FN-7710: refresh model caches so Grok/Cursor CLI models appear without reopening Settings

Adds a shared single-flight cache refresh so newly enabled Grok/Cursor CLI providers show their models in pickers immediately, instead of requiring a Settings reopen.

- useModelsCache now exposes a shared refreshModelsCache() that clears the SWR MODELS cache key and notifies subscribers
- AuthenticationSection calls refreshModelsCache() after toggling cursor-cli/grok-cli/claude-cli/llama-cpp providers
- Server-side cursor/grok model-cache lookups use a short negative-TTL so transient cold-start empty results self-heal instead of sticking
- Adds regression tests covering the cache refresh flow, hook behavior, and cursor/grok cache TTL self-healing
- Adds changeset (patch) documenting the fix

Files changed:
 .../fn-7710-cli-provider-model-cache-refresh.md    |   7 +
 ...thenticationSection.modelsCacheRefresh.test.tsx | 137 ++++++++++++++++++
 .../settings/sections/AuthenticationSection.tsx    |  32 +++--
 .../app/hooks/__tests__/useModelsCache.test.ts     | 159 ++++++++++++++++++++-
 packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useModelsCache.ts     |  72 +++++++++-
 .../src/__tests__/cursor-model-cache.test.ts       |  34 +++++
 .../src/__tests__/grok-model-cache.test.ts         |  33 +++++
 packages/dashboard/src/cursor-model-cache.ts       |  23 ++-
 packages/dashboard/src/grok-model-cache.ts         |  23 ++-
 9 files changed, 500 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-)

Fusion-Task-Id: FN-7710

Fusion-Task-Lineage: ebac46ba-5b3e-41f2-acc4-26f9139c0f71

Co-authored-by: Fusion (runfusion.ai) <noreply@runfusion.ai>

.changeset/fn-7710-cli-provider-model-cache-refresh.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": patch
+---
+
+summary: Grok and Cursor CLI models now appear in model pickers immediately after enabling the provider.
+category: fix
+dev: useModelsCache exposes a shared single-flight refreshModelsCache() that clears the SWR_CACHE_KEYS.MODELS cache and notifies subscribers; the Authentication CLI provider toggle (cursor-cli/grok-cli/claude-cli/llama-cpp) now calls it. Server-side cursor/grok picker caches use a short negative-TTL so transient cold-start empties self-heal.

packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/AuthenticationSection.modelsCacheRefresh.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { AuthenticationSection, type AuthenticationSectionData } from "../settings/sections/AuthenticationSection";
+import type { AuthProvider } from "../../api";
+
+/*
+FNXC:ModelCatalog 2026-07-08-00:00:
+FN-7710 regression coverage: every CLI provider card's `onToggled` callback must refresh the
+shared model catalog (`refreshModelsCache()`) in addition to the Settings Authentication panel
+(`loadAuthStatus()`), so newly-enabled/disabled grok-cli/cursor-cli (and, for parity,
+claude-cli/llama-cpp) rows propagate to every live picker without a Settings navigation.
+This asserts the AuthenticationSection wiring only — the underlying refreshModelsCache()
+single-flight/notify semantics are covered in useModelsCache.test.ts.
+*/
+
+const loadAuthStatus = vi.fn();
+const refreshModelsCache = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+vi.mock("../../hooks/useModelsCache", () => ({
+  refreshModelsCache: (...args: unknown[]) => refreshModelsCache(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../ProviderIcon", () => ({
+  ProviderIcon: ({ provider }: { provider: string }) => <span data-testid={`mock-icon-${provider}`}>{provider}</span>,
+}));
+vi.mock("../PluginSlot", () => ({
+  PluginSlot: () => null,
+}));
+vi.mock("../CustomProvidersSection", () => ({
+  CustomProvidersSection: () => null,
+}));
+
+function mockCliCard(testId: string) {
+  return ({ onToggled }: { onToggled?: (nextEnabled: boolean) => void }) => (
+    <button data-testid={testId} onClick={() => onToggled?.(true)}>
+      toggle {testId}
+    </button>
+  );
+}
+
+vi.mock("../ClaudeCliProviderCard", () => ({
+  ClaudeCliProviderCard: mockCliCard("claude-cli-toggle"),
+}));
+vi.mock("../CursorCliProviderCard", () => ({
+  CursorCliProviderCard: mockCliCard("cursor-cli-toggle"),
+}));
+vi.mock("../GrokCliProviderCard", () => ({
+  GrokCliProviderCard: mockCliCard("grok-cli-toggle"),
+}));
+vi.mock("../LlamaCppProviderCard", () => ({
+  LlamaCppProviderCard: mockCliCard("llama-cpp-toggle"),
+}));
+
+function renderAuthSection(providers: AuthProvider[]) {
+  function Harness() {
+    const [apiKeyInputs, setApiKeyInputs] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
+    const [manualCodeInputs, setManualCodeInputs] = useState<Record<string, string>>({});
+    const auth: AuthenticationSectionData = {
+      addToast: vi.fn(),
+      authProviders: providers,
+      authLoading: false,
+      authActionInProgress: null,
+      apiKeyInputs,
+      setApiKeyInputs,
+      apiKeyErrors: {},
+      opencodeApiKeyRefreshStatus: {},
+      deviceCodes: {},
+      loginInstructions: {},
+      manualCodeConfigs: {},
+      manualCodeInputs,
+      setManualCodeInputs,
+      manualCodeSubmitInProgress: null,
+      loadAuthStatus,
+      handleLogin: vi.fn(),
+      handleLogout: vi.fn(),
+      handleCancelLogin: vi.fn(),
+      handleSaveApiKey: vi.fn(),
+      handleClearApiKey: vi.fn(),
+      handleSubmitManualCode: vi.fn(),
+    };
+    return <AuthenticationSection auth={auth} />;
+  }
+  render(<Harness />);
+}
+
+describe("AuthenticationSection CLI toggle -> shared models cache refresh (FN-7710)", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("refreshes the shared models cache when grok-cli is toggled", async () => {
+    renderAuthSection([{ id: "grok-cli", name: "Grok — via Grok CLI", authenticated: false, type: "cli" }]);
+
+    screen.getByTestId("grok-cli-toggle").click();
+
+    expect(loadAuthStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(refreshModelsCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("refreshes the shared models cache when cursor-cli is toggled", async () => {
+    renderAuthSection([{ id: "cursor-cli", name: "Cursor — via Cursor CLI", authenticated: false, type: "cli" }]);
+
+    screen.getByTestId("cursor-cli-toggle").click();
+
+    expect(loadAuthStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(refreshModelsCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("refreshes the shared models cache when claude-cli is toggled (parity)", async () => {
+    renderAuthSection([{ id: "claude-cli", name: "Anthropic — via Claude CLI", authenticated: false, type: "cli" }]);
+
+    screen.getByTestId("claude-cli-toggle").click();
+
+    expect(refreshModelsCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("refreshes the shared models cache when llama-cpp is toggled (parity)", async () => {
+    renderAuthSection([{ id: "llama-cpp", name: "Llama.cpp", authenticated: false, type: "cli" }]);
+
+    screen.getByTestId("llama-cpp-toggle").click();
+
+    expect(refreshModelsCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("refreshes on the disable transition too (onToggled fires for both directions)", async () => {
+    renderAuthSection([{ id: "grok-cli", name: "Grok — via Grok CLI", authenticated: true, type: "cli" }]);
+
+    // The mocked card's onToggled callback fires regardless of enable/disable direction —
+    // the real CursorCliProviderCard/GrokCliProviderCard call onToggled?.(result.enabled) on
+    // every successful toggle result, so a single shared handler covers both transitions.
+    screen.getByTestId("grok-cli-toggle").click();
+    screen.getByTestId("grok-cli-toggle").click();
+
+    expect(refreshModelsCache).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+});

