diff --git a/internal/gateway/plugin_test.go b/internal/gateway/plugin_test.go
index 2180d368..44208a05 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/plugin_test.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/plugin_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -165,6 +166,14 @@ func TestPluginProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	mu.Lock()
 	limited = "Bearer k1"
 	mu.Unlock()
+	var staled []string
+	staleAllowance = func(agent, user string) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		staled = append(staled, agent)
+		mu.Unlock()
+		provider.StaleAllowance(agent, user)
+	}
+	defer func() { staleAllowance = provider.StaleAllowance }()
 	code, body := postAs(t, s, "", `{"model":"fakeco/fake-1","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"hello"}]}`)
 	mu.Lock()
 	last := got[len(got)-1]
@@ -172,6 +181,23 @@ func TestPluginProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	if code != 200 || !strings.Contains(body, "hi from chat") || last.auth != "Bearer k2" {
 		t.Fatalf("with the first account limited: %d %s, upstream saw %+v", code, body, last)
 	}
+	// the limited account's allowance is asked again as its usage is kept,
+	// and it rests as that account
+	mu.Lock()
+	asked := slices.Clone(staled)
+	mu.Unlock()
+	if !slices.Contains(asked, "plugin:fakeco") {
+		t.Fatalf("the limited account's allowance went stale as %q, not plugin:fakeco", asked)
+	}
+	restingUntil.Lock()
+	var rests []string
+	for _, r := range restingUntil.note {
+		rests = append(rests, r.agent)
+	}
+	restingUntil.Unlock()
+	if !slices.Contains(rests, "plugin:fakeco") {
+		t.Fatalf("the limited account rests as %q, not plugin:fakeco", rests)
+	}
 
 	if err := plugin.SignOut(ctx, "fakeco", ""); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/internal/gateway/routing.go b/internal/gateway/routing.go
index 48bcf311..83026862 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/routing.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/routing.go
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@ func renewed(agent, user string) {
 
 func init() { provider.OnRenewed(renewed) }
 
+// staleAllowance is provider.StaleAllowance, swapped in tests.
+var staleAllowance = provider.StaleAllowance
+
 // Unrest lifts the rest of what rests by key — an account just verified
 // with its vendor, say — so the next request asks it again. False when it
 // wasn't resting.
@@ -320,12 +323,14 @@ func (s *Server) restAfterMarked(c candidate, status int, header http.Header, bo
 			d, r.By = t.Sub(now), "window"
 		}
 	}
+	// an account is kept by the agent its usage is asked of: a plugin's
+	// by the plugin's provider ("plugin:grok"), not by "plugin"
 	if a := c.p.Account; a != nil && why != failOther && why != failVerify {
-		provider.StaleAllowance(a.Agent, a.User) // ask again what it has left
+		staleAllowance(a.UsageAgent(), a.User) // ask again what it has left
 	}
 	r.Until = now.Add(d)
 	if a := c.p.Account; a != nil {
-		r.agent, r.user = a.Agent, a.User
+		r.agent, r.user = a.UsageAgent(), a.User
 	}
 	id := c.restKey()
 	// OpenRouter identifies a provider's shared pool separately from its
diff --git a/internal/provider/routing.go b/internal/provider/routing.go
index 95b61ab7..fbd907b7 100644
--- a/internal/provider/routing.go
+++ b/internal/provider/routing.go
@@ -187,6 +187,8 @@ func StaleAllowance(agent, user string) {
 	loginUsageCache.Lock()
 	delete(loginUsageCache.m, agent+"/"+strings.ToLower(user))
 	loginUsageCache.Unlock()
+	// the built-in keeps Grok's usage by home; a Grok moved to its plugin
+	// keeps it as "plugin:grok"'s, the line above
 	if agent == "grok" {
 		gs := grokLogins()
 		grokHomeUsage.Lock()