diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-off.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-off.spec.ts
index 0f5c78aaec..a0114c8e33 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-off.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-off.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { seedSidebarFooterPreferences } from "../support/helpers/sidebar-nav-settings";
 import { expect, test } from "../support/fixtures";
 import { gotoAppShell } from "../support/helpers/app";
+import { seedSidebarFooterPreferences } from "../support/helpers/sidebar-nav-settings";
 import { installUsageReportsFixture } from "../support/helpers/usage-reports";
 import {
   claudeAndCodexReports,
@@ -17,34 +17,41 @@ test("Check usage applies to the host and Turn on restores cards", async ({
   e2eWorkerClient,
 }) => {
   test.setTimeout(180_000);
-  const usage = await installUsageReportsFixture(page, { lists: [() => claudeAndCodexReports()] });
-  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1440, height: 1000 });
-  await seedSidebarFooterPreferences(page, [{ key: "usage", visible: true }]);
-  await gotoAppShell(page);
-  await expectPinnedUsage(page, ["31% 5h", "54% wk", "7% 5h", "12% wk"]);
-  await openUsageFromIcon(page);
-  await usage.waitForListRequests(1);
-  await openUsageOptions(page);
-  await page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Check usage", exact: true }).click();
-  await closeUsageOptions(page);
-  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Refresh all", exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
-  expect((await e2eWorkerClient.getDaemonConfig()).config.usage).toEqual({ enabled: false });
-  await expectNoUsageItem(page);
-  const before = usage.listRequests().length;
-  await closeUsage(page);
-  await page.reload();
-  await openUsageFromIcon(page);
-  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-  expect(usage.listRequests()).toHaveLength(before);
-  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true }).click();
-  await expect(page.getByText("Claude", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-  expect((await e2eWorkerClient.getDaemonConfig()).config.usage).toEqual({ enabled: true });
-  // A separate client changes the policy, as another device would.
-  await e2eWorkerClient.patchDaemonConfig({ usage: { enabled: false } });
-  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-  await e2eWorkerClient.patchDaemonConfig({ usage: { enabled: true } });
-  await expect(page.getByText("Claude", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  const previous = (await e2eWorkerClient.getDaemonConfig()).config.usage ?? { enabled: true };
+  try {
+    const usage = await installUsageReportsFixture(page, {
+      lists: [() => claudeAndCodexReports()],
+    });
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1440, height: 1000 });
+    await seedSidebarFooterPreferences(page, [{ key: "usage", visible: true }]);
+    await gotoAppShell(page);
+    await expectPinnedUsage(page, ["31% 5h", "54% wk", "7% 5h", "12% wk"]);
+    await openUsageFromIcon(page);
+    await usage.waitForListRequests(1);
+    await openUsageOptions(page);
+    await page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Check usage", exact: true }).click();
+    await closeUsageOptions(page);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Refresh all", exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+    expect((await e2eWorkerClient.getDaemonConfig()).config.usage).toEqual({ enabled: false });
+    await expectNoUsageItem(page);
+    const before = usage.listRequests().length;
+    await closeUsage(page);
+    await page.reload();
+    await openUsageFromIcon(page);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    expect(usage.listRequests()).toHaveLength(before);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByText("Claude", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    expect((await e2eWorkerClient.getDaemonConfig()).config.usage).toEqual({ enabled: true });
+    // A separate client changes the policy, as another device would.
+    await e2eWorkerClient.patchDaemonConfig({ usage: { enabled: false } });
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Turn on", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await e2eWorkerClient.patchDaemonConfig({ usage: { enabled: true } });
+    await expect(page.getByText("Claude", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  } finally {
+    await e2eWorkerClient.patchDaemonConfig({ usage: previous });
+  }
 });
 
 test("older hosts keep usage without a Check usage switch", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-sidebar-item.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-sidebar-item.spec.ts
index 6d7e54050e..9151403904 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-sidebar-item.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/usage-sidebar-item.spec.ts
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ test.describe("Usage item", () => {
       await waitForSettledPosition(sheet);
       const sheetBox = (await sheet.boundingBox())!;
       // The sheet leaves the screen above it as its backdrop.
