diff --git a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
index 07bf848..2607ca4 100644
--- a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
+++ b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/jobs.ts
@@ -333,18 +333,20 @@ async function advanceJob(job: Job): Promise<Job | null> {
     streamRegistry.register(job.id);
 
     // Fire AI work in background — poll returns immediately with "executing"
+    // isFree is true ONLY for fully-free jobs (user paid nothing, workAmountSats=0).
+    // Partial jobs (freeTier=true but workAmountSats>0) must use the paid accounting path.
+    const isFreeExecution = (job.workAmountSats ?? 0) === 0;
     setImmediate(() => {
       void runWorkInBackground(
         job.id,
         job.request,
         job.workAmountSats ?? 0,
         job.btcPriceUsd,
-        job.freeTier ?? false,
+        isFreeExecution,
         job.nostrPubkey ?? null,
-        // For partial free-tier jobs (freeTier=true but user paid chargeSats),
-        // pass absorbedSats so the grant is recorded post-payment in runWorkInBackground.
-        // For fully-free jobs (isFree=true, workAmountSats=0), grant was already recorded at eval time.
-        (job.freeTier && (job.workAmountSats ?? 0) > 0) ? (job.absorbedSats ?? 0) : 0,
+        // For partial jobs: pass absorbedSats so grant is recorded post-payment.
+        // For fully-free jobs: grant was already recorded at eval time, pass 0.
+        (!isFreeExecution && job.freeTier) ? (job.absorbedSats ?? 0) : 0,
       );
     });