packages/dashboard/app/components/settings/sections/AuthenticationSection.tsx

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { OAuthManualCodeForm } from "../../OAuthManualCodeForm";
 import { CustomProvidersSection } from "../../CustomProvidersSection";
 import { copyTextToClipboard } from "../../../utils/copyToClipboard";
 import { appendTokenQuery } from "../../../auth";
+import { refreshModelsCache } from "../../../hooks/useModelsCache";
 export interface AuthenticationSectionData {
     projectId?: string;
     addToast: (message: string, type?: ToastType) => void;
@@ -92,25 +93,32 @@ export function AuthenticationSection({ auth }: AuthenticationSectionProps) {
         .sort(compareAuthProviderDisplayOrder);
     const authenticatedProviders = sortedProviders.filter((p) => p.authenticated);
     const unauthenticatedProviders = sortedProviders.filter((p) => !p.authenticated);
+    /*
+    FNXC:ModelCatalog 2026-07-08-00:00:
+    FN-7710: A CLI provider toggle (Cursor, Grok, Claude CLI, llama.cpp) must refresh the
+    shared model catalog so newly-enabled/disabled `*-cli` models appear in — or disappear
+    from — every live picker (Quick Entry, Task Detail, New Agent, Workflow editor, etc.)
+    without the user needing to navigate to Settings. `onToggled` previously only called
+    `loadAuthStatus()`, which refreshes this panel's own provider list but never touches the
+    shared `useModelsCache()` cache other pickers read from. All four CLI cards share this one
+    `onToggled` handler so the fix applies uniformly — no per-card duplication — and both the
+    enable and disable transitions call it (the cards invoke `onToggled` on every toggle result).
+    */
+    const handleCliProviderToggled = () => {
+        void loadAuthStatus();
+        void refreshModelsCache();
+    };
     const renderCliProviderCard = (provider: AuthProvider) => {
         if (provider.id === "claude-cli") {
-            return (<ClaudeCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={() => {
+            return (<ClaudeCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={handleCliProviderToggled}/>);
-                    void loadAuthStatus();
-                }}/>);
         }
         if (provider.id === "cursor-cli") {
-            return (<CursorCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={() => {
+            return (<CursorCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={handleCliProviderToggled}/>);
-                    void loadAuthStatus();
-                }}/>);
         }
         if (provider.id === "grok-cli") {
-            return (<GrokCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={() => {
+            return (<GrokCliProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={handleCliProviderToggled}/>);
-                    void loadAuthStatus();
-                }}/>);
         }
-        return (<LlamaCppProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={() => {
+        return (<LlamaCppProviderCard key={provider.id} compact authenticated={provider.authenticated} onToggled={handleCliProviderToggled}/>);
-                void loadAuthStatus();
-            }}/>);
     };
     const showAuthenticatedGroup = authenticatedProviders.length > 0;
     const showAvailableGroup = unauthenticatedProviders.length > 0;

packages/dashboard/app/hooks/__tests__/useModelsCache.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { act, renderHook, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { SWR_CACHE_KEYS } from "../../utils/swrCache";
-import { useModelsCache } from "../useModelsCache";
+import { refreshModelsCache, useModelsCache } from "../useModelsCache";
 
