'
 import { formatKey, formatKeys, languageKey } from '../releaseFacets'
+import { requestBookCoverSources } from '../requestBookCover'
 import { requestFailureText } from '../requestOutcome'
 import { protocolChipClass, sourceChipClass } from '../sourceColors'
 import { useBookRequestActions } from '../composables/useBookRequests'
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ const busy = computed(() => grabbing.value || actions.isPending(request.value?.i
 const isRetry = computed(() => request.value?.status === 'failed')
 const failureText = computed(() => (request.value ? requestFailureText(request.value, (key, named) => t(key, named)) : null))
 const authorLine = computed(() => request.value?.authors.join(', ') ?? '')
+const bookCoverSources = computed(() => (request.value ? requestBookCoverSources(request.value) : []))
 const localOnlyCriteriaFacts = computed(() => (criteria.value ? localOnlyFacts(criteria.value) : []))
 /**
  * Adding a source or switching one back on happens under Settings > System > Requests, which is
@@ -789,7 +791,13 @@ function showEverySource(): void {
       <template v-else-if="request">
         <!-- The stage is named in the toolbar, so what is left here is the book being grabbed for. -->
         <header class="flex items-center gap-3.5">
-          <RequestCover :src="request.coverUrl" :media-kind="request.mediaKind" class="h-[72px] w-12 shadow-sm" :icon-size="20" />
+          <RequestCover
+            :src="request.coverUrl"
+            :fallback-sources="bookCoverSources"
+            :media-kind="request.mediaKind"
+            class="h-[72px] w-12 shadow-sm"
+            :icon-size="20"
+          />
 
           <div class="min-w-0 flex-1">
             <h2 class="truncate text-base font-semibold tracking-tight text-foreground">{{ request.title }}</h2>
diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestDetailPanel.vue b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestDetailPanel.vue
index 90d9d2c45..2fc2e999c 100644
--- a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestDetailPanel.vue
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestDetailPanel.vue
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import { prefetchRequestAttempts } from '../composables/useRequestAttempts'
 import { prefetchSeedStatus } from '../composables/useRequestSeedStatus'
 import { REQUEST_DRAWER } from '../requestDrawerContext'
 import { canCancelRequest, canDeleteRequest, canDismissRequest, canLeaveRequest, cancelStopsATransfer } from '../requestActions'
+import { requestBookCoverSources } from '../requestBookCover'
 import { requestMediaIcon } from '../requestMedia'
 import { requestFailureText } from '../requestOutcome'
 import { localizedRequestActionFailure } from '../requestActionFailure'
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ const canFulfilThis = computed(
 const busy = computed(() => actions.isPending(request.value?.id))
 const mediaIcon = computed(() => requestMediaIcon(request.value?.mediaKind ?? 'ebook'))
 const authorLine = computed(() => request.value?.authors.join(', ') ?? '')
+const bookCoverSources = computed(() => (request.value ? requestBookCoverSources(request.value) : []))
 /** Non-empty only while an attempt is held because its release turned out to hold several books. */
 const releaseUnits = computed(() => request.value?.download?.releaseUnits ?? [])
 const isHeld = computed(() => request.value?.status === 'needs_review')
@@ -679,7 +681,13 @@ function dockFileMeta(file: BookDockFile): string {
         <RequestPairSwitch v-if="companion" :request="request" :companion="companion" :progress-by-request="progressByRequest" />
 
         <header class="flex items-start gap-4">
-          <RequestCover :src="request.coverUrl" :media-kind="request.mediaKind" class="h-[105px] w-[70px] shadow-sm" :icon-size="24" />
+          <RequestCover
+            :src="request.coverUrl"
+            :fallback-sources="bookCoverSources"
+            :media-kind="request.mediaKind"
+            class="h-[105px] w-[70px] shadow-sm"
+            :icon-size="24"
+          />
 
