diff --git a/src/codex/catalog/provider-fetch.ts b/src/codex/catalog/provider-fetch.ts
index b88220c15..fecfc4280 100644
--- a/src/codex/catalog/provider-fetch.ts
+++ b/src/codex/catalog/provider-fetch.ts
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ function providerCatalogFingerprint(name: string, prov: OcxProviderConfig): Reco
     base: prov.baseUrl ?? "",
     adapter: prov.adapter ?? "",
     models: [...(prov.models ?? [])].sort(),
-    selected: [...(prov.selectedModels ?? [])].sort(),
+    selected: Array.isArray(prov.selectedModels) ? [...prov.selectedModels].sort() : [],
     defaultModel: prov.defaultModel ?? null,
     ctx: prov.contextWindow ?? null,
     ctxW: prov.modelContextWindows ?? null,
diff --git a/tests/gather-routed-models-single-flight.test.ts b/tests/gather-routed-models-single-flight.test.ts
index 273d3b97b..a681a0784 100644
--- a/tests/gather-routed-models-single-flight.test.ts
+++ b/tests/gather-routed-models-single-flight.test.ts
@@ -329,6 +329,27 @@ describe("gatherRoutedModels single-flight", () => {
     expect(filterCatalogVisibleModels(withSelModels, withSel).map(m => m.id)).toEqual(["keep-me"]);
   });
 
+  test("malformed persisted selectedModels does not break catalog gathering", async () => {
+    const config = {
+      port: 10100,
+      defaultProvider: "p",
+      providers: {
+        p: {
+          adapter: "openai-chat",
+          baseUrl: "https://sel.example.test/v1",
+          models: ["configured-model"],
+          liveModels: false,
+          selectedModels: 42,
+        },
+      },
+    } as unknown as OcxConfig;
+
+    const models = await gatherRoutedModels(config);
+
+    expect(models.map(model => model.id)).toEqual(["configured-model"]);
+    expect(filterCatalogVisibleModels(models, config).map(model => model.id)).toEqual(["configured-model"]);
+  });
+
   test("disabledModels-only config changes do not share a flight", async () => {
     let fetchCount = 0;
     let release!: () => void;