diff --git a/list_sync/main.py b/list_sync/main.py
index 830178e..0b1bc81 100644
--- a/list_sync/main.py
+++ b/list_sync/main.py
@@ -538,10 +538,11 @@ def process_media_item(item: Dict[str, Any], overseerr_client: OverseerrClient,
 
     try:
         # Import Trakt search functions
-        from .providers.trakt import search_trakt_by_imdb_id, search_trakt_by_title
-        
+        from .providers.trakt import search_trakt_by_imdb_id, search_trakt_by_title, is_trakt_configured
+
         search_result = None
         match_method = None
+        trakt_configured = is_trakt_configured()
         
         # METHOD 1: Direct TMDB ID lookup (fastest, most reliable)
         if tmdb_id:
@@ -560,7 +561,9 @@ def process_media_item(item: Dict[str, Any], overseerr_client: OverseerrClient,
                 logging.info(f"✅ SUCCESS: Direct TMDB ID lookup")
         
         # METHOD 2: IMDB ID → Trakt → TMDB ID
-        if not search_result and imdb_id:
+        if not search_result and imdb_id and not trakt_configured:
+            logging.info("⏭️  METHOD 2 skipped: Trakt not configured (no TRAKT_CLIENT_ID)")
+        elif not search_result and imdb_id:
             logging.info(f"🔍 METHOD 2: IMDB ID → Trakt → TMDB ID (IMDB: {imdb_id})")
             trakt_result = search_trakt_by_imdb_id(imdb_id)
             if trakt_result and trakt_result.get('tmdb_id'):
@@ -584,7 +587,9 @@ def process_media_item(item: Dict[str, Any], overseerr_client: OverseerrClient,
                 logging.info(f"⚠️  WARNING: Trakt could not resolve IMDB ID {imdb_id} to TMDB ID")
         
         # METHOD 3: Title/Year → Trakt → TMDB ID
-        if not search_result:
+        if not search_result and not trakt_configured:
+            logging.info("⏭️  METHOD 3 skipped: Trakt not configured (no TRAKT_CLIENT_ID)")
+        elif not search_result:
             logging.info(f"🔍 METHOD 3: Title/Year → Trakt → TMDB ID")
             trakt_result = search_trakt_by_title(search_title, year, media_type)
             if trakt_result and trakt_result.get('tmdb_id'):
diff --git a/list_sync/providers/trakt.py b/list_sync/providers/trakt.py
index 084f27c..092de04 100644
--- a/list_sync/providers/trakt.py
+++ b/list_sync/providers/trakt.py
@@ -66,6 +66,25 @@ def get_trakt_client_id() -> str:
     )
 
 
+def is_trakt_configured() -> bool:
+    """
+    Check whether a Trakt Client ID is configured, without raising.
+
+    Used to skip Trakt-dependent lookup methods (IMDB->TMDB, Title->TMDB)
+    entirely when Trakt isn't set up, instead of attempting a network call
+    that's guaranteed to fail. This also avoids tripping Trakt's rate
+    limiter on every single processed item when Trakt is simply unused.
+
+    Returns:
+        bool: True if a Trakt Client ID is available from config or env.
+    """
+    try:
+        get_trakt_client_id()
+        return True
+    except ValueError:
+        return False
+
+
 def get_trakt_special_items_limit() -> int:
     """
     Get the items limit for special Trakt lists.