diff --git a/config/quality/file-size-baseline.json b/config/quality/file-size-baseline.json
index 8229ee41ca..1fc9ac5b98 100644
--- a/config/quality/file-size-baseline.json
+++ b/config/quality/file-size-baseline.json
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
     "open-sse/services/browserBackedChat.ts": 850,
     "open-sse/services/claudeCodeCompatible.ts": 1202,
     "_rebaseline_pr4592_exclude_exhausted_auto": "Reconcile #4592 already-merged growth: combo.ts 2991->3036 (+45, terminal-status quota-cutoff exclusion in buildAutoCandidates + opt-in gate). Fast-gate PR->release does not run check:file-size.",
-    "open-sse/services/combo.ts": 3036,
+    "open-sse/services/combo.ts": 3069,
     "open-sse/services/compression/strategySelector.ts": 848,
     "open-sse/services/rateLimitManager.ts": 1035,
     "open-sse/services/tokenRefresh.ts": 2070,
diff --git a/open-sse/services/combo.ts b/open-sse/services/combo.ts
index 69d2932804..46ec4f62cc 100644
--- a/open-sse/services/combo.ts
+++ b/open-sse/services/combo.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Shared combo (model combo) handling with fallback support
  * Supports: priority, weighted, round-robin, random, least-used, cost-optimized,
  * reset-aware, reset-window, strict-random, auto, fill-first, p2c, lkgp,
- * context-optimized, and context-relay strategies
+ * context-optimized, context-relay, and fusion strategies
  */
 
 import {
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ import {
   recordStickyWeightedSuccess,
 } from "./combo/rrState.ts";
 import { validateResponseQuality, toRetryAfterDisplayValue } from "./combo/validateQuality.ts";
+import { handleFusionChat, type FusionTuning } from "./fusion.ts";
 import {
   TRANSIENT_FOR_SEMAPHORE,
   MAX_FALLBACK_WAIT_MS,
@@ -737,6 +738,38 @@ export async function handleComboChat({
     return handleSingleModelWithTimeout(body, pinnedModel);
   }
 
+  // Fusion strategy: parallel panel + judge synthesis. Handled in a separate module
+  // because it neither iterates targets in order nor needs the failover/retry/credential
+  // gate machinery that follows — it fans out, then synthesizes once.
+  if (strategy === "fusion") {
+    const fusionModels = (combo.models || [])
+      .map((m) => {
+        if (typeof m === "string") return m;
+        if (m && typeof m === "object") {
+          const obj = m as Record<string, unknown>;
+          if (typeof obj.model === "string") return obj.model;
+        }
+        return null;
+      })
+      .filter((m): m is string => Boolean(m));
+    const cfg = config as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const judgeModel =
+      typeof cfg.judgeModel === "string" ? cfg.judgeModel : undefined;
+    const tuning =
+      cfg.fusionTuning && typeof cfg.fusionTuning === "object"
+        ? (cfg.fusionTuning as FusionTuning)
+        : undefined;
+    return handleFusionChat({
+      body,
+      models: fusionModels,
+      handleSingleModel: handleSingleModelWithTimeout,
+      log,
+      comboName: combo.name,
+      judgeModel,
+      tuning,
+    });
+  }
+
   const nestingContext = nesting || {
     depth: 0,
     maxDepth: clampComboDepth(config.maxComboDepth),
diff --git a/open-sse/services/fusion.ts b/open-sse/services/fusion.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ebde14a3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/open-sse/services/fusion.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+/**
+ * Fusion combo strategy — parallel panel + judge synthesis.
+ *
+ * A fusion combo fans the prompt out to every panel model in parallel, then a
+ * configurable judge model synthesizes one final answer from all panel responses.
+ *
+ *   - quorum-grace collection caps the straggler penalty (the slowest model
+ *     otherwise dominates wall time);
+ *   - anonymized sources prevent judge brand-bias ("Source N" rather than model name);
+ *   - degrades to a direct answer on a single survivor, 503 on total failure.
+ *
+ * Per OpenRouter's Fusion design, the judge does NOT merge — it analyzes
+ * (consensus / contradictions / partial coverage / unique insights / blind spots)
+ * then writes one answer grounded in that analysis. Most of fusion's quality lift
+ * comes from this synthesis step.
+ *
+ * Ported from upstream decolua/9router (Daniil Schovkunov), adapted JS → TS and
+ * wired through OmniRoute's existing combo schema (combo.config.judgeModel /
+ * combo.config.fusionTuning).
+ */
+import { errorResponse, sanitizeErrorMessage } from "../utils/error.ts";
+import { extractTextContent } from "../translator/helpers/geminiHelper.ts";
+import type { ComboLogger, HandleSingleModel } from "./combo/types.ts";
+
+// Fusion tuning. Overridable per-combo via combo.config.fusionTuning.
