diff --git a/runtime/index.js b/runtime/index.js
index 7329bc8..ae69a1a 100644
--- a/runtime/index.js
+++ b/runtime/index.js
@@ -101,19 +101,30 @@ export function createCatalogClient(options = {}) {
       if (!force && now() < expiresAt) return Promise.resolve(current());
       inflight = (async () => {
         try {
-          let nextSnapshot = snapshot;
-          let nextEtag = etag;
-          if (options.catalogUrl) {
-            const result = await json(options.catalogUrl, etag ? { 'If-None-Match': etag } : {});
-            if (!result.unchanged) { nextSnapshot = validateSnapshot(result.body); nextEtag = result.etag; }
-          }
-          const result = await json(options.gatewayUrl ?? gateways[network]);
-          if (result.unchanged) throw new Error('Unexpected gateway 304');
-          const nextModels = validateModels(result.body?.data).filter(m => m.available !== false);
+          // Policy and gateway rows are fetched concurrently and independently:
+          // an unreachable policy host must not cost clients the live gateway
+          // catalog, it only keeps the last good policy.
+          const [policy, gateway] = await Promise.allSettled([
+            options.catalogUrl
+              ? json(options.catalogUrl, etag ? { 'If-None-Match': etag } : {})
+                .then(result => result.unchanged ? { snapshot, etag } : { snapshot: validateSnapshot(result.body), etag: result.etag })
+              : Promise.resolve({ snapshot, etag }),
+            json(options.gatewayUrl ?? gateways[network]),
+          ]);
+          if (gateway.status === 'rejected') throw gateway.reason;
+          if (gateway.value.unchanged) throw new Error('Unexpected gateway 304');
+          const nextModels = validateModels(gateway.value.body?.data).filter(m => m.available !== false);
           if (!nextModels.length) throw new Error('No available models');
-          snapshot = nextSnapshot; models = nextModels; etag = nextEtag;
-          source = 'live'; lastError = undefined;
-          expiresAt = now() + (options.ttlMs ?? 300000);
+          models = nextModels; source = 'live';
+          if (policy.status === 'fulfilled') {
+            snapshot = policy.value.snapshot; etag = policy.value.etag;
+            lastError = undefined;
+            expiresAt = now() + (options.ttlMs ?? 300000);
+          } else {
+            const reason = policy.reason;
+            lastError = `Catalog policy: ${reason instanceof Error ? reason.message : String(reason)}`;
+            expiresAt = now() + Math.min(options.ttlMs ?? 300000, 15000);
+          }
         } catch (error) {
           lastError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
           // Short backoff on errors, retaining the last good snapshot.
diff --git a/test/runtime.test.mjs b/test/runtime.test.mjs
index 64a8d6c..258ea10 100644
--- a/test/runtime.test.mjs
+++ b/test/runtime.test.mjs
@@ -78,6 +78,39 @@ test('snapshot updates are atomic and use ETag', async () => {
   failGateway = false;
   assert.equal((await client.refresh({ force: true })).version, '2026.09.29.2');
 });
+test('unreachable policy host still refreshes gateway rows and keeps last good policy', async () => {
+  let policyDown = false, clock = 0;
+  const id = snapshot.picker_policy.views.default_chat.model_ids[0];
+  const client = createCatalogClient({ ttlMs: 60000, now: () => clock, catalogUrl: 'https://catalog.test/snapshot.json', fetch: async url => {
+    if (String(url).includes('catalog.test')) {
+      if (policyDown) throw Error('fetch failed');
+      const next = structuredClone(snapshot);
+      next.picker_policy.views.default_chat.shortcuts.newalias = id;
+      return new Response(JSON.stringify(next), { headers: { etag: 'v1' } });
+    }
+    return response([row(id), row(policyDown ? 'test/after-outage' : 'test/before-outage')]);
+  } });
+  assert.equal((await client.refresh()).shortcuts.newalias, id);
+  policyDown = true;
+  const state = await client.refresh({ force: true });
+  assert.equal(state.source, 'live');
+  assert.match(state.lastError, /^Catalog policy: fetch failed/);
+  assert.ok(state.models.some(m => m.id === 'test/after-outage'), 'gateway rows still refresh');
+  assert.equal(state.shortcuts.newalias, id, 'last good policy retained');
+  clock = 15001; policyDown = false;
+  const recovered = await client.refresh();
+  assert.equal(recovered.lastError, undefined, 'policy retried on short backoff');
+});
+test('cold start with unreachable policy host uses bundled policy with live gateway rows', async () => {
+  const client = createCatalogClient({ catalogUrl: 'https://catalog.test/snapshot.json', fetch: async url => {
+    if (String(url).includes('catalog.test')) throw Error('blocked');
+    return response([row()]);
+  } });
+  const state = await client.refresh();
+  assert.equal(state.source, 'live');
+  assert.equal(state.version, snapshot.catalog.catalog_version);
+  assert.deepEqual(state.models.map(m => m.id), ['test/new-model']);
+});
 test('media entries survive for media clients but never enter chat picker', async () => {
   const client = createCatalogClient({ fetch: async () => response([row('test/image', { categories: ['image'], billing_mode: 'per_image', pricing: { per_image: 0.1 } }), row()]) });
   const state = await client.refresh();