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diff --git a/docs/bug-reproductions/8979-screenshots/before-fable-hidden.png b/docs/bug-reproductions/8979-screenshots/before-fable-hidden.png
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diff --git a/docs/claude-scoped-oauth-usage-limits.md b/docs/claude-scoped-oauth-usage-limits.md
index e5eb3c9e2d3..bac2679f86c 100644
--- a/docs/claude-scoped-oauth-usage-limits.md
+++ b/docs/claude-scoped-oauth-usage-limits.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ The OAuth response contract evolved from dedicated model fields to generic entri
 2. Select a Fable entry only when `kind` is `weekly_scoped`, the model display name is Fable (case-insensitive), and `percent` is finite.
 3. Map the scoped entry to the existing seven-day `fableWeekly` window, including its reset timestamp.
 4. Prefer the current scoped entry, then retain the three legacy top-level fields as fallbacks.
-5. Keep malformed, unrelated, inactive, or absent entries non-fatal. Treat `is_active: false` as unavailable so stale promotional limits disappear; accept a missing activity flag for compatibility.
+5. Keep malformed, unrelated, or absent entries non-fatal. Do NOT gate on `is_active`: it marks which limit is currently binding, not whether the entry's data is valid, so an `is_active: false` Fable entry with a finite `percent` must still render (#8979). Accept a missing activity flag for compatibility.
 
 ## Data Flow
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ The OAuth response contract evolved from dedicated model fields to generic entri
 - `limits` is missing, null, malformed, or contains null entries.
 - A scoped entry names another model.
 - Fable percent is missing, non-numeric, or non-finite.
-- Fable is inactive and should not be rendered.
+- Fable is inactive (`is_active: false`) but still carries a finite `percent`/reset, so it must render (#8979).
 - `is_active` is omitted by an older server response but the remaining scoped entry is valid.
 - Both current and legacy fields exist; the current scoped entry wins.
 - Reset timestamps may be ISO strings, epoch seconds, epoch milliseconds, or absent.
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ The OAuth response contract evolved from dedicated model fields to generic entri
 
 - Unit: reproduce a current real-response shape and assert Fable maps without a PTY attempt.
 - Unit: assert scoped data wins over a legacy field.
-- Unit: assert inactive, malformed, and unrelated scoped entries are ignored while legacy fallback remains available.
+- Unit: assert malformed and unrelated scoped entries are ignored while legacy fallback remains available; assert an inactive-but-valid Fable entry still surfaces (#8979).
 - Regression: retain existing legacy-field and bare-`fable` behavior tests.
 - Verification: focused Claude fetcher tests, typecheck, lint, and max-lines ratchet.
 - Electron: refresh Claude usage and confirm Session, Weekly, and Fable remain visible in the existing status-bar details surface.
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ No UI implementation changes. The existing Fable row must reappear with the same
 
 - Scope: Kept to the private OAuth mapper and tests; no shared-state or renderer generalization is required to restore Fable.
 - Architecture/data flow: OAuth remains authoritative, with structured scoped data preferred over legacy fields and PTY used only as the existing final supplement.
-- Failure modes covered: malformed optional data, unrelated models, inactive limits, missing activity flags, duplicate old/new representations, missing reset metadata, and platform-neutral execution.
-- Test coverage required: current-schema success without PTY, precedence, inactivity, malformed/unrelated entries, and legacy fallback.
+- Failure modes covered: malformed optional data, unrelated models, inactive-but-valid limits (still rendered, #8979), missing activity flags, duplicate old/new representations, missing reset metadata, and platform-neutral execution.
+- Test coverage required: current-schema success without PTY, precedence, inactive-but-valid rendering, malformed/unrelated entries, and legacy fallback.
 - Performance/blast radius: One bounded linear scan of the small response `limits` array per existing OAuth refresh; no new requests, polling, subprocesses, IPC, storage, or renderer work.
 - UI quality bar: Existing status-bar visuals must remain unchanged except for the restored Fable row.
 - Required review screenshots: Live Claude details with all three rows; surrounding status-bar context.
diff --git a/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.test.ts b/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.test.ts
index 96c1c1c75ae..95f7d607ac0 100644
--- a/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.test.ts
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ describe('fetchClaudeRateLimits', () => {
     expect(fetchViaPty).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
-  it('ignores inactive scoped Fable usage and retains the legacy OAuth fallback', async () => {
+  it('surfaces inactive scoped Fable usage over the legacy OAuth fallback', async () => {
     const configDir = '/Users/test/.claude'
     const authPreparation: ClaudeRuntimeAuthPreparation = {
       configDir,
@@ -454,7 +454,47 @@ describe('fetchClaudeRateLimits', () => {
     )
 
     await expect(fetchClaudeRateLimits({ authPreparation })).resolves.toMatchObject({
-      fableWeekly: { usedPercent: 33 }
+      fableWeekly: { usedPercent: 90 }
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('surfaces an inactive scoped Fable entry when no legacy Fable field exists (#8979)', async () => {
+    const configDir = '/Users/test/.claude'
+    const authPreparation: ClaudeRuntimeAuthPreparation = {
+      configDir,
+      envPatch: { CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR: configDir },
+      stripAuthEnv: false,
+      provenance: 'system'
+    }
+    vi.mocked(readActiveClaudeKeychainCredentialsStrict).mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      JSON.stringify({ claudeAiOauth: { accessToken: 'oauth-token' } })
+    )
+    netFetchMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      new Response(
+        JSON.stringify({
+          five_hour: { utilization: 11 },
+          seven_day: { utilization: 22 },
+          limits: [
+            {
+              kind: 'weekly_scoped',
+              percent: 64,
+              resets_at: '2026-07-24T20:00:00+00:00',
+              is_active: false,
+              scope: { model: { display_name: 'Fable' } }
+            }
+          ]
+        }),
+        { status: 200 }
+      )
+    )
+
+    await expect(fetchClaudeRateLimits({ authPreparation })).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      provider: 'claude',
+      status: 'ok',
+      fableWeekly: {
+        usedPercent: 64,
+        resetsAt: Date.parse('2026-07-24T20:00:00+00:00')
+      }
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.ts b/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.ts
index ba21d32decf..e1ea780dea2 100644
--- a/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.ts
+++ b/src/main/rate-limits/claude-fetcher.ts
@@ -408,8 +408,9 @@ function mapFableWeeklyWindow(data: OAuthUsageResponse): RateLimitWindow | null
   const scoped = Array.isArray(data.limits)
     ? data.limits.find(
         (limit) =>
+          // Why: is_active marks the currently-binding limit, not data validity;
+          // inactive Fable entries still carry a real percent/resets_at (#8979).
           limit?.kind === 'weekly_scoped' &&
-          limit.is_active !== false &&
           Number.isFinite(limit.percent) &&
           limit.scope?.model?.display_name?.trim().toLowerCase() === 'fable'
       )