diff --git a/internal/plugin/host.js b/internal/plugin/host.js
index 3ceead3a..3c466472 100644
--- a/internal/plugin/host.js
+++ b/internal/plugin/host.js
@@ -569,6 +569,9 @@ async function info(id, key, strict) {
       if (strict && !(e?.signIn === "expired" && all[k])) throw e
       const r = reach.getStore()
       if (r && e?.signIn === "expired") r.refused ??= e?.message ?? String(e)
+      // a hook that threw on its vendor's failure has no list to tell:
+      // magpie keeps the one it had, as for one that gave its defaults back
+      out.fellBack = true
       send({ event: "log", level: "error", message: `${h.spec}: provider.models: ${e?.message ?? e}` })
     }
   }
@@ -615,8 +618,9 @@ async function providers() {
     const p = await info(id)
     // each account's own models, as the built-ins read each account's: a
     // plan may serve fewer, or others, than the first account's. One that
-    // can't be read is taken to have them all.
-    const own = await Promise.all(keys.slice(1).map((k) => info(id, k, true).catch(() => null)))
+    // can't be read is taken to have them all, or the ones it was last
+    // told to have, as a built-in account whose fetch failed keeps its own.
+    const own = await Promise.all(keys.slice(1).map((k) => info(id, k, true).catch(() => ({ failed: true }))))
     const models = { ...p.models }
     for (const q of own) for (const [k, m] of Object.entries(q?.models ?? {})) models[k] ??= m
     const ids = (q) => Object.values(q.models).filter((m) => m.status !== "deprecated").map((m) => m.id)
@@ -639,8 +643,8 @@ async function providers() {
         type: stored[k]?.type ?? "",
         accountId: whoOf(stored[k]),
         hint: hintOf(stored[k]),
-        models: own.length === 0 ? undefined : i === 0 ? ids(p) : own[i - 1] ? ids(own[i - 1]) : undefined,
-        fellBack: i === 0 ? !!p.fellBack : !!own[i - 1]?.fellBack,
+        models: own.length === 0 ? undefined : i === 0 ? ids(p) : own[i - 1]?.models ? ids(own[i - 1]) : undefined,
+        fellBack: i === 0 ? !!p.fellBack : !!(own[i - 1]?.fellBack || own[i - 1]?.failed),
       })),
       models: Object.values(models)
         .filter((m) => m.status !== "deprecated")
diff --git a/internal/plugin/plugin_listed_test.go b/internal/plugin/plugin_listed_test.go
index b011c57c..a3f89ad5 100644
--- a/internal/plugin/plugin_listed_test.go
+++ b/internal/plugin/plugin_listed_test.go
@@ -15,9 +15,17 @@ import (
 // A plugin whose models hook can't reach its vendor and gives its
 // defaults back keeps the list it told last, for the provider and each
 // account, as a built-in whose fetch fails keeps the one it fetched last;
-// the vendor back, its list is told again.
+// the vendor back, its list is told again. So too for a hook that throws
+// (Cursor's, Grok's, Devin's) rather than give its defaults back.
 func TestFallenBackListKeepsTheLastOne(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, throws := range []string{"", "1"} {
+		t.Run("throws="+throws, func(t *testing.T) { fallenBack(t, throws) })
+	}
+}
+
+func fallenBack(t *testing.T, throws string) {
 	sandbox(t)
+	t.Setenv("FAKE_MODELS_THROW", throws)
 	var down atomic.Bool
 	var name atomic.Value
 	name.Store("extra")
diff --git a/internal/plugin/testdata/fake/index.js b/internal/plugin/testdata/fake/index.js
index a21556ff..cde0e43d 100644
--- a/internal/plugin/testdata/fake/index.js
+++ b/internal/plugin/testdata/fake/index.js
@@ -113,7 +113,11 @@ export const FakePlugin = async ({ client }) => ({
       if (auth?.key === "few") return { "fake-1": p.models["fake-1"] }
       // $FAKE_MODELS: the vendor's list, whose answer names one more model
       if (process.env.FAKE_MODELS && auth) {
-        const r = await fetch(process.env.FAKE_MODELS).then((r) => r.text()).catch(() => "")
+        const r = await fetch(process.env.FAKE_MODELS).then((r) => r.text()).catch((e) => {
+          // $FAKE_MODELS_THROW: the hook throws, as Cursor's, Grok's and Devin's do
+          if (process.env.FAKE_MODELS_THROW) throw e
+          return ""
+        })
         if (r) p.models["fake-" + r] = { ...p.models["fake-1"], id: "fake-" + r, name: r }
       }
       return p.models