 vi.mock("../../api", () => ({
   fetchModels: vi.fn(),
@@ -166,4 +166,161 @@ describe("useModelsCache", () => {
     expect(mockFetchModels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(result.current.models[0]?.id).toBe("claude");
   });
+
+  describe("refreshModelsCache", () => {
+    // FN-7710 symptom reproduction: a CLI provider toggle (grok-cli / cursor-cli) must
+    // update every already-mounted useModelsCache() consumer without a remount.
+    it("updates every mounted useModelsCache() subscriber in place after a CLI provider toggle, for grok-cli", async () => {
+      // Seed the shared cache with a catalog that has NO grok-cli rows (pre-toggle state).
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+
+      const hookA = renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+      const hookB = renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        expect(hookA.result.current.loading).toBe(false);
+        expect(hookB.result.current.loading).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      // Before the fix's effect: neither consumer has any grok-cli rows yet.
+      expect(hookA.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli")).toBe(false);
+      expect(hookB.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli")).toBe(false);
+
+      // Simulate toggling Grok CLI on: fetchModels() now returns grok-cli rows too.
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [
+          { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" },
+          { provider: "grok-cli", id: "grok-4", name: "Grok 4 (CLI)" },
+        ],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await refreshModelsCache();
+      });
+
+      // Both already-mounted consumers now see the grok-cli row, with no remount/navigation.
+      expect(hookA.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli" && m.id === "grok-4")).toBe(true);
+      expect(hookB.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli" && m.id === "grok-4")).toBe(true);
+
+      // Disabling propagates too: a subsequent refresh with grok-cli rows removed hides them again.
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await refreshModelsCache();
+      });
+
+      expect(hookA.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli")).toBe(false);
+      expect(hookB.result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli")).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("updates mounted subscribers after a cursor-cli toggle", async () => {
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+
+      const { result } = renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+      await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.loading).toBe(false));
+      expect(result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "cursor-cli")).toBe(false);
+
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [
+          { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" },
+          { provider: "cursor-cli", id: "cursor/gpt-5", name: "GPT-5 (Cursor CLI)" },
+        ],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await refreshModelsCache();
+      });
+
+      expect(result.current.models.some((m) => m.provider === "cursor-cli")).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("writes through SWR_CACHE_KEYS.MODELS on refresh", async () => {
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+      renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+      await waitFor(() => expect(mockFetchModels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "grok-cli", id: "grok-4", name: "Grok 4" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+      await act(async () => {
+        await refreshModelsCache();
+      });
+
+      const cached = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(SWR_CACHE_KEYS.MODELS) ?? "null") as {
+        data: { models: Array<{ provider: string }> };
+      };
+      expect(cached.data.models.some((m) => m.provider === "grok-cli")).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("single-flights concurrent refreshModelsCache() calls", async () => {
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+      renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+      await waitFor(() => expect(mockFetchModels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+
+      let resolveFetch: ((value: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fetchModels>>) => void) | undefined;
+      mockFetchModels.mockImplementationOnce(
+        () =>
+          new Promise((resolve) => {
+            resolveFetch = resolve;
+          }),
+      );
+
+      const p1 = refreshModelsCache();
+      const p2 = refreshModelsCache();
+
+      expect(mockFetchModels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2); // 1 initial mount + 1 forced refresh (shared)
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        resolveFetch?.({
+          models: [{ provider: "grok-cli", id: "grok-4", name: "Grok 4" }],
+          favoriteProviders: [],
+          favoriteModels: [],
+        });
+        await Promise.all([p1, p2]);
+      });
+
+      expect(mockFetchModels).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it("never throws and leaves an existing good list intact when the forced refresh fails", async () => {
+      mockFetchModels.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        models: [{ provider: "openai", id: "gpt-4o", name: "GPT-4o" }],
+        favoriteProviders: [],
+        favoriteModels: [],
+      });
+      const { result } = renderHook(() => useModelsCache());
+      await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.loading).toBe(false));
+
+      mockFetchModels.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("network down"));
+
+      await expect(refreshModelsCache()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+      expect(result.current.models[0]?.id).toBe("gpt-4o");
+    });
+  });
 });

packages/dashboard/app/hooks/useModelsCache.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ const EMPTY_MODELS_STATE: ModelsCacheState = {
 };
 
 let inflight: Promise<ModelsResponse> | null = null;
+// Guards concurrent refreshModelsCache() callers so they share one forced
+// fetch instead of each spawning its own request (see FNXC:ModelCatalog
+// comment on refreshModelsCache below).
+let refreshInflight: Promise<void> | null = null;
 const listeners = new Set<(state: ModelsCacheState) => void>();
 
 function toModelsCacheState(response: ModelsResponse | null | undefined): ModelsCacheState {
@@ -53,13 +57,75 @@ function notifyListeners(state: ModelsCacheState): void {
 
