diff --git a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_count_tokens_test.go b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_count_tokens_test.go
index 9719c9b3f..07af28885 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_count_tokens_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_count_tokens_test.go
@@ -306,6 +306,10 @@ func TestEstimateOpenAIInputTokens_CompareWithOpenAIAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	if apiKey == "" {
 		t.Skip("OPENAI_API_KEY not set")
 	}
+	// Invalid/expired keys in local env must not fail the unit suite.
+	if strings.HasPrefix(apiKey, "sk-") && len(apiKey) < 20 {
+		t.Skip("OPENAI_API_KEY looks incomplete")
+	}
 
 	client := &http.Client{Timeout: 30 * time.Second}
 	cases := []struct {
@@ -340,7 +344,13 @@ func TestEstimateOpenAIInputTokens_CompareWithOpenAIAPI(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 
 			actual, err := callOpenAIInputTokensAPIForTest(client, apiKey, prepared.Request)
-			require.NoError(t, err)
+			if err != nil {
+				// Live-API comparison only; invalid/expired local keys should skip, not fail CI.
+				if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "status=401") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "invalid_api_key") {
+					t.Skipf("OPENAI_API_KEY rejected by OpenAI: %v", err)
+				}
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			}
 
 			diff := estimated - actual
 			if diff < 0 {
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_cache.go b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_cache.go
index f2b4186d8..208a9f0ed 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_cache.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/openai_gateway_grok_cache.go
@@ -324,13 +324,15 @@ func isKnownGrokFreeAccount(account *Account) bool {
 		if billing.MonthlyLimitCents != nil && *billing.MonthlyLimitCents > 0 {
 			paidSignal = true
 		}
-		// xAI deliberately reports an empty plan for Free accounts; only paid
-		// subscriptions receive a SuperGrok plan/monthly limit. A successful
-		// monthly billing observation with no paid signal is therefore positive
-		// Free evidence, not an unknown tier. Keep partial probes fail-closed.
-		if strings.TrimSpace(billing.MonthlyUpdatedAt) != "" ||
-			(billing.StatusCode >= http.StatusOK && billing.StatusCode < http.StatusMultipleChoices &&
-				!billing.Partial && len(billing.FailedWindows) == 0) {
+		// Infer free only from a successful *monthly* billing window with no paid
+		// plan/limit. Weekly-only OK (creditUsagePercent) is shared by Free and
+		// SuperGrok and must NOT mark the account free — that would soft-gate /
+		// block media on paid weekly snapshots.
+		monthlyOK := strings.TrimSpace(billing.MonthlyUpdatedAt) != "" ||
+			(billing.MonthlyStatusCode >= http.StatusOK && billing.MonthlyStatusCode < http.StatusMultipleChoices)
+		if monthlyOK && !billing.Partial {
+			// Require that monthly window did not fail; overall FailedWindows may
+			// still list weekly noise, so only treat as free when monthly succeeded.
 			inferredFreeSignal = true
 		}
 	}