diff --git a/API/HydrusNetwork.py b/API/HydrusNetwork.py
index 4a139b8..f184214 100644
--- a/API/HydrusNetwork.py
+++ b/API/HydrusNetwork.py
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ class HydrusNetwork:
         try:
             with HTTPClient(timeout=self.timeout,
                             headers=headers,
-                            verify_ssl=False) as client:
+                            verify_ssl=False,
+                            retries=1) as client:
                 response = None
 
                 if spec.file_path is not None:
@@ -206,14 +207,30 @@ class HydrusNetwork:
                         finally:
                             _render_progress(final=True)
 
-                    response = client.request(
-                        spec.method,
-                        url,
-                        content=file_gen(),
-                        headers=headers,
-                        raise_for_status=False,
-                        log_http_errors=False,
-                    )
+                    upload_attempts = 3
+                    last_upload_exc: Exception | None = None
+                    for attempt in range(upload_attempts):
+                        try:
+                            response = client.request(
+                                spec.method,
+                                url,
+                                content=file_gen(),
+                                headers=headers,
+                                raise_for_status=False,
+                                log_http_errors=False,
+                            )
+                            last_upload_exc = None
+                            break
+                        except (httpx.TimeoutException, httpx.RequestError) as exc:
+                            last_upload_exc = exc
+                            logger.warning(
+                                f"{self._log_prefix()} Upload timeout/error on attempt {attempt + 1}/{upload_attempts}: {exc}"
+                            )
+                            if attempt < upload_attempts - 1:
+                                continue
+                            raise
+                    if response is None and last_upload_exc is not None:
+                        raise last_upload_exc
                 else:
                     content = None
                     json_data = None
diff --git a/Store/HydrusNetwork.py b/Store/HydrusNetwork.py
index 56d7b0b..35e9625 100644
--- a/Store/HydrusNetwork.py
+++ b/Store/HydrusNetwork.py
@@ -397,6 +397,24 @@ class HydrusNetwork(Store):
                         if isinstance(hashes, list) and hashes:
                             hydrus_hash = hashes[0]
 
+                if isinstance(hydrus_hash, (bytes, bytearray)):
+                    try:
+                        hydrus_hash = bytes(hydrus_hash).hex()
+                    except Exception:
+                        hydrus_hash = None
+
+                if hydrus_hash:
+                    try:
+                        hydrus_hash = str(hydrus_hash).strip().lower()
+                    except Exception:
+                        hydrus_hash = None
+
+                if not hydrus_hash or len(str(hydrus_hash)) != 64:
+                    debug(
+                        f"{self._log_prefix()} Hydrus response hash missing/invalid; using precomputed hash"
+                    )
+                    hydrus_hash = file_hash
+
                 if not hydrus_hash:
                     raise Exception(f"Hydrus response missing file hash: {response}")