diff --git a/shelfmark/download/clients/base_handler.py b/shelfmark/download/clients/base_handler.py
index 16b98e6d..835490df 100644
--- a/shelfmark/download/clients/base_handler.py
+++ b/shelfmark/download/clients/base_handler.py
@@ -843,6 +843,9 @@ class ExternalClientHandler(DownloadHandler, ABC):
                             expected_hash=request.expected_hash,
                             seeding_time_limit=request.seeding_time_limit,
                             ratio_limit=request.ratio_limit,
+                            # rTorrent has no category concept, so its audiobook label
+                            # can only be chosen from the content type (#1235).
+                            content_type=task.content_type,
                         )
                     except Exception as e:
                         if not refresh_attempted:
diff --git a/shelfmark/download/clients/rtorrent.py b/shelfmark/download/clients/rtorrent.py
index 9cc77829..8f0fc3fe 100644
--- a/shelfmark/download/clients/rtorrent.py
+++ b/shelfmark/download/clients/rtorrent.py
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from shelfmark.core.config import config
 from shelfmark.core.logger import setup_logger
-from shelfmark.core.utils import get_hardened_xmlrpc_client
+from shelfmark.core.utils import (
+    get_hardened_xmlrpc_client,
+)
+from shelfmark.core.utils import (
+    is_audiobook as check_audiobook,
+)
 from shelfmark.download.clients import (
     DownloadClient,
     DownloadStatus,
@@ -173,7 +178,8 @@ class RTorrentClient(DownloadClient):
 
             commands = []
 
-            is_audiobook = kwargs.get("content_type") == "audiobook"
+            content_type = kwargs.get("content_type")
+            is_audiobook = check_audiobook(content_type if isinstance(content_type, str) else None)
             default_label = (
                 self._audiobook_label if is_audiobook and self._audiobook_label else self._label
             )
diff --git a/tests/prowlarr/test_handler.py b/tests/prowlarr/test_handler.py
index 62466b0e..48336e24 100644
--- a/tests/prowlarr/test_handler.py
+++ b/tests/prowlarr/test_handler.py
@@ -727,6 +727,62 @@ class TestProwlarrHandlerSeedCriteria:
             assert call_kwargs["ratio_limit"] == 1.25
 
 
+class TestProwlarrHandlerContentType:
+    """Regression tests for issue #1235 — content type must reach the client."""
+
+    def test_download_passes_content_type_to_client(self):
+        """rTorrent picks its audiobook label from content_type, not category."""
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_client.name = "rtorrent"
+        mock_client.find_existing.return_value = None
+        mock_client.add_download.return_value = "download_id"
+
+        with (
+            patch(
+                "shelfmark.release_sources.prowlarr.handler.get_release",
+                return_value={
+                    "protocol": "torrent",
+                    "title": "Test Release",
+                    "magnetUrl": "magnet:?xt=urn:btih:abc123",
+                },
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "shelfmark.release_sources.prowlarr.handler.get_client",
+                return_value=mock_client,
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "shelfmark.release_sources.prowlarr.handler.remove_release",
+            ),
+            patch("shelfmark.release_sources.prowlarr.handler.config.get", return_value=True),
+            patch.object(
+                ProwlarrHandler,
+                "_poll_and_complete",
+                return_value=None,
+            ),
+        ):
+            handler = ProwlarrHandler()
+            task = DownloadTask(
+                task_id="content-type-pass-through",
+                source="prowlarr",
+                title="Test Audiobook",
+                content_type="audiobook",
+            )
+            cancel_flag = Event()
+            recorder = ProgressRecorder()
+
+            handler.download(
+                task=task,
+                cancel_flag=cancel_flag,
+                progress_callback=recorder.progress_callback,
+                status_callback=recorder.status_callback,
+            )
+
+            call_kwargs = mock_client.add_download.call_args.kwargs
+            assert call_kwargs["content_type"] == "audiobook"
+            # rTorrent gets no category, so content_type is its only audiobook signal.
+            assert call_kwargs["category"] is None
+
+
 class TestProwlarrHandlerExistingDownload:
     """Tests for handling existing downloads."""
 
diff --git a/tests/prowlarr/test_rtorrent_client.py b/tests/prowlarr/test_rtorrent_client.py
index a35dbda4..aa9493f2 100644
--- a/tests/prowlarr/test_rtorrent_client.py
+++ b/tests/prowlarr/test_rtorrent_client.py
@@ -563,6 +563,36 @@ class TestRTorrentClientAudiobookLabel:
         assert "d.custom1.set=books" in args[2]
         assert "d.custom1.set=audiobooks" not in args[2]
 
+    def test_uses_audiobook_label_for_compound_content_type(self, monkeypatch):
+        """Issue #1235 — an exact "audiobook" match missed forms like "book (audiobook)"."""
+        config_values = {
+            "RTORRENT_URL": "http://localhost:8080/RPC2",
+            "RTORRENT_LABEL": "books",
+            "RTORRENT_AUDIOBOOK_LABEL": "audiobooks",
+            "RTORRENT_DOWNLOAD_DIR": "/downloads",
+        }
+        mock_rpc, mock_xmlrpc, mock_torrent_info = self._make_client(monkeypatch, config_values)
+
+        with patch.dict("sys.modules", {"xmlrpc.client": mock_xmlrpc}):
+            with patch(
+                "shelfmark.download.clients.torrent_utils.extract_torrent_info",
+                return_value=mock_torrent_info,
+            ):
+                if "shelfmark.download.clients.rtorrent" in sys.modules:
+                    del sys.modules["shelfmark.download.clients.rtorrent"]
+                from shelfmark.download.clients.rtorrent import RTorrentClient
+
+                client = RTorrentClient()
+                client.add_download(
+                    "magnet:?xt=urn:btih:abc123",
+                    "Test Audiobook",
+                    content_type="Book (Audiobook)",
+                )
+
+        args = mock_rpc.load.start.call_args[0]
+        assert "d.custom1.set=audiobooks" in args[2]
+        assert "d.custom1.set=books" not in args[2]
+
 
 class TestRTorrentClientGetStatus:
     """Tests for RTorrentClient.get_status()."""