fix(#5047): honor bounded refresh follower latency

api/config.py

@@ -6891,18 +6891,38 @@ def get_available_models(*, prefer_cache: bool = False, force_refresh: bool = Fa
         # of re-entering the cold path (avoids duplicate 10s zai load_pool calls).
         if should_wait:
             wait_timeout = 60.0
-            if force_refresh and _LIVE_REBUILD_BUDGET_SECONDS <= 0:
-                # The legacy synchronous path is explicitly unbounded. A forced
-                # refresh follower should keep coalescing behind that live
-                # rebuild instead of giving up after 60s and duplicating it.
-                wait_timeout = None
+            if force_refresh and force_refresh_started_at is not None:
+                if _LIVE_REBUILD_BUDGET_SECONDS <= 0:
+                    # The legacy synchronous path is explicitly unbounded. A
+                    # forced refresh follower should keep coalescing behind
+                    # that live rebuild instead of giving up after 60s and
+                    # duplicating it.
+                    wait_timeout = None
+                else:
+                    wait_timeout = max(
+                        0.0,
+                        _LIVE_REBUILD_BUDGET_SECONDS - (time.monotonic() - force_refresh_started_at),
+                    )
             _cache_build_cv.wait_for(
                 lambda: not _cache_build_in_progress,
                 timeout=wait_timeout
             )
             cached = _get_fresh_memory_models_cache(time.monotonic())
-            if cached is not None:
+            if (
+                cached is not None
+                and (
+                    not force_refresh
+                    or (
+                        force_refresh_started_at is not None
+                        and _available_models_live_rebuild_ts >= force_refresh_started_at
+                    )
+                )
+            ):
                 return cached
+            if force_refresh and _LIVE_REBUILD_BUDGET_SECONDS > 0 and _cache_build_in_progress:
+                if stale_disk_groups is not None:
+                    return copy.deepcopy(stale_disk_groups)
+                return copy.deepcopy(_static_models_catalog_without_live_probes())
 
         # Reload config if changed
         if _cfg_changed:

tests/test_issue4756_session_visit_model_refresh.py

@@ -288,6 +288,54 @@ def test_force_refresh_sync_followers_retry_after_failed_active_rebuild(tmp_path
     assert cfg._cache_build_in_progress is False
 
 
+def test_force_refresh_bounded_followers_wait_only_remaining_budget(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    import api.config as cfg
+    import threading
+
+    _reset_models_memory_cache(monkeypatch)
+    stale_catalog = _catalog("stale-model")
+    config_path = tmp_path / "config.yaml"
+    config_path.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    cache_path = tmp_path / "models_cache.profile.json"
+    cache_path.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    old = time.time() - 600.0
+    os.utime(cache_path, (old, old))
+    fingerprint = {"profile": "demo"}
+    timeout_waits = []
+    original_wait_for = threading.Condition.wait_for
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_LIVE_REBUILD_BUDGET_SECONDS", 0.05, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_get_config_path", lambda: config_path)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_cfg_path", config_path, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_cfg_mtime", config_path.stat().st_mtime, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_get_models_cache_path", lambda: cache_path)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_load_models_cache_from_disk", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_load_stale_models_cache_from_disk", lambda: stale_catalog)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_models_cache_source_fingerprint", lambda: fingerprint)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_save_models_cache_to_disk", lambda _cache: None)
+
+    def _wait_for(self, predicate, timeout=None):
+        if self is not cfg._cache_build_cv:
+            return original_wait_for(self, predicate, timeout)
+        timeout_waits.append(timeout)
+        time.sleep(min(timeout or 0.0, 0.01))
+        return False
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cfg, "_cache_build_in_progress", True, raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(threading.Condition, "wait_for", _wait_for)
+
+    started_at = time.monotonic()
+    result = cfg.get_available_models(force_refresh=True)
+    elapsed = time.monotonic() - started_at
+
+    assert result == stale_catalog
+    assert len(timeout_waits) == 1
+    assert timeout_waits[0] is not None
+    assert 0.0 <= timeout_waits[0] <= 0.05
+    assert 60.0 not in timeout_waits
+    assert elapsed < 0.1
+
+
 def test_session_visit_overlapping_stale_calls_do_not_duplicate_over_budget_rebuild(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     import api.config as cfg
     import threading