 async function fetchModelsShared(): Promise<ModelsResponse> {
   if (!inflight) {
-    inflight = fetchModels().finally(() => {
+    const promise = fetchModels();
-      inflight = null;
+    inflight = promise;
-    });
+    // Only clear `inflight` if it still points at *this* promise — a forced
+    // refresh (see refreshModelsCache) may have already replaced it with a
+    // newer in-flight fetch, and this stale promise resolving later must not
+    // wipe out that newer reference out from under it. `.catch(() => {})`
+    // swallows the rejection on THIS bookkeeping branch only — the original
+    // `promise` returned below is untouched and still rejects for callers
+    // that await it, so error handling (try/catch in load()/refreshModelsCache)
+    // is unaffected; this just avoids a duplicate unhandled-rejection listener.
+    promise.then(
+      () => {
+        if (inflight === promise) inflight = null;
+      },
+      () => {
+        if (inflight === promise) inflight = null;
+      },
+    );
   }
   return inflight;
 }
 
+/**
+ * FNXC:ModelCatalog 2026-07-08-00:00:
+ * FN-7710: Enabling/disabling a CLI provider (Grok, Cursor, Claude CLI,
+ * llama.cpp) changes which rows `/api/models` returns, but every already-
+ * mounted `useModelsCache()` consumer (board Quick Entry, Task Detail, New
+ * Agent, Workflow editor, etc.) only re-fetches on its own mount — it has no
+ * way to know the shared catalog is now stale. Previously the CLI provider
+ * cards' `onToggled` handler only refreshed the Settings Authentication
+ * panel (`loadAuthStatus()`), so newly-enabled `grok-cli`/`cursor-cli`
+ * models stayed invisible until some unrelated Settings surface happened to
+ * call `fetchModels()` fresh. `refreshModelsCache()` is the shared,
+ * single-flight, never-throw entry point any non-hook caller (a settings
+ * card, a toggle handler) can invoke to force a fresh fetch, write through
+ * `SWR_CACHE_KEYS.MODELS`, and notify every mounted `useModelsCache`
+ * subscriber via the module-level `listeners` set — no remount required.
+ * Concurrent `refreshModelsCache()` callers share one forced fetch via
+ * `refreshInflight`. A failed refresh must never blank an existing good
+ * list: on error this simply leaves the current cache/listeners state
+ * untouched, so a transient network hiccup degrades to "keep showing the
+ * last good list", not an empty picker.
+ */
+export async function refreshModelsCache(): Promise<void> {
+  if (refreshInflight) {
+    return refreshInflight;
+  }
+
+  refreshInflight = (async () => {
+    try {
+      // Force a fresh fetch: drop any pre-toggle in-flight promise so a
+      // response requested before the provider toggle took effect is never
+      // mistaken for the post-toggle catalog.
+      inflight = null;
+      const response = await fetchModelsShared();
+      const nextState = toModelsCacheState(response);
+      writeCache(SWR_CACHE_KEYS.MODELS, response, { maxBytes: 500_000 });
+      notifyListeners(nextState);
+    } catch {
+      // Never throw, never blank an existing good list — leave cache/listeners
+      // state untouched on failure (see FNXC:ModelCatalog comment above).
+    }
+  })().finally(() => {
+    refreshInflight = null;
+  });
+
+  return refreshInflight;
+}
+
 export function useModelsCache(): UseModelsCacheResult {
   const cachedState = readCachedModelsState();
   const [state, setState] = useState<ModelsCacheState>(() => cachedState ?? EMPTY_MODELS_STATE);

packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/cursor-model-cache.test.ts

