diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-package-application.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-package-application.yml
index 2d5e39bbf..4c7de8b16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-package-application.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-package-application.yml
@@ -147,19 +147,31 @@ jobs:
   build-package-windows:
     name: Build and package windows
     runs-on: windows-latest
-    env:
-      GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Detect NowPlaying-related changes
+        id: nowplaying_changes
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          changed_files="$(git diff --name-only "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")"
+
+          if printf '%s\n' "$changed_files" | grep -Eq '^(\.github/workflows/build-and-package-application\.yml|data/module/media/media_windows\.go|\.scripts/windows/(create-installer\.ps1|download-now-playing\.ps1|installer\.nsi\.template))$'; then
+            echo "changed=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "changed=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
       - name: Download NowPlaying helper
         shell: pwsh
         env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN }}
-        if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          ALLOW_RATE_LIMIT_SKIP: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && steps.nowplaying_changes.outputs.changed != 'true' && 'true' || 'false' }}
+        if: ${{ github.token != '' }}
         run: ./.scripts/windows/download-now-playing.ps1
 
       - name: Setup Go
diff --git a/.scripts/windows/download-now-playing.ps1 b/.scripts/windows/download-now-playing.ps1
index fbf436408..2da9c40dd 100644
--- a/.scripts/windows/download-now-playing.ps1
+++ b/.scripts/windows/download-now-playing.ps1
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 
 $ghToken = $env:GH_TOKEN
+$allowRateLimitSkip = $env:ALLOW_RATE_LIMIT_SKIP -eq 'true'
 if (-not $ghToken -and $env:GITHUB_TOKEN) {
     $env:GH_TOKEN = $env:GITHUB_TOKEN
     $ghToken = $env:GH_TOKEN
@@ -16,12 +17,30 @@ try {
     Write-Error 'Error calling gh auth status. Please check if the GH_TOKEN is set correctly.'
 }
 
+function Test-RateLimitError {
+    param(
+        [string]$Message
+    )
+
+    return $Message -match 'rate limit|secondary rate limit|api rate limit exceeded|http 429|too many requests'
+}
+
 $outDir = Join-Path (Get-Location) '.scripts/windows/now-playing'
 
 $temp = Join-Path $env:TEMP ("npdl_" + [guid]::NewGuid())
 New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $temp -Force | Out-Null
 try {
-    gh release download -R timmo001/dotnet-now-playing -p '*.zip' -D $temp --clobber | Out-Null
+    $downloadOutput = & gh release download -R timmo001/dotnet-now-playing -p '*.zip' -D $temp --clobber 2>&1
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        $message = ($downloadOutput | Out-String).Trim()
+        if ($allowRateLimitSkip -and (Test-RateLimitError -Message $message)) {
+            Write-Host '::warning title=NowPlaying download skipped::GitHub rate limit hit while downloading the NowPlaying helper. Continuing without it for this pull request.'
+            return
+        }
+
+        throw "Failed to download NowPlaying helper. $message"
+    }
+
     $zip = Get-ChildItem -Path $temp -Filter *.zip | Select-Object -First 1
     if (-not $zip) { throw 'No zip asset found' }