diff --git a/routes/model_routes.py b/routes/model_routes.py
index ab1126d3f..fcf9e1634 100644
--- a/routes/model_routes.py
+++ b/routes/model_routes.py
@@ -1351,14 +1351,14 @@ def _legacy_visible_api_models(ep) -> List[str]:
 def _picker_models_for_endpoint(ep, base_url: str, kind: str):
     """Return model IDs that should appear in the picker for an endpoint.
 
-    API providers expose remote inventory from /v1/models. Treat that cache as
-    inventory, not approval: only manually pinned API models should appear in
-    the picker. Local/self-hosted endpoints keep the older hide-list behavior.
+    API providers expose remote inventory from /v1/models. Default to that
+    visible inventory until an explicit pinned-model allow-list is saved.
+    Local/self-hosted endpoints keep the older hide-list behavior.
     """
     pinned = _normalize_model_ids(getattr(ep, "pinned_models", None))
     if _picker_requires_pinning(base_url, kind):
         if not _has_explicit_pinned_models(ep):
-            pinned = _legacy_visible_api_models(ep) if _hidden_model_ids(ep) else []
+            pinned = _legacy_visible_api_models(ep)
         return pinned, pinned
     return _visible_models(
         _cached_model_ids(ep),
diff --git a/tests/test_model_routes.py b/tests/test_model_routes.py
index 3c0e7c599..d5a5b0fde 100644
--- a/tests/test_model_routes.py
+++ b/tests/test_model_routes.py
@@ -1107,7 +1107,7 @@ def test_get_api_models_marks_picker_as_pinned_only(monkeypatch):
     assert by_id["anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"]["is_pinned"] is False
 
 
-def test_get_fresh_api_models_does_not_mark_cached_inventory_as_pinned(monkeypatch):
+def test_get_fresh_api_models_marks_cached_inventory_as_pinned(monkeypatch):
     ep = _make_endpoint(
         base_url="https://api.example.test/v1",
         cached_models=json.dumps(["openai/gpt-image-1", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"]),
@@ -1125,7 +1125,7 @@ def test_get_fresh_api_models_does_not_mark_cached_inventory_as_pinned(monkeypat
         "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4",
     ]
     assert all(row["picker_requires_pinning"] is True for row in result)
-    assert all(row["is_pinned"] is False for row in result)
+    assert all(row["is_pinned"] is True for row in result)
 
 
 def test_get_legacy_api_models_preserves_hidden_selection_as_pinned(monkeypatch):
@@ -1307,7 +1307,7 @@ def test_list_model_endpoints_returns_key_fingerprint(monkeypatch):
     assert result[1]["api_key_fingerprint"] == ""
 
 
-def test_list_api_endpoint_reports_inventory_count_when_none_pinned(monkeypatch):
+def test_list_api_endpoint_defaults_inventory_to_visible_when_none_pinned(monkeypatch):
     ep = _make_endpoint(
         base_url="https://api.example.test/v1",
         cached_models=json.dumps(["openai/gpt-image-1", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"]),
@@ -1320,12 +1320,31 @@ def test_list_api_endpoint_reports_inventory_count_when_none_pinned(monkeypatch)
 
     result = endpoint(_PinnedFakeRequest())
 
-    assert result[0]["models"] == []
+    assert result[0]["models"] == [
+        "openai/gpt-image-1",
+        "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4",
+    ]
+    assert result[0]["pinned_models"] == result[0]["models"]
     assert result[0]["model_count"] == 2
     assert result[0]["picker_requires_pinning"] is True
     assert result[0]["status"] == "online"
 
 
+def test_api_picker_preserves_explicit_empty_selection():
+    ep = _make_endpoint(
+        base_url="https://api.example.test/v1",
+        cached_models=json.dumps(["openai/gpt-image-1", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"]),
+        pinned_models=json.dumps([]),
+    )
+
+    models, pinned = model_routes._picker_models_for_endpoint(
+        ep, ep.base_url, ep.endpoint_kind
+    )
+
+    assert models == []
+    assert pinned == []
+
+
 def test_list_api_endpoint_returns_pinned_picker_models(monkeypatch):
     ep = _make_endpoint(
         base_url="https://api.example.test/v1",
@@ -1808,7 +1827,7 @@ def test_api_models_openrouter_uses_pinned_models_not_hidden(monkeypatch):
     assert result["items"][0]["models"] == ["openai/gpt-image-1"]
 
 
-def test_api_models_openrouter_derives_legacy_visible_models(monkeypatch):
+def test_api_models_openrouter_defaults_cached_models_visible(monkeypatch):
     row = _route_ep(
         "openrouter",
         "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
@@ -1816,7 +1835,6 @@ def test_api_models_openrouter_derives_legacy_visible_models(monkeypatch):
         pinned_models=None,
         api_key="fake-key",
     )
-    row.hidden_models = json.dumps(["m2"])
     db = _RouteDb([row])
     router = model_routes.setup_model_routes(model_discovery=None)
 
@@ -1829,7 +1847,7 @@ def test_api_models_openrouter_derives_legacy_visible_models(monkeypatch):
     result = _route_endpoint(router, "/api/models")(_route_request())
 
     assert result["items"][0]["endpoint_name"] == "openrouter"
-    assert result["items"][0]["models"] == ["m1", "m3"]
+    assert result["items"][0]["models"] == ["m1", "m2", "m3"]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio