diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-catalog.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-catalog.test.ts
index dea3eeea2b..85ac3287b3 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-catalog.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-catalog.test.ts
@@ -159,6 +159,70 @@ test('the catalog and the readiness gate agree that no catalog is a veto', () =>
   assert.equal(buildModelCatalogEntries(catalog('fallback'))[0]?.unavailableReason, 'none');
 });
 
+test('failed or pending discovery keeps the static fallback catalog visible', () => {
+  const entries = buildModelCatalogEntries({
+    providerType: 'openai' as const,
+    defaultModel: 'gpt-5.4',
+    models: [],
+    fallbackModels: ['gpt-5.4', 'gpt-5-mini'],
+  });
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    entries.map(({ id, source, unavailableReason }) => [id, source, unavailableReason]),
+    [
+      ['gpt-5.4', 'static_catalog', 'none'],
+      ['gpt-5-mini', 'static_catalog', 'none'],
+    ],
+  );
+});
+
+test('an explicitly fetched empty inventory remains authoritative', () => {
+  const entries = buildModelCatalogEntries({
+    providerType: 'openai' as const,
+    defaultModel: 'gpt-5.4',
+    models: [],
+    modelSource: 'fetched',
+    fallbackModels: ['gpt-5.4', 'gpt-5-mini'],
+  });
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    entries.map(({ id, unavailableReason }) => [id, unavailableReason]),
+    [['gpt-5.4', 'not_in_live_list']],
+  );
+});
+
+test('a persisted empty discovery result preserves the connection fallback through the public catalog path', () => {
+  const connection: LlmConnection = {
+    slug: 'custom-relay',
+    name: 'Custom relay',
+    providerType: 'openai',
+    defaultModel: 'gpt-5.4',
+    enabled: true,
+    models: [],
+    createdAt: 1,
+    updatedAt: 1,
+  };
+
+  const entries = buildConnectionModelCatalogEntries({
+    connection,
+    fallbackModels: ['gpt-5.4', 'gpt-5-mini'],
+    providerAvailable: true,
+    authOk: true,
+  });
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    entries.map(({ id, unavailableReason, provenance }) => [
+      id,
+      unavailableReason,
+      provenance.modelSource,
+    ]),
+    [
+      ['gpt-5.4', 'none', 'fallback'],
+      ['gpt-5-mini', 'none', 'fallback'],
+    ],
+  );
+});
+
 test('connection catalogs preserve user-choice provenance without inventing availability', () => {
   const connection: LlmConnection = {
     slug: 'zai-live',
diff --git a/packages/core/src/model-catalog.ts b/packages/core/src/model-catalog.ts
index e13e95b6f4..72a56c67a4 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/model-catalog.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/model-catalog.ts
@@ -167,11 +167,11 @@ const DEFAULT_STALE_AFTER_MS = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
 
 export function buildModelCatalogEntries(input: BuildModelCatalogInput): ModelCatalogEntry[] {
   const liveModels = input.models;
-  const modelSource = input.modelSource ?? (liveModels ? 'fetched' : 'fallback');
-  // The RAW `modelSource`, not the defaulted one above: an empty `models` array
-  // is truthy, so defaulting turned "nobody has asked yet" into "the provider
-  // enumerated nothing" and every model vanished from the picker while
-  // `authorizeConnectionModel` was still admitting it.
+  const modelSource =
+    input.modelSource ??
+    (liveModels !== undefined && liveModels.length > 0 ? 'fetched' : 'fallback');
+  // The RAW `modelSource`, not a source inferred from the array, distinguishes
+  // a failed discovery from an explicit empty provider response.
   const inventory = classifyConnectionModelInventory({
     providerType: input.providerType,
     models: input.models,
@@ -180,12 +180,17 @@ export function buildModelCatalogEntries(input: BuildModelCatalogInput): ModelCa
   const normalizedDefaultModel = input.defaultModel?.trim();
   const recommendedRanks = recommendedRanksForProvider(input.providerType, input.fallbackModels);
   const source = inventory === 'live' ? 'provider_api' : 'static_catalog';
+  // An empty array without a successful discovery source is the persisted
+  // shape of a failed or not-yet-run discovery. It must not hide the static
+  // fallback catalog from the picker. An empty fetched array is different: it
+  // is an authoritative provider response and should remain empty.
   const rawModels =
-    liveModels ??
-    (input.fallbackModels ?? []).map((id) => ({
-      id,
-      ...displayNameForKnownModel(input.providerType, id),
-    }));
+    liveModels !== undefined && (liveModels.length > 0 || modelSource === 'fetched')
+      ? liveModels
+      : (input.fallbackModels ?? []).map((id) => ({
+          id,
+          ...displayNameForKnownModel(input.providerType, id),
+        }));
   const savedChoiceSources = savedChoiceSourcesById(input.savedModelIds);
   const seen = new Set<string>();
   const entries = rawModels