diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/decode.py b/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/decode.py
index 69c189b1bc88..1852c43ecac8 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/decode.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/decode.py
@@ -1377,13 +1377,11 @@ def pop_preallocated(
             # Hybrid models (e.g. K3 with KDA): guard against prealloc
             # draining the mamba pool before the KV pool (would assert "Not
             # enough space for mamba cache"). Evict a cached mamba slot from
-            # the radix tree first (only if it manages mamba states;
-            # ChunkCache.evict is a no-op), else stop.
+            # the radix tree first (a no-op with the radix cache disabled),
+            # else stop.
             mamba_allocator = getattr(self.req_to_token_pool, "mamba_allocator", None)
             if mamba_allocator is not None and mamba_allocator.available_size() <= 0:
-                supports_mamba = self.tree_cache.supports_mamba()
-                if supports_mamba and hasattr(self.tree_cache, "evict"):
-                    self.tree_cache.evict(EvictParams(num_tokens=0, mamba_num=1))
+                self.tree_cache.evict(EvictParams(num_tokens=0, mamba_num=1))
                 if mamba_allocator.available_size() <= 0:
                     break
 
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/kv_cache/auxiliary_state.py b/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/kv_cache/auxiliary_state.py
index 9a45f49f246e..85bd3a19962b 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/kv_cache/auxiliary_state.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/kv_cache/auxiliary_state.py
@@ -216,21 +216,8 @@ def has_snapshot(self, index: Any) -> bool:
 
 
 class MlxAuxiliaryStateReqToTokenPool(ReqToTokenPool):
-    """Req-to-token pool with MLX auxiliary-state slot bookkeeping.
-
-    Auxiliary-slot release has exactly one owner per configuration:
-
-    * Radix cache enabled: the ``MlxAuxiliaryStateComponent`` of the unified
-      radix cache owns release — on finish it either frees the slot or
-      transfers it to the tree, nulling ``req.kv.mamba_pool_idx`` before the
-      request row is freed. The pool must NOT free auxiliary slots itself.
-    * Radix cache disabled (``ChunkCache``): no tree component exists, and
-      ``release_kv_cache``'s ``free_mamba_cache`` fallback is gated on
-      ``HybridReqToTokenPool``, which this pool is not — so the pool itself
-      owns release. Construct with ``owns_auxiliary_state_release=True`` and
-      ``free(req)`` returns the slot together with the request row; without
-      this, every finished request leaks its slot until allocation asserts.
-    """
+    """Req-to-token pool with MLX auxiliary-state slot bookkeeping. It never
+    frees auxiliary slots: ``MlxAuxiliaryStateComponent`` owns their release."""
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -240,7 +227,6 @@ def __init__(
         device: str,
         enable_memory_saver: bool,
         auxiliary_state_size: int,
-        owns_auxiliary_state_release: bool = False,
     ):
         super().__init__(
             size=size,
@@ -248,7 +234,6 @@ def __init__(
             device=device,
             enable_memory_saver=enable_memory_saver,
         )
-        self._owns_auxiliary_state_release = owns_auxiliary_state_release
         self.mamba_pool = MlxAuxiliaryStatePool(
             size=auxiliary_state_size,
             device=device,
@@ -310,16 +295,6 @@ def free_auxiliary_state_cache(self, req, track_buffer_to_keep=None):
             mamba_ping_pong_track_buffer_to_keep=track_buffer_to_keep,
         )
 