-      expect(sheetBox.y).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(sheetBox.y).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(COMPACT.height * 0.2);
       expect(sheetBox.width).toBeGreaterThan(COMPACT.width * 0.8);
       await qaScreenshot(page, "compact-sheet");
       await closeUsageFromBackdrop(page);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/usage/options.tsx b/packages/app/src/usage/options.tsx
index b9f907196e..44205fbddd 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/usage/options.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/usage/options.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-import { Alert } from "@/components/ui/alert";
-import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
-import { useHosts } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { View } from "react-native";
 import { Settings } from "lucide-react-native";
@@ -11,7 +8,10 @@ import { ToolbarButton, paneContentToolbarIconSize } from "@/components/ui/pane-
 import { useIsCompactFormFactor } from "@/constants/layout";
 import { SettingsRow, SettingsSwitch } from "@/components/settings";
 import { SegmentedControl, type SegmentedControlOption } from "@/components/ui/segmented-control";
+import { Alert } from "@/components/ui/alert";
+import { useHosts } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { settingsStyles } from "@/styles/settings";
+import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
 import { useUsageDisplay } from "./display";
 import { useUsageInSidebar } from "./in-sidebar";
 import type { UsageDisplayAs } from "./preferences";
@@ -56,15 +56,13 @@ export function UsageOptions({ serverId }: { serverId: string | null }) {
         <View testID="usage-options-fields">
           {setting.error ? <Alert variant="error" description={setting.error.message} /> : null}
           {setting.supported ? (
-            <View>
-              <SettingsSwitch
-                label={t("providerUsage.checkUsage")}
-                hint={t("providerUsage.checkUsageHint", { host: hostLabel })}
-                disabled={!setting.ready}
-                value={setting.enabled}
-                onValueChange={setting.setEnabled}
-              />
-            </View>
+            <SettingsSwitch
+              label={t("providerUsage.checkUsage")}
+              hint={t("providerUsage.checkUsageHint", { host: hostLabel })}
+              disabled={!setting.ready}
+              value={setting.enabled}
+              onValueChange={setting.setEnabled}
+            />
           ) : null}
           <View style={setting.supported ? settingsStyles.rowBorder : undefined}>
             <SettingsSwitch
diff --git a/packages/app/src/usage/queries.ts b/packages/app/src/usage/queries.ts
index 8c4dcdd446..9d84607dd6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/usage/queries.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/usage/queries.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { supportsUsageReports } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
 import { useCallback, useMemo } from "react";
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   useHosts,
 } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { useSessionStore, type SessionState } from "@/stores/session-store";
+import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
 import { usageCopy } from "./copy";
 import {
   replaceReport,
@@ -168,11 +168,14 @@ const NO_REPORTS: UsageReportEntry[] = [];
  * The reports of the sidebar's usage host, which is connected and reports usage; none until they
  * load, or without a host.
  */
-export function useUsageHostReports(serverId: string | null, fetch = true): UsageReportEntry[] {
+export function useUsageHostReports(
+  serverId: string | null,
+  requestReports = true,
+): UsageReportEntry[] {
   const setting = useUsageSetting(serverId);
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const query = useFetchQuery({
-    enabled: setting.enabled && fetch,
+    enabled: setting.enabled && requestReports,
     queryKey: usageReportsQueryKey(serverId ?? ""),
     queryFn: serverId ? () => listReports(queryClient, serverId) : skipToken,
     dataShape: "list",
diff --git a/packages/app/src/usage/setting.ts b/packages/app/src/usage/setting.ts
index 054b114bc0..e6916cf8c8 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/usage/setting.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/usage/setting.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function useUsageSetting(serverId: string | null) {
     supported,
     error: mutation.error,
     // COMPAT(usageSetting): added in v0.14, remove after 2027-05-01.
