diff --git a/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware.go b/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware.go
index 93d648fcd..5fbdce837 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware.go
@@ -179,13 +179,13 @@ func (m *Middleware) Invoke(_ context.Context, in *middleware.Input) (*middlewar
 	// exists and is reachable. Authorise it against the model table like any
 	// other per-model request, then mark it non-inference so it still skips
 	// the token pre-flight it would otherwise charge nothing against.
-	if detail, isDetail := modelDetailID(reqPath); isDetail {
+	if detail, isDetail := modelDetailID(reqPath); isDetail && isNonInferenceMethod(in.Method) {
 		route, outcome := m.matchRoute(detail, surface, reqPath, in.UserGroups)
 		return m.decide(route, outcome, surface, detail, in.UserGroups, markNonInference), nil
 	}
 
 	if model == "" {
-		return m.routeModelless(reqPath, surface, in.UserGroups), nil
+		return m.routeModelless(reqPath, surface, in.Method, in.UserGroups), nil
 	}
 
 	route, outcome := m.matchRoute(model, surface, reqPath, in.UserGroups)
@@ -223,8 +223,8 @@ func (m *Middleware) decide(
 // lookup. They still need rewriting from the synth placeholder to a real
 // upstream — clients such as Codex call GET /v1/models at startup to enumerate
 // availability and read a 403 as "model unavailable".
-func (m *Middleware) routeModelless(reqPath, surface string, userGroups []string) *middleware.Output {
-	route, outcome := m.matchModelless(reqPath, userGroups)
+func (m *Middleware) routeModelless(reqPath, surface, method string, userGroups []string) *middleware.Output {
+	route, outcome := m.matchModelless(reqPath, method, userGroups)
 	switch outcome {
 	case matchOutcomeFound:
 		out := m.allowWithRoute(route, surface, userGroups)
@@ -250,6 +250,17 @@ func (m *Middleware) routeModelless(reqPath, surface string, userGroups []string
 	}
 }
 
+// isNonInferenceMethod reports whether a request method is one the
+// non-inference endpoints actually use: the listing and the per-model lookup
+// are GET, the connection-warming probe is HEAD or GET. The method is the only
+// thing separating "GET /v1/models/{id}" from a POST to the same path carrying
+// an inference body, and the non-inference mark exempts a request from the
+// token pre-flight — so anything else falls through to normal per-model
+// routing, which denies when the request names no model.
+func isNonInferenceMethod(method string) bool {
+	return method == http.MethodGet || method == http.MethodHead
+}
+
 // markNonInference tags an allow as a request that spends no tokens, so the
 // limit check skips the management pre-flight it would charge nothing against.
 func markNonInference(out *middleware.Output) {
@@ -534,7 +545,10 @@ func (m *Middleware) matchPathRoute(reqPath, model string, userGroups []string,
 // declaration order), matchOutcomeUnauthorised when no provider authorises
 // the caller, or matchOutcomeUnknownModel when the path isn't a recognised
 // model-less endpoint.
-func (m *Middleware) matchModelless(reqPath string, userGroups []string) (ProviderRoute, matchOutcome) {
+func (m *Middleware) matchModelless(reqPath, method string, userGroups []string) (ProviderRoute, matchOutcome) {
+	if !isNonInferenceMethod(method) {
+		return ProviderRoute{}, matchOutcomeUnknownModel
+	}
 	var eligible func(ProviderRoute) bool
 	switch {
 	case isBedrockModelLessPath(reqPath):
diff --git a/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware_test.go b/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware_test.go
index f83e7ddf9..a0ce265f5 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware_test.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/middleware/builtin/llm_router/middleware_test.go
@@ -173,8 +173,12 @@ func TestRouter_MissingModel(t *testing.T) {
 // from which a model could be parsed). UserGroups matches defaultTestGroup.
 func newModellessInput(reqURL string) *middleware.Input {
 	return &middleware.Input{
-		Slot:       middleware.SlotOnRequest,
-		URL:        reqURL,
+		Slot: middleware.SlotOnRequest,
+		URL:  reqURL,
+		// The non-inference endpoints are read requests; the method is what
+		// separates them from an inference body posted to the same path, so
+		// state it rather than leaning on the zero value.
+		Method:     http.MethodGet,
 		UserGroups: []string{defaultTestGroup},
 	}
 }
@@ -1035,3 +1039,49 @@ func TestRouter_ModelDetailHonoursAllowlist(t *testing.T) {
 			"a gateway that enumerates nothing cannot refuse a lookup")
 	})
 }
+
+// TestRouter_NonInferenceRequiresReadMethod pins that the non-inference mark —
+// which exempts a request from the token pre-flight — is reachable only by the
+// read methods these endpoints actually use. A POST to the same path could
+// carry an inference body, so it must not buy the exemption; it falls through
+// to normal per-model routing instead, which denies when no model is named.
+func TestRouter_NonInferenceRequiresReadMethod(t *testing.T) {
+	route := ProviderRoute{
+		ID:              "gateway",
+		AllowedGroupIDs: []string{defaultTestGroup},
+		UpstreamScheme:  "https",
+		UpstreamHost:    "gateway.example.com",
+	}
+
+	for _, path := range []string{"/v1/models", "/v1/models/claude-sonnet-5", "/api/hello"} {
+		t.Run("POST "+path, func(t *testing.T) {
+			mw := New(Config{Providers: []ProviderRoute{route}})
+
+			in := newModellessInput(path)
+			in.Method = http.MethodPost
+
+			out, err := mw.Invoke(context.Background(), in)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, middleware.DecisionDeny, out.Decision,
+				"a write to a non-inference path must not route unmetered")
+
+			nonInference, _ := metaValue(t, out.Metadata, middleware.KeyLLMNonInference)
+			assert.NotEqual(t, "true", nonInference,
+				"only a read method may skip the token pre-flight")
+		})
+	}
+
+	t.Run("HEAD keeps the warm probe working", func(t *testing.T) {
+		mw := New(Config{Providers: []ProviderRoute{route}})
+
+		in := newModellessInput(connectionWarmPath)
+		in.Method = http.MethodHead
+
+		out, err := mw.Invoke(context.Background(), in)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, middleware.DecisionAllow, out.Decision)
+
+		nonInference, _ := metaValue(t, out.Metadata, middleware.KeyLLMNonInference)
+		assert.Equal(t, "true", nonInference)
+	})
+}