diff --git a/tests/agent/test_credential_pool_terminal_refresh_visibility.py b/tests/agent/test_credential_pool_terminal_refresh_visibility.py
index 9c902a29c5..414595a947 100644
--- a/tests/agent/test_credential_pool_terminal_refresh_visibility.py
+++ b/tests/agent/test_credential_pool_terminal_refresh_visibility.py
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ later refresh attempt.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import base64
+import json
 import logging
 import threading
+import time
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -117,23 +120,39 @@ def test_surviving_manual_entry_is_marked_dead_after_terminal_refresh(monkeypatc
     assert [e.id for e in pool._entries] == ["e1"]  # manual rows are never dropped by the quarantine
     assert pool._entries[0].last_status == STATUS_DEAD
 
-def test_nous_login_missing_refresh_failure_is_terminal(monkeypatch, caplog):
-    """The resolver's "not logged in" raise (``nous_auth_missing``, relogin_required) is terminal:
-    retrying cannot succeed, so the row leaves rotation with a WARNING naming the fix and the
-    reason recorded, instead of an hour-long bench with null error fields (#113718)."""
-    from hermes_cli.auth_constants import _nous_err
+def _expired_invoke_jwt() -> str:
+    def _part(payload: dict) -> str:
+        return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(json.dumps(payload).encode()).decode().rstrip("=")
+    return f"{_part({'alg': 'none'})}.{_part({'sub': 'u', 'scope': 'inference:invoke', 'exp': int(time.time()) - 60})}.sig"
 
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("nous_state", "expected_code"),
+    [
+        (None, "nous_auth_missing"),
+        ({"client_id": "hermes-cli", "scope": "inference:invoke", "access_token": _expired_invoke_jwt(),
+          "refresh_token": "", "expires_at": "2026-02-01T00:00:00+00:00"}, "nous_auth_missing_refresh_token"),
+    ],
+    ids=["not_logged_in", "expired_jwt_without_refresh_token"],
+)
+def test_nous_login_missing_refresh_failure_is_terminal(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog, nous_state, expected_code):
+    """A "needs a login" raise from the real resolver — no Portal login at all, or an unusable
+    access token with no refresh token to redeem — is terminal: retrying cannot succeed, so the row
+    leaves rotation with a WARNING naming the fix and the reason recorded, instead of an hour-long
+    bench with null error fields (#113718). Driven through ``_refresh_entry_impl`` against a temp
+    HERMES_HOME so the production raise site's code is what reaches the classifier."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+    providers = {"nous": nous_state} if nous_state else {}
+    (tmp_path / "auth.json").write_text(json.dumps({"version": 1, "providers": providers}), encoding="utf-8")
     pool = _pool("nous")
     entry = _entry("nous", source="manual:device_code")
     pool._entries = [entry]
     cleared: list = []
-    monkeypatch.setattr(pool, "_sync_nous_entry_from_auth_store", lambda e: e)
     monkeypatch.setattr(pool, "_clear_terminal_nous_state", lambda e, exc: cleared.append(e.id))
-    monkeypatch.setattr(pool, "_quarantine_sources", lambda e, sources: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pool, "_quarantine_sources", lambda e, sources: None)  # keep the row to inspect it
 
-    exc = _nous_err("Hermes is not logged into Nous Portal.", "nous_auth_missing", relogin=True)
     with caplog.at_level(logging.INFO, logger=cp.logger.name):
-        result = pool._recover_failed_refresh(entry, exc)
+        result = pool._refresh_entry_impl(entry, force=True)
 
     assert result is None and cleared == ["e1"]
     warnings = [r for r in caplog.records if r.levelno == logging.WARNING and "terminally invalid" in r.getMessage()]
@@ -141,7 +160,7 @@ def test_nous_login_missing_refresh_failure_is_terminal(monkeypatch, caplog):
     assert "hermes auth add nous" in warnings[0].getMessage()
     row = pool._entries[0]
     assert row.last_status == STATUS_DEAD
-    assert (row.last_error_reason, row.last_error_message) == ("nous_auth_missing", str(exc))
+    assert row.last_error_reason == expected_code and row.last_error_message  # no more null error fields
 
 
 def test_nous_transient_error_still_benched(monkeypatch, caplog):