diff --git a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
index 7933f8e2e962..73a0169b64f9 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ describe("ModelManifest service", () => {
     ),
   );
 
-  it.live("does not fetch when provider update checks are disabled", () =>
+  it.live("fetches the remote manifest when provider update checks are disabled", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       let fetchCount = 0;
       const service = yield* make.pipe(
@@ -558,9 +558,12 @@ describe("ModelManifest service", () => {
           }),
         ),
       );
-      assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* service.refresh, BUNDLED_MODEL_MANIFEST);
-      assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* service.forceRefresh, BUNDLED_MODEL_MANIFEST);
-      assert.strictEqual(fetchCount, 0);
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* service.refresh, REMOTE_MANIFEST);
+      assert.strictEqual(fetchCount, 1);
+      // Explicit refresh (Settings → Providers → Refresh provider status)
+      // uses the same path and must stay independent of the CLI check switch.
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* service.forceRefresh, REMOTE_MANIFEST);
+      assert.strictEqual(fetchCount, 2);
     }).pipe(
       Effect.scoped,
       Effect.provide(
diff --git a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
index d1af1086e750..4d0ee6e53577 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import * as Semaphore from "effect/Semaphore";
 import { HttpClient, HttpClientResponse } from "effect/unstable/http";
 
 import { ServerConfig } from "../config.ts";
-import * as ServerSettings from "../serverSettings.ts";
 import { hasValidClaudeManifestAdapters } from "./ClaudeModelManifest.ts";
 import bundledManifestJson from "./model-manifest.json" with { type: "json" };
 import { ProviderCompatibilityPolicy } from "./providerCompatibility.ts";
@@ -340,7 +339,6 @@ export const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
   const fileSystem = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
   const path = yield* Path.Path;
   const config = yield* ServerConfig;
-  const settingsService = yield* ServerSettings.ServerSettingsService;
   const httpClient = yield* HttpClient.HttpClient;
   const serviceScope = yield* Effect.scope;
 
@@ -385,15 +383,8 @@ export const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     if (!force && isWithin(fetchedAtMs, MANIFEST_TTL_MS)) return manifest;
     if (!force && isWithin(lastAttemptMs, MANIFEST_RETRY_MS)) return manifest;
 
-    // The same switch that gates provider CLI update checks. It stops network
-    // fetches only: a manifest already cached on disk from an earlier fetch
-    // stays in effect, since the setting is about phoning home, not about
-    // discarding data the server already holds.
-    const settings = yield* settingsService.getSettings.pipe(
-      Effect.catchCause(() => Effect.succeed(null)),
-    );
-    if (settings !== null && !settings.enableProviderUpdateChecks) return manifest;
-
+    // Catalog refresh is independent of Settings → Provider update checks.
+    // That switch only gates CLI version lookups.
     lastAttemptMs = now;
     const fetched = yield* httpClient.get(MODEL_MANIFEST_URL).pipe(
       Effect.flatMap(HttpClientResponse.filterStatusOk),