diff --git a/src/agent/subagents/graph-context.ts b/src/agent/subagents/graph-context.ts
index d3cef03..c3a21ca 100644
--- a/src/agent/subagents/graph-context.ts
+++ b/src/agent/subagents/graph-context.ts
@@ -145,9 +145,11 @@ export async function runGraphContextJob(deps: GraphContextDeps, jobId: string):
 	// BYOK (wave 6): fresh resolution per run; null = honestly off (the
 	// dispatch gate already skips unconfigured sessions — this only fires
 	// on a config change racing a respawn, and the error says exactly why).
+	// The resolver returns null for BOTH an unset model and a set model
+	// whose key vanished, so the message names both, never a false "null".
 	const embedder = deps.embedder();
 	if (!embedder || embedder.model === null) {
-		return fail("no embedding model configured — injection skipped (graph.embeddingModel is null)");
+		return fail("no embedding model available — injection skipped (graph.embeddingModel unset, or its provider key is missing)");
 	}
 	const topic = topicOf(chat.messages);
 	if (topic === null) return fail("no injectable topic (session past its start)");
diff --git a/tests/graph-context-job.test.ts b/tests/graph-context-job.test.ts
index ec99a4e..a11857e 100644
--- a/tests/graph-context-job.test.ts
+++ b/tests/graph-context-job.test.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,21 @@ describe("runGraphContextJob — failure modes are honest errors, never phantom
 		assert.match(got.error ?? "", /stale/);
 	});
 
+	it("BYOK: a null embedder (unset model or vanished key) fails honestly, never a phantom query", async () => {
+		const { id: chatId } = newTopicChat("injection unconfigured");
+		const job = jobStore.createJob({ kind: "graph-context", chatId, toolCallId: `ctx_${chatId}` });
+		trackJob(job.id);
+		// Wave 6: the resolver collapses BOTH unset-model and missing-key
+		// into null — the error must name the two honestly, never a false
+		// "graph.embeddingModel is null" for a key race.
+		const d = { ...deps(fakeGraphStore({ vectors: { n1: unit(0) } }), fakeEmbedder().embedder, async () => {}), embedder: () => null };
+		await runGraphContextJob(d, job.id);
+		const got = jobStore.getJob(job.id)!;
+		assert.equal(got.status, "error");
+		assert.match(got.error ?? "", /no embedding model available/);
+		assert.match(got.error ?? "", /unset, or its provider key is missing/);
+	});
+
 	it("nothing fitting the budget errors rather than delivering an empty block", async () => {
 		// Budget below the framing overhead: nothing can fit, ever.
 		const { id: chatId } = newTopicChat("injection empty selection", { graphContextTokens: 10 });