@@ -181,4 +181,38 @@ describe("getCursorPickerModels caching", () => {
 
     expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
+
+  // FN-7710: a transient cold-start empty/unavailable result must not poison
+  // the cache for the full 60s TTL — it self-heals after a much shorter
+  // negative-TTL window while a non-empty result keeps the normal TTL.
+  it("re-fetches an empty/unavailable result well before the full 60s TTL elapses", async () => {
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [], source: "probe", fallbackUsed: true, reason: "binary unavailable" });
+    let clock = 1000;
+    const now = () => clock;
+
+    const first = await getCursorPickerModels({ binaryPath: "cursor-test-8", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+    expect(first).toEqual([]);
+
+    // Well past a short negative-TTL window, but far short of the full 60s TTL.
+    clock += 10_000;
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [{ id: "cursor/sonnet" }], source: "json", fallbackUsed: false });
+    const second = await getCursorPickerModels({ binaryPath: "cursor-test-8", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+
+    expect(second).toEqual([
+      { provider: "cursor-cli", id: "cursor/sonnet", name: "cursor/sonnet", reasoning: false, contextWindow: 0 },
+    ]);
+    expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a successful non-empty result cached for the full requested TTL (unlike an empty result)", async () => {
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [{ id: "cursor/sonnet" }], source: "json", fallbackUsed: false });
+    let clock = 1000;
+    const now = () => clock;
+
+    await getCursorPickerModels({ binaryPath: "cursor-test-9", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+    clock += 10_000; // inside the 60s TTL for a non-empty result
+    await getCursorPickerModels({ binaryPath: "cursor-test-9", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+
+    expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
 });

packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/grok-model-cache.test.ts

@@ -149,4 +149,37 @@ describe("getGrokPickerModels caching", () => {
 
     expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
+
+  // FN-7710: mirrors the Cursor picker cache negative-TTL hardening — a transient
+  // cold-start empty/unavailable result must not poison the cache for the full 60s TTL.
+  it("re-fetches an empty/unavailable result well before the full 60s TTL elapses", async () => {
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [], source: "probe", fallbackUsed: true, reason: "binary unavailable" });
+    let clock = 1000;
+    const now = () => clock;
+
+    const first = await getGrokPickerModels({ binaryPath: "grok-test-8", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+    expect(first).toEqual([]);
+
+    // Well past a short negative-TTL window, but far short of the full 60s TTL.
+    clock += 10_000;
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [{ id: "grok-4" }], source: "models-text", fallbackUsed: false });
+    const second = await getGrokPickerModels({ binaryPath: "grok-test-8", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+
+    expect(second).toEqual([
+      { provider: "grok-cli", id: "grok-4", name: "grok-4", reasoning: false, contextWindow: 0 },
+    ]);
+    expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a successful non-empty result cached for the full requested TTL (unlike an empty result)", async () => {
+    mockedDiscover.mockResolvedValueOnce({ models: [{ id: "grok-4" }], source: "models-text", fallbackUsed: false });
+    let clock = 1000;
+    const now = () => clock;
+
+    await getGrokPickerModels({ binaryPath: "grok-test-9", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+    clock += 10_000; // inside the 60s TTL for a non-empty result
+    await getGrokPickerModels({ binaryPath: "grok-test-9", ttlMs: 60_000, now });
+
+    expect(mockedDiscover).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
 });

packages/dashboard/src/cursor-model-cache.ts

@@ -51,6 +51,19 @@ export const CURSOR_PICKER_PROVIDER_ID = "cursor-cli" as const;
 /** Default cache TTL for Cursor model discovery, in milliseconds. */
 const DEFAULT_TTL_MS = 60_000;
 
+/**
+ * FNXC:ModelCatalog 2026-07-08-00:00:
+ * FN-7710: A transient cold-start empty/unavailable discovery result (e.g. the
+ * `cursor-agent` binary racing keychain/IDE warm-up right after the provider is toggled on)
+ * was previously cached for the full `DEFAULT_TTL_MS` (60s), same as a real successful
+ * result — so a first-load empty could persist for a minute even after the CLI became
+ * available. Empty/unavailable results now use this much shorter negative TTL so a
+ * transient cold-start empty self-heals quickly, while a non-empty successful discovery
+ * keeps using the normal 60s TTL. Single-flight and never-throw/never-spawn-per-request
+ * guarantees are unchanged — only how long an empty result is trusted.
+ */
+const EMPTY_RESULT_TTL_MS = 5_000;
+
 /**
  * Map Cursor CLI discovery output into the stable `/api/models` row shape.
  *
@@ -95,6 +108,8 @@ interface CacheEntry {
   fetchedAt: number;
   /** The resolved (possibly empty, on failure/unavailability) model list. */
   models: CursorPickerModel[];
+  /** The TTL that applies to this specific entry (short for empty results; see FN-7710). */
+  ttlMs: number;
 }
 
