diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
index d8df31fa43..5f1a03aeca 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/main.ts
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ import { createParentStartMarkerResolver, parentWatchdogEnv } from './parent-pro
 import { registerPetOverlayIpc } from './pet-overlay-ipc'
 import {
   buildRegistryProfileRoutes,
+  isLocalEnumerationFailure,
   localRouteFallbackProfiles,
   registryGatewayWsUrl,
   undialedSshRouteSeeds
@@ -13367,7 +13368,12 @@ ipcMain.handle('hermes:plugin-profile-routes', async (_event, rawProfileNames) =
     : undefined
 
   const localFallbackProfiles = localSource
-    ? localRouteFallbackProfiles(agents, localSource.id, fallbackProfileNames, Boolean(localEnumeration?.error))
+    ? localRouteFallbackProfiles(
+        agents,
+        localSource.id,
+        fallbackProfileNames,
+        isLocalEnumerationFailure(localEnumeration?.error)
+      )
     : []
 
   if (localSource && localFallbackProfiles.length > 0) {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
index 1b2ba0a1ec..bcd7fbbca8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import {
   buildOpaqueProfileRoutes,
   buildRegistryProfileRoutes,
+  isLocalEnumerationFailure,
   localRouteFallbackProfiles,
   type ProfileRouteConfig,
   registryGatewayWsUrl,
@@ -253,6 +254,20 @@ describe('buildRegistryProfileRoutes', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('isLocalEnumerationFailure', () => {
+  it('does not treat an intentionally deferred local enumeration as a failure', () => {
+    expect(isLocalEnumerationFailure('connect-on-demand')).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('treats any other enumeration error as a failure', () => {
+    expect(isLocalEnumerationFailure('ECONNREFUSED')).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('treats a missing error as no failure', () => {
+    expect(isLocalEnumerationFailure(undefined)).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('localRouteFallbackProfiles', () => {
   it('restores failed local profiles when another source returned agents', () => {
     const agents = [{ connectionId: 'cloud-prod', profile: 'default' }]
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
index 9f002fc5c2..576719aae6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron/plugin-profile-routes.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ interface BuildOpaqueProfileRoutesOptions {
   resolveSsh: (config: ProfileRouteConfig) => Promise<EffectiveSshRoute>
 }
 
+/** A 'connect-on-demand' local enumeration was intentionally deferred, not
+ * failed — it must not be treated as a failure or Bot Mode will synthesize
+ * cached local rows on remote-only workspaces where local was never dialed. */
+export function isLocalEnumerationFailure(error?: string): boolean {
+  return Boolean(error) && error !== 'connect-on-demand'
+}
+
 /** Return cached local profile names only when the local roster read failed. */
 export function localRouteFallbackProfiles(
   agents: RegistryProfileRouteAgent[],