diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/__tests__/areas.test.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/__tests__/areas.test.tsx
index d6ed8abe0e..019f0b4b19 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/__tests__/areas.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/__tests__/areas.test.tsx
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ describe("Command Center cost formatting", () => {
     expect(formatCost(911.39004125, true)).toBe("$911.39+");
     expect(formatCost(12.5, false)).toBe("$12.50");
     expect(formatCost(0, false)).toBe("$0.00");
+    expect(formatCost(0, true)).toBe("—");
     expect(formatCost(null, true)).toBe("—");
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/areaShared.ts b/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/areaShared.ts
index 6e8a7e5f18..44b721029a 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/areaShared.ts
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/command-center/areas/areaShared.ts
@@ -50,9 +50,12 @@ export function formatDurationMs(ms: number | null): string {
  *
  * FNXC:CommandCenterCost 2026-07-10-23:20:
  * Cost aggregation deliberately preserves the priced subtotal when some usage has unknown pricing. Overview, Tokens, Team, and Workflows must display that subtotal with a trailing `+`; show `—` only when no usage can be priced, and keep an exact priced zero distinct from unavailable data.
+ *
+ * FNXC:CommandCenterCost 2026-07-10-23:35:
+ * A zero subtotal is exact only when every contribution is priced. Mixed pricing with a zero known subtotal must remain `—`, because `$0.00+` suggests a meaningful lower bound while all positive cost may belong to unpriced usage.
  */
 export function formatCost(usd: number | null, unavailable: boolean): string {
-  if (usd === null || !Number.isFinite(usd)) {
+  if (usd === null || !Number.isFinite(usd) || (unavailable && usd === 0)) {
     return "—";
   }
   const formatted = `$${usd.toLocaleString(undefined, { minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2 })}`;