 /** Per-binaryPath cache of the most recently resolved Cursor picker models. */
@@ -149,7 +164,7 @@ export async function getCursorPickerModels(
   const nowMs = now();
 
   const cached = cache.get(binaryPath);
-  if (cached && nowMs - cached.fetchedAt < ttlMs) {
+  if (cached && nowMs - cached.fetchedAt < cached.ttlMs) {
     return cached.models;
   }
 
@@ -177,7 +192,11 @@ export async function getCursorPickerModels(
 
   try {
     const models = await fetchPromise;
-    cache.set(binaryPath, { fetchedAt: now(), models });
+    // FN-7710: empty/unavailable results use a short negative TTL so a
+    // transient cold-start empty self-heals quickly instead of persisting
+    // for the full 60s TTL (see FNXC:ModelCatalog comment above).
+    const effectiveTtlMs = models.length === 0 ? EMPTY_RESULT_TTL_MS : ttlMs;
+    cache.set(binaryPath, { fetchedAt: now(), models, ttlMs: effectiveTtlMs });
     return models;
   } finally {
     inFlight.delete(binaryPath);

packages/dashboard/src/grok-model-cache.ts

@@ -39,6 +39,19 @@ export const GROK_PICKER_PROVIDER_ID = "grok-cli" as const;
 /** Default cache TTL for Grok model discovery, in milliseconds. */
 const DEFAULT_TTL_MS = 60_000;
 
+/**
+ * FNXC:ModelCatalog 2026-07-08-00:00:
+ * FN-7710: mirrors the Cursor picker cache's negative-TTL hardening
+ * (cursor-model-cache.ts). A transient cold-start empty/unavailable discovery result was
+ * previously cached for the full `DEFAULT_TTL_MS` (60s), same as a real successful result —
+ * so a first-load empty right after the provider is toggled on could persist for a minute.
+ * Empty/unavailable results now use this much shorter negative TTL so a transient cold-start
+ * empty self-heals quickly, while a non-empty successful discovery keeps the normal 60s TTL.
+ * Single-flight and never-throw/never-spawn-per-request guarantees are unchanged — only how
+ * long an empty result is trusted.
+ */
+const EMPTY_RESULT_TTL_MS = 5_000;
+
 /**
  * Map Grok CLI discovery output into the stable `/api/models` row shape.
  *
@@ -78,6 +91,8 @@ interface CacheEntry {
   fetchedAt: number;
   /** The resolved (possibly empty, on failure/unavailability) model list. */
   models: GrokPickerModel[];
+  /** The TTL that applies to this specific entry (short for empty results; see FN-7710). */
+  ttlMs: number;
 }
 
 /** Per-binaryPath cache of the most recently resolved Grok picker models. */
@@ -130,7 +145,7 @@ export async function getGrokPickerModels(
   const nowMs = now();
 
   const cached = cache.get(binaryPath);
-  if (cached && nowMs - cached.fetchedAt < ttlMs) {
+  if (cached && nowMs - cached.fetchedAt < cached.ttlMs) {
     return cached.models;
   }
 
@@ -158,7 +173,11 @@ export async function getGrokPickerModels(
 
   try {
     const models = await fetchPromise;
-    cache.set(binaryPath, { fetchedAt: now(), models });
+    // FN-7710: empty/unavailable results use a short negative TTL so a
+    // transient cold-start empty self-heals quickly instead of persisting
+    // for the full 60s TTL (see FNXC:ModelCatalog comment above).
+    const effectiveTtlMs = models.length === 0 ? EMPTY_RESULT_TTL_MS : ttlMs;
+    cache.set(binaryPath, { fetchedAt: now(), models, ttlMs: effectiveTtlMs });
     return models;
   } finally {
     inFlight.delete(binaryPath);