diff --git a/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate.go b/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate.go
index 8930db114..fe1b974bb 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate.go
@@ -155,12 +155,17 @@ func filterGrokFreeQuotaAccountsCore(
 		}
 		if cached, ok := cache.Load(account.ID); ok {
 			entry, valid := cached.(grokFreeQuotaGateCacheEntry)
-			age := now.Sub(entry.checkedAt)
-			if valid && settings.cacheTTL > 0 && age >= 0 && age < settings.cacheTTL {
-				if entry.known {
-					tokensByID[account.ID] = entry.tokens
+			if valid {
+				age := now.Sub(entry.checkedAt)
+				// cacheTTL == 0 means "no expiry" for known entries (still fail-open
+				// on first miss; refresh is only scheduled when missing/stale).
+				fresh := settings.cacheTTL <= 0 || (age >= 0 && age < settings.cacheTTL)
+				if fresh {
+					if entry.known {
+						tokensByID[account.ID] = entry.tokens
+					}
+					continue
 				}
-				continue
 			}
 		}
 		// Miss / stale: fail open on this request; refresh asynchronously.
@@ -228,10 +233,10 @@ func scheduleGrokFreeQuotaStatsRefresh(
 		statsByID, err := queryGrokFreeQuotaWindowStats(context.Background(), usageLogRepo, toFetch, now.Add(-window))
 		if err != nil {
 			grokFreeQuotaGateQueryFailureTotal.Add(1)
-			if cacheTTL > 0 {
-				for _, accountID := range toFetch {
-					cache.Store(accountID, grokFreeQuotaGateCacheEntry{checkedAt: now})
-				}
+			// Store a negative entry so subsequent hot-path calls do not thrash.
+			// known=false → still fail open until a successful refresh lands.
+			for _, accountID := range toFetch {
+				cache.Store(accountID, grokFreeQuotaGateCacheEntry{checkedAt: now})
 			}
 			slog.Warn("grok_free_quota_soft_gate_stats_failed",
 				"account_count", len(toFetch),
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate_test.go b/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate_test.go
index b1f8d604f..3b3eae769 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/grok_free_quota_gate_test.go
@@ -157,15 +157,23 @@ func TestFilterGrokFreeQuotaAccountsRecoversAfterRollingUsageFalls(t *testing.T)
 	require.Empty(t, scheduler.filterGrokFreeQuotaAccounts(context.Background(), accounts), "fresh cache keeps the soft-gate hold")
 
 	// Expire entry → miss fails open and schedules refresh with recovered usage.
+	// Clear in-flight markers so a refresh is allowed after we force-expire the entry.
+	if root, ok := freeQuotaRefreshInFlight.Load(&scheduler.grokFreeQuotaGateCache); ok {
+		if m, ok := root.(*sync.Map); ok {
+			m.Delete(int64(1))
+		}
+	}
+	callsBeforeExpire := repo.calls
 	scheduler.grokFreeQuotaGateCache.Store(int64(1), grokFreeQuotaGateCacheEntry{
-		tokens: 490_000, checkedAt: time.Now().Add(-time.Minute), known: true,
+		tokens: 490_000, checkedAt: time.Now().Add(-2 * time.Minute), known: true, // TTL=60s → stale
 	})
+	// Hot path fail-open while refresh is in flight.
 	require.Equal(t, []int64{1}, accountIDs(scheduler.filterGrokFreeQuotaAccounts(context.Background(), accounts)))
 	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
 		filtered := scheduler.filterGrokFreeQuotaAccounts(context.Background(), accounts)
-		return len(filtered) == 1 && filtered[0].ID == 1
+		return len(filtered) == 1 && filtered[0].ID == 1 &&
+			repo.calls > callsBeforeExpire
 	}, 2*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
-	require.GreaterOrEqual(t, repo.calls, 2)
 }
 
 func TestResolveGrokFreeQuotaGateSettingsDefaultsToNinetyFivePercent(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_search_billing_test.go b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_search_billing_test.go
index 5d0525b12..dc998ec5d 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_search_billing_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_search_billing_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -87,13 +88,14 @@ func TestForwardGrokResponses_PropagatesSearchCountFromSSE(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
-	// Sticky/non-list path must not return over-gate free OAuth accounts.
+	// Sticky/non-list path must not return over-gate free OAuth accounts once cache is warm.
+	// First sticky hit fail-opens and schedules async refresh; subsequent hits use the cache.
 	cfg := &config.Config{}
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaSoftGateEnabled = true
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaTokenLimit = 500_000
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaSoftGatePercent = 95
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaWindowHours = 24
-	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaStatsCacheSeconds = 0
+	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaStatsCacheSeconds = 60
 
 	account := healthyGrokOAuthGatewayTestAccount(8801, "tok")
 	account.Credentials["subscription_tier"] = "free"
@@ -111,15 +113,26 @@ func TestGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
 		gatewayGrokFreeQuotaGateCache.Delete(key)
 		return true
 	})
+	if root, ok := freeQuotaRefreshInFlight.Load(&gatewayGrokFreeQuotaGateCache); ok {
+		if m, ok := root.(*sync.Map); ok {
+			m.Delete(account.ID)
+		}
+	}
 	svc := &GatewayService{
 		cfg:          cfg,
 		accountRepo:  repo,
 		usageLogRepo: usageRepo,
 	}
 
+	// Miss: fail open + schedule refresh.
 	got, err := svc.getSchedulableAccount(context.Background(), account.ID)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Nil(t, got, "over free soft-gate sticky hit must miss")
+	require.NotNil(t, got, "first sticky hit fail-opens while free-gate stats refresh")
+
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		got, err := svc.getSchedulableAccount(context.Background(), account.ID)
+		return err == nil && got == nil
+	}, 2*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond, "over free soft-gate sticky hit must miss after cache warm")
 }
 
 func TestOpenAIGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
@@ -129,7 +142,7 @@ func TestOpenAIGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaTokenLimit = 500_000
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaSoftGatePercent = 95
 	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaWindowHours = 24
-	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaStatsCacheSeconds = 0
+	cfg.Gateway.Grok.FreeQuotaStatsCacheSeconds = 60
 
 	account := healthyGrokOAuthGatewayTestAccount(8802, "tok")
 	account.Credentials["subscription_tier"] = "free"
@@ -146,6 +159,11 @@ func TestOpenAIGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
 		openaiGrokFreeQuotaGateCache.Delete(key)
 		return true
 	})
+	if root, ok := freeQuotaRefreshInFlight.Load(&openaiGrokFreeQuotaGateCache); ok {
+		if m, ok := root.(*sync.Map); ok {
+			m.Delete(account.ID)
+		}
+	}
 	svc := &OpenAIGatewayService{
 		cfg:          cfg,
 		accountRepo:  repo,
@@ -154,7 +172,12 @@ func TestOpenAIGetSchedulableAccount_AppliesGrokFreeSoftGate(t *testing.T) {
 
 	got, err := svc.getSchedulableAccount(context.Background(), account.ID)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Nil(t, got, "OpenAI legacy sticky must apply free soft-gate")
+	require.NotNil(t, got, "first sticky hit fail-opens while free-gate stats refresh")
+
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		got, err := svc.getSchedulableAccount(context.Background(), account.ID)
+		return err == nil && got == nil
+	}, 2*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond, "OpenAI legacy sticky must apply free soft-gate after cache warm")
 }
 
 func TestCountGrokNativeSearchCallsFromJSON_MessagesStyleBody(t *testing.T) {