-    def free(self, req):
-        if self._owns_auxiliary_state_release:
-            # No-radix configuration: nothing else will ever release the
-            # auxiliary slot, so return it with the request row. Keyed on
-            # req.kv.mamba_pool_idx (None-safe, nulled by free_mamba_cache), NOT
-            # on req_index_to_auxiliary_state_index_mapping, which may point
-            # at a slot the radix tree owns.
-            self.free_mamba_cache(req)
-        super().free(req)
-
     def clear(self):
         super().clear()
         self.auxiliary_state_pool.clear()
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/model_runner_stub.py b/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/model_runner_stub.py
index d5df916479e7..4bc3ade314f2 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/model_runner_stub.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/hardware_backend/mlx/model_runner_stub.py
@@ -296,10 +296,6 @@ def initialize(self):
                 device="cpu",
                 enable_memory_saver=False,
                 auxiliary_state_size=auxiliary_state_size,
-                # With the radix cache disabled no tree component exists to
-                # release auxiliary slots, so the pool owns their release
-                # (see MlxAuxiliaryStateReqToTokenPool docstring).
-                owns_auxiliary_state_release=get_memory().disable_radix_cache,
             )
         else:
             self.req_to_token_pool = ReqToTokenPool(
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/managers/schedule_policy.py b/python/sglang/srt/managers/schedule_policy.py
index 53fca050c044..b508eacb13ff 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/managers/schedule_policy.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/managers/schedule_policy.py
@@ -652,7 +652,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.exact_chunk_fill = (
             _use_exact_chunk_fill()
             and dllm_config is None
-            and not tree_cache.supports_mamba()
+            and not (
+                tree_cache.supports_mamba() and tree_cache.supports_prefix_sharing()
+            )
         )
 
         if self.dllm_config is not None:
@@ -695,8 +697,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.is_hybrid_ssm_cache = self.tree_cache.supports_mamba()
         # A new state slot eats shared-gap bytes that `rem_total_tokens` counts
         # as free, so reserve per slot or admission over-commits. Gate on the
-        # ALLOCATOR, not `is_hybrid_ssm_cache`: that is False for `ChunkCache`,
-        # which would skip the reservation on the chunk-cache path.
+        # ALLOCATOR: the reservation holds with the radix cache disabled too.
         self._mamba_slot_cost = 0
         if isinstance(
             self.token_to_kv_pool_allocator,
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/managers/scheduler_components/invariant_checker.py b/python/sglang/srt/managers/scheduler_components/invariant_checker.py
index 0001521e118d..8c0678c826ae 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/managers/scheduler_components/invariant_checker.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/managers/scheduler_components/invariant_checker.py
@@ -101,15 +101,9 @@ def _check_full_pool(self, ps: PoolStats, uncached: int = 0) -> Tuple[bool, str]
             session_held = self.pool_stats_observer.session_held_full_tokens()
             total = ps.full_capacity
         elif self.is_hybrid_ssm:
-            # Branch on cache type for the protected accessor (a mamba-capable
-            # cache splits full/mamba; ChunkCache only has the single protected_size).
-            # Use the allocator's `.size` for `total`: static max_total_num_tokens for
-            # non-unified pools, the dynamic byte-coordinated cap (matching
-            # `available_size`) for the unified pool.
-            if self.tree_cache.supports_mamba():
-                protected = self.tree_cache.full_protected_size()
-            else:
-                protected = self.tree_cache.protected_size()
+            # `total` is the allocator's `.size`: static for non-unified pools,
+            # the byte-coordinated cap (matching `available_size`) for the unified pool.
+            protected = self.tree_cache.full_protected_size()
             session_held = self.pool_stats_observer.session_held_tokens()
             total = self.req_to_token_pool.schedulable_token_capacity(
                 self.token_to_kv_pool_allocator.size
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/allocation.py b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/allocation.py
index 542f8943f7b1..80aad30f1ed2 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/allocation.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/allocation.py
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ def alloc_req_slots(
         mamba_available_size = (
             req_to_token_pool.mamba_allocator.schedulable_available_size()
         )
-        # Eviction headroom factor: 3x (or lazy variant) for radix COW, 1x for chunk.
-        if tree_cache.supports_mamba():
+        # Eviction headroom factor: 3x (or lazy variant) for radix COW, 1x without prefix sharing.
+        if tree_cache.supports_mamba() and tree_cache.supports_prefix_sharing():
             factor = (
                 MAMBA_STATE_PER_REQ_PREFIX_CACHE_LAZY
                 if req_to_token_pool.enable_mamba_extra_buffer_lazy
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/common.py b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/common.py
index 8a8fd5d360fe..6f82227b19c6 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/common.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/common.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from sglang.srt.mem_cache.allocator.page_interleave import page_interleave_shard_size
 from sglang.srt.mem_cache.base_prefix_cache import BasePrefixCache, EvictParams
 from sglang.srt.mem_cache.hicache_storage import PoolTransfer
-from sglang.srt.mem_cache.memory_pool import HybridReqToTokenPool, ReqToTokenPool
+from sglang.srt.mem_cache.memory_pool import ReqToTokenPool
 from sglang.srt.mem_cache.unified_cache.component_type import ComponentType
 from sglang.srt.runtime_context import get_serving, get_spec
 from sglang.srt.utils.common import ceil_align
@@ -334,14 +334,6 @@ def release_kv_cache(req: Req, tree_cache: BasePrefixCache, is_insert: bool = Tr
     )
     tree_cache.on_release(req, inserted=is_insert)
 
