diff --git a/tests/applications/modelling_e2e/test_handler.py b/tests/applications/modelling_e2e/test_handler.py
index a09fe266a..80c44aeeb 100644
--- a/tests/applications/modelling_e2e/test_handler.py
+++ b/tests/applications/modelling_e2e/test_handler.py
@@ -124,6 +124,18 @@ def _baseline_orchestrator() -> Iterator[MagicMock]:
         yield orchestrator
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _solar_repository() -> Iterator[MagicMock]:
+    """Patch the stored-Solar repository for every test — the handler reads
+    stored insights through it whatever refetch_solar says. Default: no stored
+    rows; solar tests override get_many with real payloads."""
+    with patch(
+        "applications.modelling_e2e.handler.SolarPostgresRepository"
+    ) as repository:
+        repository.return_value.get_many.return_value = {}
+        yield repository
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Solar throttle: per-container call gap resolved from env (quota/N safety)
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -208,6 +220,96 @@ def test_trigger_body_new_flags_default_to_true() -> None:
     assert result.refetch_solar is True
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# refetch_solar semantics — False skips the LIVE fetch only, never the measure
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_refetch_solar_false_models_with_stored_solar_and_never_calls_google(
+    _solar_repository: MagicMock,
+) -> None:
+    """refetch_solar=False means "don't pay for a Google call", NOT "model
+    without solar": the stored Solar insights are read from the DB and handed to
+    the Modelling stage, and the live Google client is never invoked.
+
+    Provenance: portfolio 814's 2026-07-02 re-model ran with refetch_solar=False
+    and every plan lost its solar candidates (pids 742071/742077/742397/742399 —
+    houses stopped short of goal B with bill-negative ASHP-only plans) even
+    though the `solar` table held healthy payloads for their UPRNs."""
+    # Arrange
+    stored_insights = {"solarPotential": {"maxArrayPanelsCount": 58}}
+    mock_engine = _engine_mock([PROPERTY_ID], [UPRN], [POSTCODE])
+    mock_uow = MagicMock()
+
+    with ExitStack() as stack:
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.os.environ", _ENV)
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch(
+                "applications.modelling_e2e.handler._get_engine",
+                return_value=mock_engine,
+            )
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.EpcClientService")
+        ).return_value.get_by_uprn.return_value = MagicMock()
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.GeospatialS3Repository")
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.GoogleSolarApiClient")
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler._spatial_for", return_value=None)
+        )
+        mock_live_fetch = stack.enter_context(
+            patch(
+                "applications.modelling_e2e.handler._solar_insights_for",
+                return_value=None,
+            )
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.overlays_from", return_value=[])
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.PropertyOverridesPostgresReader")
+        ).return_value.overrides_for_many.return_value = {}
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.ScenarioPostgresRepository")
+        ).return_value.get_many.return_value = [MagicMock()]
+        stack.enter_context(
+            patch(
+                "applications.modelling_e2e.handler.catalogue_snapshot_with_off_catalogue_overrides"
+            )
+        )
+        stack.enter_context(patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.Session"))
+        mock_run_modelling = stack.enter_context(
+            patch(
+                "applications.modelling_e2e.handler.run_modelling",
+                return_value=_plan_mock(),
+            )
+        )
+        MockUoW = stack.enter_context(
+            patch("applications.modelling_e2e.handler.PostgresUnitOfWork")
+        )
+        MockUoW.return_value.__enter__.return_value = mock_uow
+        MockUoW.return_value.__exit__.return_value = False
+        _solar_repository.return_value.get_many.return_value = {
+            UPRN: stored_insights
+        }
+
+        # Act — _BODY carries refetch_solar=False
+        _call_handler(_BODY)
+
+    # Assert — the stored insights reach the Modelling stage unchanged, and the
+    # paid Google leg is never exercised.
+    assert (
+        mock_run_modelling.call_args.kwargs["solar_insights"] == stored_insights
+    )
+    mock_live_fetch.assert_not_called()
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Child SubTask creation
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------