diff --git a/src/features/tools/__tests__/tools.test.tsx b/src/features/tools/__tests__/tools.test.tsx
index 49c64365..260a2d49 100644
--- a/src/features/tools/__tests__/tools.test.tsx
+++ b/src/features/tools/__tests__/tools.test.tsx
@@ -158,6 +158,53 @@ describe("missing language server prompt", () => {
     off();
   });
 
+  it("offers only the first missing server of interchangeable ones", async () => {
+    const off = installMissingServerPrompts();
+    // basedpyright is missing, so its fallbacks start and turn out missing too; gopls isn't one of them.
+    ["basedpyright", "pyright", "ty", "pyrefly", "gopls"].forEach((name, i) =>
+      emitLocalIdeEvent({ type: "languageServer", server: 10 + i, name, status: "missing", message: null }),
+    );
+    await waitFor(() => expect(notes).toHaveLength(2));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 20));
+    });
+    expect(notes.map((n) => n.key)).toEqual([missingKey("basedpyright"), missingKey("gopls")]);
+    off();
+  });
+
+  it("offers a fallback when the servers before it can't be installed", async () => {
+    setToolsBackend(
+      new MemoryToolsBackend(
+        sampleTools().map((t) => (t.name === "basedpyright" ? { ...t, canInstall: false } : t)),
+        1,
+      ),
+    );
+    const off = installMissingServerPrompts();
+    for (const [i, name] of ["basedpyright", "pyright", "ty"].entries()) {
+      emitLocalIdeEvent({ type: "languageServer", server: 20 + i, name, status: "missing", message: null });
+    }
+    await waitFor(() => expect(notes).toHaveLength(1));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 20));
+    });
+    expect(notes.map((n) => n.key)).toEqual([missingKey("pyright")]);
+    off();
+  });
+
+  it("offers the first server that reports missing when earlier ones are off from the start", async () => {
+    const off = installMissingServerPrompts();
+    // basedpyright turned off in settings never starts, so never reports.
+    for (const [i, name] of ["pyright", "ty"].entries()) {
+      emitLocalIdeEvent({ type: "languageServer", server: 40 + i, name, status: "missing", message: null });
+    }
+    await waitFor(() => expect(notes).toHaveLength(1));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 20));
+    });
+    expect(notes.map((n) => n.key)).toEqual([missingKey("pyright")]);
+    off();
+  });
+
   it("stays silent for tools without an installer", async () => {
     const off = installMissingServerPrompts();
     emitLocalIdeEvent({ type: "languageServer", server: 2, name: "solargraph", status: "missing", message: null });
diff --git a/src/features/tools/missing.ts b/src/features/tools/missing.ts
index 6bd53191..cbed9907 100644
--- a/src/features/tools/missing.ts
+++ b/src/features/tools/missing.ts
@@ -12,10 +12,21 @@ import { tx } from "@/platform/i18n";
 
 export const missingKey = (name: string) => `lsp-missing-${name}`;
 
-export async function promptInstall(name: string, sticky = true): Promise<boolean> {
+/**
+ * `offered`: servers already offered for install. A fallback of one of them (pyright
+ * after basedpyright) stays quiet: installing the first is enough, and the Language
+ * Servers… page offers the others.
+ */
+export async function promptInstall(
+  name: string,
+  sticky = true,
+  offered: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set(),
+): Promise<boolean> {
   if (!useTools.getState().loaded) await refreshTools();
   const tool = toolByName(name);
   if (!tool || !tool.canInstall || tool.status !== "missing") return false;
+  const position = tool.alternatives.indexOf(name);
+  if (position > 0 && tool.alternatives.slice(0, position).some((n) => offered.has(n))) return false;
   // An installed alternative (typescript-language-server for vtsls) already serves these files.
   const served = useTools
     .getState()
@@ -49,11 +60,19 @@ export async function promptInstall(name: string, sticky = true): Promise<boolea
 
 export function installMissingServerPrompts(): () => void {
   const prompted = new Set<string>();
+  const offered = new Set<string>();
+  // One at a time: a missing server's fallback reports missing right after it, and
+  // must see whether the server's own notice went up.
+  let queue = Promise.resolve();
   return onIdeEvent("languageServer", (e) => {
     if (e.status !== "missing" || prompted.has(e.name)) return;
     prompted.add(e.name);
     // Async on purpose: lands after the synchronous generic notice and replaces it.
-    void promptInstall(e.name).catch(() => {});
+    queue = queue
+      .then(async () => {
+        if (await promptInstall(e.name, true, offered)) offered.add(e.name);
+      })
+      .catch(() => {});
   });
 }