diff --git a/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.fallback.test.ts b/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.fallback.test.ts
index 0d978a14f..fddd0a77d 100644
--- a/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.fallback.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.fallback.test.ts
@@ -175,18 +175,12 @@ describe('fetchGeminiRateLimits fallback oauth creds', () => {
     expect(result.error).toContain('Gemini project ID not found')
   })
 
-  it('returns unavailable when geminiCliOAuthEnabled=false and no google entry in auth.json', async () => {
-    readFileMock.mockImplementation(async (filePath: string) => {
-      if (filePath.includes('auth.json')) {
-        return JSON.stringify({ 'opencode-go': { type: 'api', key: 'k' } })
-      }
-      throw { code: 'ENOENT' }
-    })
-
+  it('returns unavailable without reading OAuth files when geminiCliOAuthEnabled=false', async () => {
     const result = await fetchGeminiRateLimits(false)
 
     expect(result.status).toBe('unavailable')
     expect(result.error).toContain('disabled')
+    expect(readFileMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     // No network calls should have been made.
     expect(netFetchMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
diff --git a/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.ts b/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.ts
index 95b710ef9..1f214b4b5 100644
--- a/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.ts
+++ b/src/main/rate-limits/gemini-usage-fetcher.ts
@@ -203,22 +203,25 @@ async function fetchViaOauthCreds(
 export async function fetchGeminiRateLimits(
   geminiCliOAuthEnabled = false
 ): Promise<ProviderRateLimits> {
+  if (!geminiCliOAuthEnabled) {
+    // Why: the OAuth sources include other apps' data folders on macOS.
+    // Do not touch them during background polling unless the user opts in.
+    return {
+      provider: 'gemini',
+      session: null,
+      weekly: null,
+      updatedAt: Date.now(),
+      error: 'Gemini CLI OAuth is disabled in settings',
+      status: 'unavailable'
+    }
+  }
+
   try {
     const authJson = await readAuthJson()
     const result =
       authJson?.google?.type === 'oauth'
         ? await fetchViaAuthJson(authJson.google, geminiCliOAuthEnabled)
         : await (async () => {
-            if (!geminiCliOAuthEnabled) {
-              return {
-                provider: 'gemini',
-                session: null,
-                weekly: null,
-                updatedAt: Date.now(),
-                error: 'Gemini CLI OAuth is disabled in settings',
-                status: 'unavailable'
-              } as ProviderRateLimits
-            }
             const creds = await readGeminiCredentials()
             return !creds
               ? ({
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index 32d34ac9f..0e2c1e29a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
       hydrateEditorSession: s.hydrateEditorSession,
       hydrateBrowserSession: s.hydrateBrowserSession,
       fetchBrowserSessionProfiles: s.fetchBrowserSessionProfiles,
-      fetchDetectedBrowsers: s.fetchDetectedBrowsers,
       reconnectPersistedTerminals: s.reconnectPersistedTerminals,
       setDeferredSshReconnectTargets: s.setDeferredSshReconnectTargets,
       setSshConnectionState: s.setSshConnectionState,
@@ -233,7 +232,6 @@ function App(): React.JSX.Element {
           actions.hydrateEditorSession(session)
           actions.hydrateBrowserSession(session)
           await actions.fetchBrowserSessionProfiles()
-          await actions.fetchDetectedBrowsers()
 
           // Why: SSH connections must be re-established BEFORE terminal
           // reconnect so that reconnectPersistedTerminals can route SSH-backed
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/browser-pane/BrowserToolbarMenu.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/browser-pane/BrowserToolbarMenu.tsx
index 81a5d1bf6..f050e3cce 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/browser-pane/BrowserToolbarMenu.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/browser-pane/BrowserToolbarMenu.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export function BrowserToolbarMenu({
   const createBrowserSessionProfile = useAppStore((s) => s.createBrowserSessionProfile)
   const importCookiesFromBrowser = useAppStore((s) => s.importCookiesFromBrowser)
   const importCookiesToProfile = useAppStore((s) => s.importCookiesToProfile)
+  const fetchDetectedBrowsers = useAppStore((s) => s.fetchDetectedBrowsers)
   const browserSessionImportState = useAppStore((s) => s.browserSessionImportState)
 
   const [newProfileDialogOpen, setNewProfileDialogOpen] = useState(false)
@@ -171,7 +172,15 @@ export function BrowserToolbarMenu({
 