-    # If the prefix cache doesn't manage mamba states, we must free them here.
-    if isinstance(tree_cache.req_to_token_pool, HybridReqToTokenPool) and (
-        not tree_cache.supports_mamba()
-    ):
-        assert req.kv.holds_mamba, (
-            "mamba state is freed while the tree cache does not manage mamba states"
-        )
-        tree_cache.req_to_token_pool.free_mamba_cache(req)
     # The DSV4-NPU ReqToTokenPool subclass's free() additionally releases the
     # c4/c128 state pages; other ReqToTokenPool subclasses are a no-op here.
     tree_cache.req_to_token_pool.free(req)
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/registry.py b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/registry.py
index c4d033f03154..638db7fb85ae 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/registry.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/registry.py
@@ -84,9 +84,12 @@ def default_radix_cache_factory(ctx: TreeCacheBuildContext) -> BasePrefixCache:
     is_pure_swa = ctx.is_hybrid_swa and ctx.full_tokens_per_layer == 0
     if ctx.disable_radix_cache and (
         get_disagg().disaggregation_decode_retraction_backup == "host_pool"
-        # Streaming sessions live in UnifiedRadixCache; its disabled mode
-        # stands in for the chunk caches. Pure-SWA has no unified layout.
-        or (get_serving().enable_streaming_session and not is_pure_swa)
+        # Streaming sessions and mamba states need UnifiedRadixCache, whose
+        # disabled mode replaces the chunk caches; pure-SWA has no unified layout.
+        or (
+            not is_pure_swa
+            and (get_serving().enable_streaming_session or ctx.is_hybrid_ssm)
+        )
     ):
         return create_unified_radix_cache(ctx)
 
@@ -292,6 +295,13 @@ def create_tree_cache(ctx: TreeCacheBuildContext) -> BasePrefixCache:
             "a PR at https://github.com/sgl-project/sglang if you need this."
         )
 
+    if ctx.is_hybrid_ssm and not cache.supports_mamba():
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            f"Models with mamba state are not verified with {type(cache).__name__}; "
+            "mamba state lives in UnifiedRadixCache. Please open an issue or a PR "
+            "at https://github.com/sgl-project/sglang if you need this."
+        )
+
     hicache_attached = cache.cache_controller is not None
     logger.info(
         "Tree cache initialized: source=%s impl=%s hybrid_swa=%s hybrid_ssm=%s "
diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/unified_cache/components/mamba.py b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/unified_cache/components/mamba.py
index 57cac618d164..14e466917f3d 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/unified_cache/components/mamba.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/mem_cache/unified_cache/components/mamba.py
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ def __init__(self, cache: UnifiedRadixCache, params: CacheInitParams):
         assert isinstance(params.req_to_token_pool, HybridReqToTokenPool), (
             f"MambaComponent requires HybridReqToTokenPool, got {type(params.req_to_token_pool)}"
         )
-        if not params.enable_mamba_extra_buffer:
+        # Without the extra buffer only the sequence-end state exists, so a cached
+        # state needs page 1; a disabled tree caches none.
+        if not params.enable_mamba_extra_buffer and not params.disable:
             assert params.page_size == 1, (
                 f"MambaComponent requires page_size=1 when mamba_extra_buffer is disabled, got {params.page_size}"
             )
diff --git a/test/registered/unit/hardware_backend/mlx/test_max_running_requests.py b/test/registered/unit/hardware_backend/mlx/test_max_running_requests.py
index fdd1d43d0fb3..c7fde8309cfc 100644
--- a/test/registered/unit/hardware_backend/mlx/test_max_running_requests.py
+++ b/test/registered/unit/hardware_backend/mlx/test_max_running_requests.py
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 _SKIP_REASON = "requires mlx"
 
