diff --git a/py/routes/handlers/model_handlers.py b/py/routes/handlers/model_handlers.py
index 0f53d096..6b0c9b4b 100644
--- a/py/routes/handlers/model_handlers.py
+++ b/py/routes/handlers/model_handlers.py
@@ -1861,7 +1861,9 @@ class ModelCivitaiHandler:
             return web.json_response(result)
         except Exception as exc:
             self._logger.error(
-                "Error in fetch_all_civitai for %ss: %s", self._service.model_type, exc
+                "Error in fetch_all_civitai for %ss: %s",
+                self._service.model_type, exc,
+                exc_info=True,
             )
             return web.Response(text=str(exc), status=500)
 
diff --git a/py/services/metadata_sync_service.py b/py/services/metadata_sync_service.py
index 832ab372..fbb95768 100644
--- a/py/services/metadata_sync_service.py
+++ b/py/services/metadata_sync_service.py
@@ -264,6 +264,14 @@ class MetadataSyncService:
                     model_data["last_checked_at"] = datetime.now().timestamp()
                     needs_save = True
 
+                # When the model was already classified as "not on CivitAI" via
+                # .metadata.json (civitai_deleted=True) but the SQLite cache is
+                # stale (because the pre-fix code never persisted these flags),
+                # ensure the flags are written to the scanner cache + SQLite.
+                if not needs_save and model_data.get("civitai_deleted") is True:
+                    model_data["last_checked_at"] = datetime.now().timestamp()
+                    needs_save = True
+
                 # Save metadata if any state was updated
                 if needs_save:
                     data_to_save = model_data.copy()
@@ -272,6 +280,7 @@ class MetadataSyncService:
                     if "last_checked_at" not in data_to_save:
                         data_to_save["last_checked_at"] = datetime.now().timestamp()
                     await self._metadata_manager.save_metadata(file_path, data_to_save)
+                    await update_cache_func(file_path, file_path, data_to_save)
 
                 default_error = (
                     "CivitAI model is deleted and metadata archive DB is not enabled"
@@ -291,11 +300,9 @@ class MetadataSyncService:
                     f"Error fetching metadata: {resolved_error} "
                     f"(file={os.path.basename(file_path)}, sha256={sha256})"
                 )
-                is_model_not_found = "Model not found" in resolved_error
-                if is_expected_offline_error(resolved_error) or is_model_not_found:
-                    logger.info(error_msg)
-                else:
-                    logger.error(error_msg)
+                # Use case layer (BulkMetadataRefreshUseCase) logs failed models at WARNING level,
+                # so this level is demoted to DEBUG to avoid duplicate user-visible logging.
+                logger.debug(error_msg)
                 return False, error_msg
 
             model_data["from_civitai"] = True
diff --git a/tests/services/test_metadata_sync_service.py b/tests/services/test_metadata_sync_service.py
index fd7efafa..0997932c 100644
--- a/tests/services/test_metadata_sync_service.py
+++ b/tests/services/test_metadata_sync_service.py
@@ -293,7 +293,8 @@ async def test_fetch_and_update_model_respects_deleted_without_archive():
     assert "metadata archive DB is not enabled" in error
     helpers.default_provider_factory.assert_not_awaited()
     helpers.metadata_manager.hydrate_model_data.assert_not_awaited()
-    update_cache.assert_not_awaited()
+    # Now update_cache_func IS called to persist the not-found flags to SQLite
+    update_cache.assert_awaited_once()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio