diff --git a/routes/chat_routes.py b/routes/chat_routes.py
index 1fb2bd6ad..403ec9539 100644
--- a/routes/chat_routes.py
+++ b/routes/chat_routes.py
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ def _first_image_attachment(chat_handler, att_ids: List[str], owner: str | None
     return None
 
 
-def _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session_id: str, owner: str | None = None) -> bool:
+def _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session_id: str, owner: str | None = None, *, allow_live_probes: bool = True) -> bool:
     """Re-populate sess.model from the matching endpoint's cached models.
 
     Covers the window between endpoint setup and the first chat send: the
@@ -535,6 +535,11 @@ def _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session_id: str, owner: str | None = None
     written (Issue #587 — UI uses the cached endpoint list, not s.model).
     For ChatGPT Subscription, also repairs stale OpenAI API model names such as
     ``gpt-5`` that are not accepted by the Codex-backed ChatGPT account route.
+
+    Bearer chat callers set ``allow_live_probes`` to false. They may use the
+    already-persisted visible cache for this request, but recovery must not
+    resolve provider credentials, refresh the catalog, or persist a model/cache
+    change as a side effect.
     """
     current_model = (getattr(sess, "model", "") or "").strip()
     endpoint_url = (getattr(sess, "endpoint_url", "") or "").strip()
@@ -585,7 +590,7 @@ def _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session_id: str, owner: str | None = None
                 visible = cached
         if current_model and current_model in {str(item).strip() for item in visible}:
             return False
-        if is_chatgpt_subscription:
+        if is_chatgpt_subscription and allow_live_probes:
             live_models = []
             if getattr(ep, "provider_auth_id", None):
                 try:
@@ -617,6 +622,16 @@ def _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session_id: str, owner: str | None = None
         if not isinstance(model, str) or not model.strip():
             return False
         model = model.strip()
+        if not allow_live_probes:
+            # Keep this request usable without turning cache-based recovery
+            # into a durable session mutation. The normal chat save path will
+            # persist user/assistant messages, not this transient selection.
+            sess.model = model
+            logger.info(
+                "Recovered session model for %s from cached endpoint model %r (no persistence)",
+                session_id, model,
+            )
+            return True
         # Persist so the next request, websocket reconnect, or page reload
         # picks up the same model (we'd otherwise re-pick on every send
         # and silently switch on the user if the cached order shifts).
@@ -779,13 +794,19 @@ def setup_chat_routes(
         except KeyError:
             raise HTTPException(404, f"Session '{session}' not found")
         owner = effective_user(request)
+        request_capability = build_request_capability(request)
         if _clear_orphaned_session_endpoint(sess, owner=owner):
             raise HTTPException(400, "Selected model endpoint was removed. Pick another model in Settings.")
 
         # Empty model + live endpoint = setup race (Issue #587). Repair from
         # the endpoint's cached model list before privilege checks, which
         # otherwise see "" and behave inconsistently with the allowlist.
-        _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session, owner=owner)
+        _recover_empty_session_model(
+            sess,
+            session,
+            owner=owner,
+            allow_live_probes=request_capability.allow_live_probes,
+        )
         if not getattr(sess, "model", "").strip():
             raise HTTPException(
                 400,
@@ -798,7 +819,6 @@ def setup_chat_routes(
         # non-streaming path can't be used to bypass).
         _enforce_chat_privileges(request, sess)
 
-        request_capability = build_request_capability(request)
         api_token_request = request_capability.is_bearer
         tool_policy = build_effective_tool_policy(last_user_message=message)
         allow_tool_preprocessing = (
@@ -1311,7 +1331,12 @@ def setup_chat_routes(
             # the first cached model off the matching endpoint so the
             # upstream isn't called with model="" (which surfaces as a
             # generic 401/503).
-            _recover_empty_session_model(sess, session, owner=owner)
+            _recover_empty_session_model(
+                sess,
+                session,
+                owner=owner,
+                allow_live_probes=request_capability.allow_live_probes,
+            )
             if not getattr(sess, "model", "").strip():
                 raise HTTPException(
                     400,
diff --git a/tests/test_api_token_forward_fixes.py b/tests/test_api_token_forward_fixes.py
index b02f5e506..5239cfccd 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_token_forward_fixes.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_token_forward_fixes.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def test_bearer_context_preprocessing_does_not_fetch_embedded_urls(monkeypatch):
 async def test_sync_bearer_chat_cannot_use_research_memory_or_background_extraction(monkeypatch):
     from routes import chat_routes
 
-    calls = {"memory": 0, "research": 0, "post": []}
+    calls = {"memory": 0, "research": 0, "post": [], "recovery": []}
 
     class _ChatHandler:
         async def handle_memory_command(self, _session, _message):
@@ -435,7 +435,11 @@ async def test_sync_bearer_chat_cannot_use_research_memory_or_background_extract
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_verify_session_owner", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
     monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_clear_orphaned_session_endpoint", lambda *args, **kwargs: False)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_recover_empty_session_model", lambda *args, **kwargs: False)
+    def recover(*args, **kwargs):
+        calls["recovery"].append(kwargs)
+        return False
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_recover_empty_session_model", recover)
     monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_enforce_chat_privileges", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
     monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "resolve_session_auth", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
     monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "build_chat_context", build_context)
@@ -483,6 +487,7 @@ async def test_sync_bearer_chat_cannot_use_research_memory_or_background_extract
     assert calls["memory"] == 0
     assert calls["research"] == 0
     assert calls["post"] and calls["post"][0]["allow_background_extraction"] is False
+    assert calls["recovery"] == [{"owner": "alice", "allow_live_probes": False}]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -497,6 +502,13 @@ async def test_stream_bearer_chat_disables_deferred_memory_extraction(monkeypatc
         captured,
         capture_completion=True,
     )
+    recovery_calls = []
+
+    def recover(*args, **kwargs):
+        recovery_calls.append(kwargs)
+        return False
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_recover_empty_session_model", recover)
     request = SimpleNamespace(
         headers={},
         app=SimpleNamespace(state=SimpleNamespace(auth_manager=None)),
@@ -520,6 +532,184 @@ async def test_stream_bearer_chat_disables_deferred_memory_extraction(monkeypatc
 
     assert captured["post_processed"]
     assert captured["post_processed"][0][1]["allow_background_extraction"] is False
+    assert recovery_calls == [{"owner": "alice", "allow_live_probes": False}]
+
+
+class _RecoveryPredicate:
+    def __or__(self, _other):
+        return self
+
+
+class _RecoveryColumn:
+    def __eq__(self, _value):
+        return _RecoveryPredicate()
+
+
+class _RecoveryEndpointModel:
+    is_enabled = _RecoveryColumn()
+    owner = _RecoveryColumn()
+
+
+class _RecoverySessionModel:
+    id = _RecoveryColumn()
+    owner = _RecoveryColumn()
+
+
+class _RecoveryQuery:
+    def __init__(self, db, model):
+        self.db = db
+        self.model = model
+
+    def filter(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self
+
+    def all(self):
+        if self.model is _RecoveryEndpointModel:
+            return [self.db.endpoint]
+        return []
+
+    def first(self):
+        if self.model is _RecoverySessionModel:
+            return self.db.session_row
+        return None
+
+
+class _RecoveryDb:
+    def __init__(self, endpoint, session_row):
+        self.endpoint = endpoint
+        self.session_row = session_row
+        self.commits = 0
+        self.rollbacks = 0
+
+    def query(self, model):
+        return _RecoveryQuery(self, model)
+
+    def commit(self):
+        self.commits += 1
+
+    def rollback(self):
+        self.rollbacks += 1
+
+    def close(self):
+        return None
+
+
+def _recovery_harness(monkeypatch, cached_models):
+    from routes import chat_routes
+    from src import chatgpt_subscription
+
+    endpoint = SimpleNamespace(
+        id="endpoint-1",
+        base_url="https://chatgpt.com",
+        cached_models=json.dumps(cached_models),
+        hidden_models=None,
+        provider_auth_id="provider-auth-1",
+    )
+    session_row = SimpleNamespace(
+        id="session-1",
+        owner="alice",
+        model="",
+        updated_at=None,
+    )
+    db = _RecoveryDb(endpoint, session_row)
+    sess = SimpleNamespace(
+        id="session-1",
+        endpoint_url="https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex",
+        model="",
+        headers={},
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "SessionLocal", lambda: db)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "ModelEndpoint", _RecoveryEndpointModel)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "DBSession", _RecoverySessionModel)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chat_routes, "_session_url_matches_endpoint", lambda *args: True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        chatgpt_subscription,
+        "is_chatgpt_subscription_base",
+        lambda _url: True,
+    )
+    return chat_routes, db, endpoint, session_row, sess
+
+
+def test_bearer_empty_model_recovery_fails_without_cache_or_live_probe(monkeypatch):
+    chat_routes, db, endpoint, session_row, sess = _recovery_harness(monkeypatch, [])
+    from src import chatgpt_subscription, endpoint_resolver
+
+    def forbidden(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("bearer recovery must not resolve credentials or fetch models")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chatgpt_subscription, "fetch_available_models", forbidden)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(endpoint_resolver, "resolve_endpoint_runtime", forbidden)
+
+    assert chat_routes._recover_empty_session_model(
+        sess,
+        "session-1",
+        owner="alice",
+        allow_live_probes=False,
+    ) is False
+    assert sess.model == ""
+    assert session_row.model == ""
+    assert endpoint.cached_models == "[]"
+    assert db.commits == 0
+    assert db.rollbacks == 0
+
+
+def test_bearer_model_recovery_uses_cache_without_endpoint_or_session_writes(monkeypatch):
+    chat_routes, db, endpoint, session_row, sess = _recovery_harness(
+        monkeypatch,
+        ["cached-model"],
+    )
+    from src import chatgpt_subscription, endpoint_resolver
+
+    def forbidden(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("bearer recovery must not resolve credentials or fetch models")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chatgpt_subscription, "fetch_available_models", forbidden)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(endpoint_resolver, "resolve_endpoint_runtime", forbidden)
+
+    assert chat_routes._recover_empty_session_model(
+        sess,
+        "session-1",
+        owner="alice",
+        allow_live_probes=False,
+    ) is True
+    assert sess.model == "cached-model"
+    assert session_row.model == ""
+    assert endpoint.cached_models == '["cached-model"]'
+    assert db.commits == 0
+    assert db.rollbacks == 0
+
+
+def test_interactive_model_recovery_retains_live_catalog_and_persistence(monkeypatch):
+    chat_routes, db, endpoint, session_row, sess = _recovery_harness(monkeypatch, [])
+    from src import chatgpt_subscription, endpoint_resolver
+
+    seen = {}
+
+    def resolve(ep, owner=None):
+        seen["resolve"] = (ep, owner)
+        return ep.base_url, "owner-secret"
+
+    def fetch(api_key):
+        seen["fetch"] = api_key
+        return ["gpt-live"]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(endpoint_resolver, "resolve_endpoint_runtime", resolve)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chatgpt_subscription, "fetch_available_models", fetch)
+
+    # Interactive callers retain the helper's live-probe default.
+    assert chat_routes._recover_empty_session_model(
+        sess,
+        "session-1",
+        owner="alice",
+    ) is True
+    assert seen["resolve"] == (endpoint, "alice")
+    assert seen["fetch"] == "owner-secret"
+    assert sess.model == "gpt-live"
+    assert session_row.model == "gpt-live"
+    assert json.loads(endpoint.cached_models) == ["gpt-live"]
+    assert db.commits == 2
+    assert db.rollbacks == 0
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio