diff --git a/tests/tools/test_tts_streaming.py b/tests/tools/test_tts_streaming.py
index 75670c4999..49905ac097 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_tts_streaming.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_tts_streaming.py
@@ -199,13 +199,40 @@ def test_xai_available_uses_oauth_credential_resolver(monkeypatch):
     import types
 
     fake = types.ModuleType("tools.xai_http")
-    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda: {"api_key": "xai-key"}
+    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda **kw: {"api_key": "xai-key"}
     monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "tools.xai_http", fake)
     assert ts.XAIStreamer.available() is True
-    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda: {"api_key": ""}
+    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda **kw: {"api_key": ""}
     assert ts.XAIStreamer.available() is False
 
 
+def test_xai_streaming_prefers_explicit_api_key(monkeypatch):
+    """Metered TTS 403s on the subscription OAuth bearer — the streaming path must
+    resolve credentials with prefer_api_key=True like the sync path (#87045)."""
+    import sys
+    import types
+
+    calls = []
+
+    fake = types.ModuleType("tools.xai_http")
+    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda **kw: calls.append(kw) or {"api_key": "k"}
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "tools.xai_http", fake)
+
+    ts.XAIStreamer.available()
+    assert calls and all(c.get("prefer_api_key") is True for c in calls)
+
+    # _async_frames resolves before websockets.connect; an empty key raises first.
+    calls.clear()
+    ws_fake = types.ModuleType("websockets")
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "websockets", ws_fake)
+    fake.resolve_xai_http_credentials = lambda **kw: calls.append(kw) or {"api_key": ""}
+    streamer = ts.XAIStreamer({}, {"voice_id": "v"})
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="No xAI credentials"):
+        import asyncio
+        asyncio.run(streamer._async_frames("hi").__anext__())
+    assert calls and calls[0].get("prefer_api_key") is True
+
+
 # ── Gemini SSE parsing ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
diff --git a/tools/tts_streaming.py b/tools/tts_streaming.py
index ef72670ce2..71bc4a2cee 100644
--- a/tools/tts_streaming.py
+++ b/tools/tts_streaming.py
@@ -293,7 +293,9 @@ class XAIStreamer(StreamingTTSProvider):
     def available() -> bool:
         try:
             from tools.xai_http import resolve_xai_http_credentials
-            return bool(str(resolve_xai_http_credentials().get("api_key") or "").strip())
+            # Same ordering as the sync path: the subscription OAuth bearer
+            # authorizes but 403s on metered TTS, so an explicit key wins (#87045).
+            return bool(str(resolve_xai_http_credentials(prefer_api_key=True).get("api_key") or "").strip())
         except Exception:
             return False
 
@@ -312,7 +314,7 @@ class XAIStreamer(StreamingTTSProvider):
         import websockets
         from tools.tts_tool_providers import DEFAULT_XAI_VOICE_ID
         from tools.xai_http import resolve_xai_http_credentials
-        api_key = str(resolve_xai_http_credentials().get("api_key") or "").strip()
+        api_key = str(resolve_xai_http_credentials(prefer_api_key=True).get("api_key") or "").strip()
         if not api_key:
             raise RuntimeError("No xAI credentials for streaming TTS")
         voice = str(self.section.get("voice_id", DEFAULT_XAI_VOICE_ID)).strip() or DEFAULT_XAI_VOICE_ID