diff --git a/core/acoustid_client.py b/core/acoustid_client.py
index 81db2be7..80c64709 100644
--- a/core/acoustid_client.py
+++ b/core/acoustid_client.py
@@ -329,7 +329,9 @@ class AcoustIDClient:
                 # Error code 4 is specifically "invalid API key"
                 if error_code == 4:
                     return False, "Invalid AcoustID API key - get one from https://acoustid.org/new-application"
-                return False, f"AcoustID API error: {error_msg}"
+                # Any other error (e.g. "invalid fingerprint") means the API key
+                # was accepted — the dummy test fingerprint is just rejected as expected
+                return True, "AcoustID API key is valid"
 
             # Status is 'ok' - key is valid
             return True, "AcoustID API key is valid"
diff --git a/web_server.py b/web_server.py
index 963ae1cb..3679f0a9 100644
--- a/web_server.py
+++ b/web_server.py
@@ -21601,6 +21601,7 @@ def get_version_info():
                     "• Docker compose includes optional slskd service block",
                     "• Multi-stage Docker build reduces image size",
                     "• MusicBrainz recording ID backfilled from Navidrome during scan",
+                    "• AcoustID test connection no longer reports failure for valid API keys when library is empty",
                 ],
             },
             # v2.2 and earlier features moved to archive