 if _HAS_MLX:
+    from sglang.srt.hardware_backend.mlx.kv_cache.auxiliary_state import (
+        MlxAuxiliaryStateComponent,
+    )
     from sglang.srt.hardware_backend.mlx.model_runner_stub import (
         MLX_AUX_STATE_SIZE_MAX_RUNNING_REQUESTS_RATIO as RATIO,
     )
@@ -265,15 +268,8 @@ def test_radix_disabled_default_sizing_is_one_to_one(self):
         self.assertEqual(stub.req_to_token_pool.auxiliary_state_pool.size, 3)
 
     def test_radix_disabled_sequential_requests_release_their_aux_slot(self):
-        # THE LEAK: with radix disabled, release_kv_cache's free_mamba_cache
-        # fallback never fires (the MLX pool is not a HybridReqToTokenPool)
-        # and ChunkCache frees token KV only, so pool.free(req) was the only
-        # release hook left -- and it freed just the request row. Every
-        # finished request permanently consumed one auxiliary slot and the
-        # (cap + 1)-th SEQUENTIAL request crashed with "Not enough MLX
-        # auxiliary state slots" even at concurrency 1. The pool now owns
-        # auxiliary release in this configuration: allocate/free/reallocate
-        # far past the pool size must succeed, with every slot returned.
+        # With radix disabled the component cleanup still frees the slot on finish;
+        # sequential requests far past the pool size must get every slot back.
         stub = _hybrid_stub_for_initialize(
             max_running_requests=2,
             max_mamba_cache_size=2,
@@ -282,11 +278,16 @@ def test_radix_disabled_sequential_requests_release_their_aux_slot(self):
         with _arch(hybrid=True), _published(stub):
             stub.initialize()
         pool = stub.req_to_token_pool
+        component = MlxAuxiliaryStateComponent(
+            SimpleNamespace(req_to_token_pool=pool),
+            SimpleNamespace(enable_mamba_extra_buffer=False),
+        )
         aux_capacity = pool.auxiliary_state_pool.available_size()
         for _ in range(3 * aux_capacity):
             req = _fake_req()
             self.assertIsNotNone(pool.alloc([req]))
-            pool.free(req)  # as release_kv_cache does after ChunkCache
+            component.cleanup_after_caching_req(req=req, is_finished=True)
+            pool.free(req)
             self.assertIsNone(req.kv.mamba_pool_idx)
             self.assertEqual(pool.auxiliary_state_pool.available_size(), aux_capacity)
 