           <div class="min-w-0 flex-1 space-y-1.5">
             <h2 class="text-lg leading-snug font-semibold tracking-tight text-foreground">{{ request.title }}</h2>
diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestListTable.vue b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestListTable.vue
index f30edc035..bd5daf7ae 100644
--- a/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestListTable.vue
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/components/RequestListTable.vue
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { formatPercent, formatRelativeFromNow } from '@/i18n/formatters'
 import { formatBytes } from '@/lib/formatting'
 import type { RequestListDensity } from '../composables/useRequestListDensity'
 import { canBulkActRequest } from '../requestActions'
+import { requestBookCoverSources } from '../requestBookCover'
 import { requestMediaColor, requestMediaIcon } from '../requestMedia'
 import { orderedHalves, rowRequests } from '../requestPair'
 import { requestFailureText, requestOutcome } from '../requestOutcome'
@@ -257,6 +258,11 @@ function halfCover(row: BookRequestItem, kind: 'ebook' | 'audiobook'): string |
   return rowRequests(row).find((request) => request.mediaKind === kind)?.coverUrl ?? null
 }
 
+function halfBookCovers(row: BookRequestItem, kind: 'ebook' | 'audiobook'): string[] {
+  const half = rowRequests(row).find((request) => request.mediaKind === kind)
+  return half ? requestBookCoverSources(half) : []
+}
+
 /** The book either half landed as, so a pair that has partly arrived still links somewhere real. */
 function landedBookId(row: BookRequestItem): number | null {
   return rowRequests(row).find((request) => request.status === 'available' && request.matchedBookId !== null)?.matchedBookId ?? null
@@ -389,12 +395,15 @@ function rowDismissed(row: BookRequestItem): boolean {
                 v-if="isPair(request)"
                 :ebook-src="halfCover(request, 'ebook')"
                 :audio-src="halfCover(request, 'audiobook')"
+                :ebook-fallbacks="halfBookCovers(request, 'ebook')"
+                :audio-fallbacks="halfBookCovers(request, 'audiobook')"
                 :class="isCompact ? 'me-1 h-8 w-[22px]' : 'me-1.5 h-[46px] w-8'"
                 :icon-size="isCompact ? 11 : 14"
               />
               <RequestCover
                 v-else
                 :src="request.coverUrl"
+                :fallback-sources="requestBookCoverSources(request)"
                 :media-kind="request.mediaKind"
                 :class="isCompact ? 'h-8 w-[22px]' : 'h-[46px] w-8'"
                 :icon-size="isCompact ? 11 : 14"
@@ -622,10 +631,19 @@ function rowDismissed(row: BookRequestItem): boolean {
             v-if="isPair(request)"
             :ebook-src="halfCover(request, 'ebook')"
             :audio-src="halfCover(request, 'audiobook')"
+            :ebook-fallbacks="halfBookCovers(request, 'ebook')"
+            :audio-fallbacks="halfBookCovers(request, 'audiobook')"
             class="me-1.5 h-[54px] w-9"
             :icon-size="16"
           />
-          <RequestCover v-else :src="request.coverUrl" :media-kind="request.mediaKind" class="h-[54px] w-9" :icon-size="16" />
+          <RequestCover
+            v-else
+            :src="request.coverUrl"
+            :fallback-sources="requestBookCoverSources(request)"
+            :media-kind="request.mediaKind"
+            class="h-[54px] w-9"
+            :icon-size="16"
+          />
 
           <div class="min-w-0 flex-1 space-y-1.5">
             <div class="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
diff --git a/client/src/features/book-requests/requestBookCover.ts b/client/src/features/book-requests/requestBookCover.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd9c4ab2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/book-requests/requestBookCover.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import type { BookRequestItem, CoverMedium } from '@bookorbit/types'
+import { useCoverVersions } from '@/features/book/composables/useCoverVersions'
+
+/**
+ * The library's own cover for a request, tried after the request's art is missing or fails.
+ *
+ * A format asked for from a book's page carries no art of its own, and must not borrow the book's:
+ * filing copies the request's art into the new format's cover slot. The book it joins, or the one
+ * it became, still shows which book this is. The medium is a preference, so a book that has no
+ * slot for it yet answers with the cover it does have.
+ */
+export function requestBookCoverSources(request: Pick<BookRequestItem, 'mediaKind' | 'matchedBookId' | 'targetBookId'>): string[] {
+  const bookId = request.matchedBookId ?? request.targetBookId
+  if (bookId === null) return []
+  const medium: CoverMedium = request.mediaKind === 'audiobook' ? 'audio' : 'ebook'
+  return [useCoverVersions().coverUrl(bookId, 'thumbnail', undefined, medium)]
+}