diff --git a/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.test.ts b/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.test.ts
index c42279fe39d..beb553246dd 100644
--- a/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,27 @@ function upstream(overrides: Partial<ProviderHealthStatus> = {}): ProviderHealth
 }
 
 describe("doctor inference checks", () => {
+  it.each([
+    ["nvidia-prod", "nvidia/nemotron", "ok"],
+    ["nvidia-prod", "unknown", "warn"],
+    ["unknown", "nvidia/nemotron", "warn"],
+    ["unknown", "unknown", "warn"],
+  ] as const)("reports %s / %s inference route as %s (#9435)", async (provider, model, status) => {
+    const checks = await collectInferenceChecks("alpha", { provider, model }, false, {
+      probeProviderHealthImpl: () => null,
+      includeServingProcessCheck: false,
+    });
+
+    expect(checks[0]).toEqual({
+      group: "Inference",
+      label: "Route",
+      status,
+      detail: `${provider} / ${model}`,
+      hint:
+        status === "ok" ? undefined : "run `nemoclaw alpha status` after the gateway is healthy",
+    });
+  });
+
   it.each([
     ["running", "ok", false],
     ["preparing", "warn", true],
diff --git a/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.ts b/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.ts
index f6c9a4fad12..46209ca9ed4 100644
--- a/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.ts
+++ b/src/lib/actions/sandbox/doctor-inference.ts
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ function pushInferenceHealthCheck(
 }
 
 function inferenceRouteCheck(sandboxName: string, route: DoctorInferenceRoute): DoctorCheck {
-  const known = route.provider !== "unknown" || route.model !== "unknown";
+  const known = route.provider !== "unknown" && route.model !== "unknown";
   return {
     group: "Inference",
     label: "Route",