diff --git a/src/model_discovery.py b/src/model_discovery.py
index 4d67502c5..116951f9d 100644
--- a/src/model_discovery.py
+++ b/src/model_discovery.py
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ def discover_tailscale_hosts() -> List[str]:
     global _hosts_cache, _hosts_cache_time
 
     now = time.time()
-    if _hosts_cache and (now - _hosts_cache_time) < _HOSTS_CACHE_TTL:
+    # Gate on the timestamp, not the list: a successful query that found no
+    # eligible peers is a real answer, and testing the list's truthiness made
+    # that case re-run `tailscale status` (up to a 5s timeout) on every call.
+    if _hosts_cache_time and (now - _hosts_cache_time) < _HOSTS_CACHE_TTL:
         return list(_hosts_cache)
 
     hosts = []
diff --git a/tests/test_tailscale_discovery_cache.py b/tests/test_tailscale_discovery_cache.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80c2f60d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_tailscale_discovery_cache.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""A successful Tailscale query with no eligible hosts is still cached knowledge.
+
+`discover_tailscale_hosts` gated its cache on the host list being non-empty, so a
+valid "nothing to see here" answer looked identical to a cold cache and every
+caller paid for another `tailscale status --json` (up to a 5s timeout). Failures
+stay uncached so a peer coming online is still picked up promptly.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+from src import model_discovery
+
+
+class _Result:
+    def __init__(self, returncode, stdout):
+        self.returncode = returncode
+        self.stdout = stdout
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tailscale(monkeypatch):
+    """Count `tailscale status` invocations and start from a cold cache."""
+    calls = []
+
+    def _record(result):
+        def _run(*_args, **_kwargs):
+            calls.append(1)
+            if isinstance(result, Exception):
+                raise result
+            return result
+        monkeypatch.setattr(model_discovery.subprocess, "run", _run)
+        return calls
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(model_discovery, "_hosts_cache", [])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(model_discovery, "_hosts_cache_time", 0)
+    return _record
+
+
+def test_empty_but_successful_discovery_is_only_run_once(tailscale):
+    calls = tailscale(_Result(0, '{"Self":{},"Peer":{}}'))
+
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == []
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == []
+    assert len(calls) == 1
+
+
+def test_nonempty_discovery_is_still_cached(tailscale):
+    calls = tailscale(_Result(0, '{"Self":{"TailscaleIPs":["100.1.1.1"]},"Peer":{}}'))
+
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == ["100.1.1.1"]
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == ["100.1.1.1"]
+    assert len(calls) == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "result",
+    [
+        _Result(1, ""),                       # tailscale installed but logged out
+        _Result(0, "not json"),               # unparseable output
+        FileNotFoundError("tailscale"),       # not installed
+    ],
+    ids=["nonzero_exit", "bad_json", "not_installed"],
+)
+def test_failures_stay_retryable(tailscale, result):
+    calls = tailscale(result)
+
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == []
+    assert model_discovery.discover_tailscale_hosts() == []
+    assert len(calls) == 2