diff --git a/hermes_cli/auth_nous.py b/hermes_cli/auth_nous.py
index d2adc36557..b016acb21b 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/auth_nous.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/auth_nous.py
@@ -1272,13 +1272,19 @@ def _pool_first_oauth_status(
 
     Pool first (where `hermes auth` / `hermes model` store device_code tokens), then
     *on_pool_miss* for a pool-derived degraded status, then the legacy state via *resolve*.
+
+    The pool read is an observation (``peek``), not a lease: ``select()`` refreshes an expiring
+    single-use token and, when that speculative POST fails transiently, benches the entry with a
+    persisted cooldown — every credential-gated listing (``/model`` picker, doctor) then shows the
+    provider as unconfigured while the runtime resolver still serves it. Refreshing stays with the
+    runtime resolver reached through *resolve*, whose failures persist nothing.
     """
     from hermes_cli.auth import _auth_file_path
     try:
         from agent.credential_pool import load_pool
         pool = load_pool(provider_id)
         if pool and pool.has_credentials():
-            entry = pool.select()
+            entry = pool.peek()
             if entry is not None:
                 api_key = (
                     getattr(entry, "runtime_api_key", None) or getattr(entry, "access_token", ""))
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_oauth_status_pool_observation.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_oauth_status_pool_observation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f503b19af1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_oauth_status_pool_observation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""A status snapshot observes the credential pool; it never leases (refreshes / rotates) an entry.
+
+``get_codex_auth_status`` / ``get_xai_oauth_auth_status`` back every credential-gated listing
+(``/model`` picker, ``hermes doctor``, dashboard cards). When that read ran ``pool.select()`` it
+refreshed an expiring single-use token, and a *transient* failure of that speculative POST benched
+the entry with a persisted cooldown — the picker then rendered the provider as unconfigured
+("needs setup" / "0 models") while the runtime resolver kept serving the same credential.
+
+Fixtures adapted from #114379 by @Finn763.
+"""
+
+import base64
+import json
+import time
+
+from agent import credential_pool
+from agent.credential_pool import load_pool
+from hermes_cli.auth import AuthError, DEFAULT_CODEX_BASE_URL, get_codex_auth_status
+
+
+def _jwt_with_exp(offset_seconds: int) -> str:
+    def _b64(payload: dict) -> str:
+        return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(json.dumps(payload).encode("utf-8")).rstrip(b"=").decode("utf-8")
+
+    return f"{_b64({'alg': 'none'})}.{_b64({'exp': int(time.time()) + offset_seconds})}.sig"
+
+
+def _pool_only_codex_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch, *, access_tokens: list):
+    """HERMES_HOME whose only Codex credentials live in ``credential_pool.openai-codex``; the token
+    endpoint is a transient failure (the credential itself is still good)."""
+    import hermes_cli.auth as auth
+    import hermes_cli.codex_models as codex_models
+
+    home = tmp_path / "hermes"
+    home.mkdir()
+    entries = [
+        {"id": f"codex-pool-entry-{i}", "label": f"device_code-{i}", "auth_type": "oauth", "source": "device_code",
+         "priority": i, "request_count": 0, "access_token": token, "refresh_token": f"codex-refresh-token-{i}",
+         "base_url": DEFAULT_CODEX_BASE_URL}
+        for i, token in enumerate(access_tokens)
+    ]
+    (home / "auth.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps({"version": 1, "credential_pool": {"openai-codex": entries}}), encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CODEX_HOME", str(tmp_path / "no-codex-cli"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(codex_models, "_fetch_models_from_api", lambda access_token: [])
+    refresh_calls: list = []
+
+    def _transient_failure(access_token, refresh_token, *args, **kwargs):
+        refresh_calls.append(refresh_token)
+        raise AuthError("Codex token refresh failed with status 503.", provider="openai-codex",
+                        code="codex_refresh_failed")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(auth, "refresh_codex_oauth_pure", _transient_failure)
+    return home, refresh_calls
+
+
+def _persisted_pool(home) -> list:
+    return json.loads((home / "auth.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["credential_pool"]["openai-codex"]
+
+
+def test_status_snapshot_does_not_refresh_or_bench_an_expiring_pool_entry(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    home, refresh_calls = _pool_only_codex_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch, access_tokens=[_jwt_with_exp(-3600)])
+
+    status = get_codex_auth_status()
+
+    assert refresh_calls == [], "a status read spent the single-use pool refresh token"
+    assert status["logged_in"] is True, status
+    assert [e.get("last_status") for e in _persisted_pool(home)] == [None]
+    assert load_pool("openai-codex").has_available() is True
+
+    from hermes_cli.model_switch import list_authenticated_providers
+
+    rows = [r for r in list_authenticated_providers(current_provider="openai-codex", current_model="gpt-5.6-sol")
+            if r["slug"] == "openai-codex"]
+    assert rows and rows[0]["total_models"] > 0, rows
+
+    # Control: the runtime lease still refreshes the same entry.
+    load_pool("openai-codex").select()
+    assert refresh_calls == ["codex-refresh-token-0"]
+
+
+def test_status_snapshot_leaves_round_robin_order_and_counts_untouched(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    home, _ = _pool_only_codex_home(
+        tmp_path, monkeypatch, access_tokens=[_jwt_with_exp(3600), _jwt_with_exp(3600)])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(credential_pool, "get_pool_strategy", lambda provider: credential_pool.STRATEGY_ROUND_ROBIN)
+    before = _persisted_pool(home)
+
+    assert get_codex_auth_status()["logged_in"] is True
+    assert _persisted_pool(home) == before, "a status read rotated or re-counted the persisted pool"
+
+    # Control: a runtime selection still rotates and persists the new order.
+    load_pool("openai-codex").select()
+    assert _persisted_pool(home) != before
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/features/credential-pools.md b/website/docs/user-guide/features/credential-pools.md
index c454e120be..a12dce76fd 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/features/credential-pools.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/features/credential-pools.md
@@ -142,7 +142,10 @@ position when that rule changes it. Other strategies may override priority, and
 reordering does not rebind credentials already held by a running session.
 
 Every successful pool selection increments `request_count`, regardless of strategy.
-Refresh-only lookups and peeks do not count. These are selection counters, not
+Refresh-only lookups and peeks do not count. Status reads (`hermes doctor`, the `/model`
+picker's provider rows, dashboard auth cards) are peeks: they never refresh, rotate, or
+bench a pool credential, so a token endpoint hiccup while the picker is open cannot hide
+a provider that is still serving requests. These are selection counters, not
 billing totals or a count of every inference request: a cached credential can serve
 multiple requests. Counts remain in memory until the next existing pool write
 (for example rotation, exhaustion, refresh, or an administrative change); this does