-    enabled: !supported || config?.usage?.enabled === true,
+    enabled: !supported || (config !== null && config.usage?.enabled !== false),
     ready: !supported || config !== null,
     setEnabled,
     turnOn,
diff --git a/packages/app/src/usage/sidebar-item.tsx b/packages/app/src/usage/sidebar-item.tsx
index 54e2238bea..945a82a2ac 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/usage/sidebar-item.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/usage/sidebar-item.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { useUsageInSidebar } from "./in-sidebar";
 import {
   createContext,
   Fragment,
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 import { StyleSheet } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { builtinSidebarNavLabelKey } from "@/sidebar-nav/model";
 import { useUsageDisplay } from "./display";
+import { useUsageInSidebar } from "./in-sidebar";
 import { useUsageHostId } from "./hosts";
 import { useUsageHostReports } from "./queries";
 import { UsageSourceIcon } from "./source-icon";
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ import {
 import { UsageModal } from "./usage-modal";
 
 /** Each summary window with data on the usage host, under its source; empty while none has. */
-function useUsageSummary(fetch = true): readonly PinnedUsageSource[] {
+function useUsageSummary(requestReports = true): readonly PinnedUsageSource[] {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { inSidebar } = useUsageInSidebar();
   const serverId = useUsageHostId();
-  const reports = useUsageHostReports(inSidebar ? serverId : null, fetch);
+  const reports = useUsageHostReports(inSidebar ? serverId : null, requestReports);
   const { preferences } = useUsageDisplay(reports);
   return useMemo(() => resolvePinnedUsage(reports, preferences, t), [preferences, reports, t]);
 }
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ export function UsageSidebarItem() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const label = t(builtinSidebarNavLabelKey("usage"));
   const openUsage = useOpenSidebarUsage();
-  // The footer owns fetching; this row reads the same cached summary.
+  // The row mounts after reports arrive; observing without requesting avoids
+  // the fetch-query policy’s unconditional refetch on mount.
   const sources = useUsageSummary(false);
   if (sources.length === 0) return null;
   return <PinnedUsageTrigger label={label} sources={sources} onPress={openUsage} />;
diff --git a/packages/app/src/usage/usage-section.tsx b/packages/app/src/usage/usage-section.tsx
index ed121b9e5f..9c1e9354c1 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/usage/usage-section.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/usage/usage-section.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useMemo } from "react";
 import { Text, View } from "react-native";
@@ -8,6 +7,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { settingsStyles } from "@/styles/settings";
 import { SettingsSection } from "@/components/settings/headings/settings-section";
 import type { UsageDisplay } from "./display";
+import { useUsageSetting } from "./setting";
 import { UsageControls } from "./controls";
 import { UsageList } from "./list";
 import type { UsageView } from "./types";
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/session/usage/usage-session.ts b/packages/server/src/server/session/usage/usage-session.ts
index a44e715bb9..cd1e2e8801 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/session/usage/usage-session.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/session/usage/usage-session.ts
@@ -51,8 +51,19 @@ export class UsageSession {
   async handleLegacyList(
     msg: Extract<SessionInboundMessage, { type: "provider.usage.list.request" }>,
   ): Promise<void> {
+    if (!this.options.isEnabled()) {
+      this.options.emit({
+        type: "rpc_error",
+        payload: {
+          requestId: msg.requestId,
+          requestType: msg.type,
+          error: "Usage is off on this host.",
+          code: "provider_usage_list_failed",
+        },
+      });
+      return;
+    }
     try {
-      if (!this.options.isEnabled()) throw new Error("Usage is off on this host.");
       if (!this.options.runtime) throw new Error("Plugin runtime is unavailable");
       const usage = await this.options.runtime.listLegacyUsage();
       this.options.emit({
@@ -71,10 +82,7 @@ export class UsageSession {
         payload: {
           requestId: msg.requestId,
           requestType: msg.type,
-          error:
-            err.message === "Usage is off on this host."
-              ? err.message
-              : `Failed to list provider usage: ${err.message}`,
+          error: `Failed to list provider usage: ${err.message}`,
           code: "provider_usage_list_failed",
         },
       });