diff --git a/test/registered/unit/layers/test_minicpm_sparse_cache.py b/test/registered/unit/layers/test_minicpm_sparse_cache.py
index cf8d93b0e164..f15d94d034d7 100644
--- a/test/registered/unit/layers/test_minicpm_sparse_cache.py
+++ b/test/registered/unit/layers/test_minicpm_sparse_cache.py
@@ -188,8 +188,9 @@ def test_reserved_slots_are_excluded_from_full_pool_invariant():
         swa_tokens_per_layer=None,
         max_total_num_tokens=64,
         tree_cache=SimpleNamespace(
-            supports_mamba=lambda: False,
-            protected_size=lambda: 0,
+            supports_mamba=lambda: True,
+            supports_prefix_sharing=lambda: False,
+            full_protected_size=lambda: 0,
         ),
         token_to_kv_pool_allocator=allocator,
         req_to_token_pool=pool,
@@ -213,7 +214,9 @@ def test_hybrid_pool_stats_exclude_reserved_slots():
     pool.mamba_allocator = SimpleNamespace(available_size=lambda: 1)
     pool.mamba_pool = SimpleNamespace(size=1)
     observer = SchedulerPoolStatsObserver(
-        tree_cache=SimpleNamespace(supports_mamba=lambda: False),
+        tree_cache=SimpleNamespace(
+            supports_mamba=lambda: True, supports_prefix_sharing=lambda: False
+        ),
         token_to_kv_pool_allocator=allocator,
         req_to_token_pool=pool,
         session_controller=None,
diff --git a/test/registered/unit/managers/test_prefill_adder.py b/test/registered/unit/managers/test_prefill_adder.py
index 3a820900191e..85071759fd26 100644
--- a/test/registered/unit/managers/test_prefill_adder.py
+++ b/test/registered/unit/managers/test_prefill_adder.py
@@ -284,17 +284,24 @@ def test_continuation_without_limit_keeps_normal_chunk_size(self):
 
     def test_exact_chunk_fill_keeps_mamba_chunks_page_aligned(self):
         # A Mamba checkpoint only lands on a page-aligned chunk end, so an
-        # off-grid chunk leaves the rest of the prompt uncacheable.
+        # off-grid chunk leaves the rest of the prompt uncacheable. Without
+        # prefix sharing nothing is cached, so the chunk stays exact.
         self.mock_token_allocator.available_size.return_value = 32768
-        self.mock_tree_cache.supports_prefix_sharing.return_value = False
-        for supports_mamba, expected in ((False, 100), (True, 64)):
+        cases = ((False, True, 100), (True, True, 64), (True, False, 100))
+        for supports_mamba, supports_prefix_sharing, expected in cases:
             with (
-                self.subTest(supports_mamba=supports_mamba),
+                self.subTest(
+                    supports_mamba=supports_mamba,
+                    supports_prefix_sharing=supports_prefix_sharing,
+                ),
                 patch.object(
                     schedule_policy, "_use_exact_chunk_fill", return_value=True
                 ),
             ):
                 self.mock_tree_cache.supports_mamba.return_value = supports_mamba
+                self.mock_tree_cache.supports_prefix_sharing.return_value = (
+                    supports_prefix_sharing
+                )
                 adder = self.create_adder(
                     self.create_running_batch(), page_size=64, rem_chunk_tokens=100
                 )
diff --git a/test/registered/unit/mem_cache/test_registry.py b/test/registered/unit/mem_cache/test_registry.py
index 3fec71a4c951..39d434be01b4 100644
--- a/test/registered/unit/mem_cache/test_registry.py
+++ b/test/registered/unit/mem_cache/test_registry.py
@@ -208,6 +208,28 @@ def test_streaming_with_disable_radix_keeps_pure_swa_off_unified(self):
         create_unified.assert_not_called()
         self.assertIs(result, PureSWAChunkCache.return_value)
 
+    def test_mamba_with_disable_radix_routes_to_unified(self):
+        ctx = _make_ctx(
+            self,
+            effective_chunked_prefill_size=512,
+            disable_radix_cache=True,
+            is_hybrid_ssm=True,
+        )
+        with patch(
+            "sglang.srt.mem_cache.registry.create_unified_radix_cache"
+        ) as create_unified:
+            result = default_radix_cache_factory(ctx)
+        create_unified.assert_called_once_with(ctx)
+        self.assertIs(result, create_unified.return_value)
+
+    def test_mamba_rejected_on_cache_without_mamba(self):
+        inner = MagicMock()
+        inner.supports_mamba.return_value = False
+        register_radix_cache_backend("nomamba", MagicMock(return_value=inner))
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(NotImplementedError, "not verified"):
+            create_tree_cache(_make_ctx(self, backend="nomamba", is_hybrid_ssm=True))
+
     def test_unified_radix_cache_is_the_default(self):
         ctx = _make_ctx(
             self,