           <DropdownMenuSeparator />
 
-          <DropdownMenuSub>
+          <DropdownMenuSub
+            onOpenChange={(open) => {
+              if (open) {
+                // Why: macOS treats other browsers' profile folders as app
+                // data. Only probe them when the user opens the import menu.
+                void fetchDetectedBrowsers()
+              }
+            }}
+          >
             <DropdownMenuSubTrigger disabled={browserSessionImportState?.status === 'importing'}>
               <Import className="mr-2 size-3.5" />
               Import Cookies
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserProfileRow.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserProfileRow.tsx
index 3cc648fe2..edb9a78bf 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserProfileRow.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserProfileRow.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export function BrowserProfileRow({
   isDefault
 }: BrowserProfileRowProps): React.JSX.Element {
   const isImporting = importState?.profileId === profile.id && importState.status === 'importing'
+  const fetchDetectedBrowsers = useAppStore((s) => s.fetchDetectedBrowsers)
 
   const handleImportFromBrowser = async (
     browserFamily: string,
@@ -115,7 +116,15 @@ export function BrowserProfileRow({
         )}
       </div>
       <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
-        <DropdownMenu>
+        <DropdownMenu
+          onOpenChange={(open) => {
+            if (open) {
+              // Why: macOS treats other browsers' profile folders as app
+              // data. Only probe them when the user opens the import menu.
+              void fetchDetectedBrowsers()
+            }
+          }}
+        >
           <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
             <Button
               variant="ghost"
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserUsePane.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserUsePane.tsx
index f7852ae8a..63a71359b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserUsePane.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/settings/BrowserUsePane.tsx
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ export function BrowserUseSetup({
     }
     void refreshCli()
     void fetchBrowserSessionProfiles()
-    void fetchDetectedBrowsers()
-  }, [browserUseEnabled, fetchBrowserSessionProfiles, fetchDetectedBrowsers])
+  }, [browserUseEnabled, fetchBrowserSessionProfiles])
 
   const defaultProfile = browserSessionProfiles.find((p) => p.id === 'default')
   // Why: this step explicitly imports into the default profile, so completion
@@ -325,7 +324,15 @@ export function BrowserUseSetup({
                 </button>
               ) : null}
             </div>
-            <DropdownMenu>
+            <DropdownMenu
+              onOpenChange={(open) => {
+                if (open) {
+                  // Why: macOS treats other browsers' profile folders as app
+                  // data. Only probe them when the user opens the import menu.
+                  void fetchDetectedBrowsers()
+                }
+              }}
+            >
               <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
                 <Button
                   variant={cookiesImported ? 'outline' : 'default'}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/browser.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/browser.ts
index 32300158d..5cf6e47d9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/browser.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/browser.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ export type BrowserSlice = {
     profiles: { name: string; directory: string }[]
     selectedProfile: string
   }[]
+  detectedBrowsersLoaded: boolean
   fetchDetectedBrowsers: () => Promise<void>
   importCookiesFromBrowser: (
     profileId: string,
@@ -1283,8 +1284,12 @@ export const createBrowserSlice: StateCreator<AppState, [], [], BrowserSlice> =
   },
 
   detectedBrowsers: [],
+  detectedBrowsersLoaded: false,
 
   fetchDetectedBrowsers: async () => {
+    if (get().detectedBrowsersLoaded) {
+      return
+    }
     try {
       const browsers = (await window.api.browser.sessionDetectBrowsers()) as {
         family: string
@@ -1292,9 +1297,10 @@ export const createBrowserSlice: StateCreator<AppState, [], [], BrowserSlice> =
         profiles: { name: string; directory: string }[]
         selectedProfile: string
       }[]
-      set({ detectedBrowsers: browsers })
+      set({ detectedBrowsers: browsers, detectedBrowsersLoaded: true })
     } catch {
       /* best-effort — empty list is acceptable fallback */
+      set({ detectedBrowsersLoaded: true })
     }
   },