diff --git a/hermes_cli/model_switch_providers.py b/hermes_cli/model_switch_providers.py
index 0d1c408b0f..00014ab4e2 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/model_switch_providers.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/model_switch_providers.py
@@ -416,7 +416,9 @@ def _nous_picker_model_ids(curated: dict, force_fresh_nous_tier: bool) -> list:
             union_with_portal_paid_recommendations,
         )
         from hermes_cli.auth import get_provider_auth_state
-        pricing = get_pricing_for_provider("nous") or {}
+        # Cache-only: both Portal unions below discard the pricing map (``model_ids, _ = ...``);
+        # only the appended ids matter, so a live catalog fetch here buys nothing but latency.
+        pricing = get_pricing_for_provider("nous", cached_only=True) or {}
         try:
             portal = (get_provider_auth_state("nous") or {}).get("portal_base_url", "") or ""
         except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_nous_picker_pricing_cached_only.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_nous_picker_pricing_cached_only.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12a5609ecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_nous_picker_pricing_cached_only.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+"""The Nous picker row never starts a pricing fetch: the picker only uses the ids the Portal
+unions append, and a cold pricing cache must not hold the picker open (salvage of #102099)."""
+
+import hermes_cli.models_pricing as mp
+from hermes_cli import model_switch_providers as msp
+
+
+def test_nous_picker_model_ids_reads_pricing_cache_only(monkeypatch):
+    seen: list[bool] = []
+
+    def fake_pricing(provider, *, force_refresh=False, cached_only=False):
+        seen.append(cached_only)
+        return {}
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "get_pricing_for_provider", fake_pricing)
+    # Keep the sibling Portal calls off the network; only the pricing call shape is under test.
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.models.check_nous_free_tier", lambda **kw: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.models.fetch_nous_recommended_models", lambda *a, **kw: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "nous_policy_allowed_ids", lambda **kw: None)
+
+    assert msp._nous_picker_model_ids({"nous": ["nous/a"]}, False) == ["nous/a"]
+    assert seen == [True]