diff --git a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/put.test.ts b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/put.test.ts
index 7721d1d46..510fa5fe7 100644
--- a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/put.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/put.test.ts
@@ -61,8 +61,14 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/logging/context", () => ({
   annotate: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
+vi.mock("@/lib/ai/provider-runner", () => ({
+  getLastWorkingProvider: vi.fn(),
+  forgetLastWorkingProvider: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
 import { PUT } from "../route";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
+import { forgetLastWorkingProvider } from "@/lib/ai/provider-runner";
 import { annotate } from "@/lib/logging/context";
 
 interface Envelope {
@@ -108,6 +114,9 @@ describe("PUT /api/insights/provider-chain", () => {
       ],
     });
     expect(annotate).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // The remembered working provider would reorder the chain the person
+    // just arranged; a save drops it for this account.
+    expect(forgetLastWorkingProvider).toHaveBeenCalledWith("u-1");
   });
 
   it("rejects unknown provider types with 422", async () => {
diff --git a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/route.test.ts b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/route.test.ts
index fff8209ea..efb66afab 100644
--- a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/route.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/__tests__/route.test.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/ai/provider", () => ({
 
 vi.mock("@/lib/ai/provider-runner", () => ({
   getLastWorkingProvider: vi.fn(),
+  forgetLastWorkingProvider: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("@/lib/logging/context", () => ({
diff --git a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/route.ts b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/route.ts
index b5afc4379..8ea535990 100644
--- a/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/insights/provider-chain/route.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ import {
 } from "@/lib/api-response";
 import { annotate } from "@/lib/logging/context";
 import { resolveProviderChain } from "@/lib/ai/provider";
-import { getLastWorkingProvider } from "@/lib/ai/provider-runner";
+import {
+  forgetLastWorkingProvider,
+  getLastWorkingProvider,
+} from "@/lib/ai/provider-runner";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
 import {
   parseProviderChain,
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@ export const PUT = apiHandler(async (request: NextRequest) => {
     where: { id: user.id },
     data: { aiProviderChain: normalised },
   });
+  forgetLastWorkingProvider(user.id);
 
   annotate({
     meta: {
diff --git a/src/lib/ai/provider-runner.ts b/src/lib/ai/provider-runner.ts
index 37270e54f..7bf914106 100644
--- a/src/lib/ai/provider-runner.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ai/provider-runner.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,15 @@ export function getLastWorkingProvider(
   return entry.providerType;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Drop one user's "last working provider" memo. Called when the person saves
+ * a new chain: the memo reorders the chain they just arranged, and a provider
+ * they removed or disabled must not keep leading it for up to an hour.
+ */
+export function forgetLastWorkingProvider(userId: string): void {
+  lastWorkingCache.delete(userId);
+}
+
 function rememberWorkingProvider(
   userId: string,
   providerType: ProviderChainType,