+export const FUSION_DEFAULTS = {
+  minPanel: 2, // answers needed before stragglers get a grace window
+  stragglerGraceMs: 8000, // wait this long for laggards once quorum is reached
+  panelHardTimeoutMs: 90000, // absolute cap so one hung model can't stall forever
+} as const;
+
+export type FusionTuning = {
+  minPanel?: number;
+  stragglerGraceMs?: number;
+  panelHardTimeoutMs?: number;
+};
+
+type Body = Record<string, unknown>;
+
+/**
+ * Extract assistant text from a non-stream completion across formats
+ * (OpenAI chat, Claude messages, Gemini, OpenAI Responses). Returns "" if none.
+ * Panel responses are already translated to the client format by chatCore, so the
+ * leaf content → string step reuses the translator's own extractTextContent.
+ */
+export function extractPanelText(json: unknown): string {
+  if (!json || typeof json !== "object") return "";
+  const j = json as Record<string, unknown>;
+
+  // OpenAI chat completion
+  const choices = j.choices as Array<Record<string, unknown>> | undefined;
+  const choice = choices?.[0];
+  if (choice) {
+    const msg = (choice.message ?? choice.delta ?? {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const t = extractTextContent(msg.content);
+    if (t.trim()) return t;
+    if (typeof choice.text === "string" && choice.text.trim()) return choice.text;
+  }
+
+  // Claude messages (text blocks share OpenAI's {type:"text"} shape)
+  const claudeText = extractTextContent(j.content);
+  if (claudeText.trim()) return claudeText;
+
+  // Gemini (parts carry .text without a type discriminator)
+  const candidates = j.candidates as Array<Record<string, unknown>> | undefined;
+  const parts = (candidates?.[0]?.content as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.parts as
+    | Array<{ text?: unknown }>
+    | undefined;
+  if (Array.isArray(parts)) {
+    const t = parts.map((p) => (typeof p?.text === "string" ? p.text : "")).join("");
+    if (t.trim()) return t;
+  }
+
+  // OpenAI Responses API
+  const output = j.output as Array<Record<string, unknown>> | undefined;
+  if (Array.isArray(output)) {
+    const t = output
+      .flatMap((o) =>
+        Array.isArray(o.content)
+          ? (o.content as Array<{ text?: unknown }>).map((c) =>
+              typeof c?.text === "string" ? c.text : ""
+            )
+          : []
+      )
+      .join("");
+    if (t.trim()) return t;
+  }
+
+  return "";
+}
+
+/**
+ * Append a synthesized user turn to whichever message array the request format uses.
+ * Preserves the original conversation + system prompt so the judge has full context.
+ */
+export function appendUserTurn(body: Body, text: string): Body {
+  const next: Body = { ...body };
+  if (Array.isArray(body.messages)) {
+    next.messages = [...(body.messages as unknown[]), { role: "user", content: text }];
+  } else if (Array.isArray(body.input)) {
+    next.input = [...(body.input as unknown[]), { role: "user", content: text }];
+  } else if (Array.isArray(body.contents)) {
+    next.contents = [
+      ...(body.contents as unknown[]),
+      { role: "user", parts: [{ text }] },
+    ];
+  } else {
+    next.messages = [{ role: "user", content: text }];
+  }
+  return next;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build the judge directive. Sources are anonymized ("Source N") so the judge
+ * weighs substance, not the reputation of a model brand.
+ */
+export function buildJudgePrompt(answers: Array<{ text: string }>): string {
+  const panel = answers.map((a, i) => `[Source ${i + 1}]\n${a.text}`).join("\n\n");
+
+  return [
+    `You are the JUDGE in a model-fusion panel. ${answers.length} expert models independently answered the user's most recent request. Their responses are below, anonymized by source.`,
+    "",
+    "Do NOT mention that multiple models were used, and do NOT refer to the sources. Produce ONE authoritative final answer addressed directly to the user.",
+    "",
+    "First, internally analyze the panel along these dimensions: consensus (points most sources agree on — treat as higher-confidence), contradictions (where they disagree — resolve with your own judgment), partial coverage, unique insights only one source surfaced, and blind spots every source missed. Then write the best possible final answer grounded in that analysis — more complete and correct than any single response, with no filler.",
+    "",
+    "=== PANEL RESPONSES ===",
+    panel,
+    "=== END PANEL RESPONSES ===",
+    "",
+    "Now write the final answer to the user's original request.",
+  ].join("\n");
+}
+
+type Sentinel = { __timeout?: true; __error?: unknown };
+
+// Resolve a Response (or sentinel) within ms; the loser keeps running but is ignored.
+function withTimeout(
+  promise: Promise<Response>,
+  ms: number
+): Promise<Response | Sentinel> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const t = setTimeout(() => resolve({ __timeout: true }), ms);
+    Promise.resolve(promise)
+      .then((v) => {
+        clearTimeout(t);
+        resolve(v);
+      })
+      .catch((e) => {
+        clearTimeout(t);
+        resolve({ __error: e });
+      });
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Collect panel responses with quorum-grace: as soon as `minPanel` calls succeed,
+ * start a short grace timer for the rest, then proceed with whatever arrived. This
+ * caps the straggler penalty while still preferring a full panel when everyone is
+ * fast. Bounded by a hard timeout.
+ *
+ * Returns a sparse array aligned to `calls` (undefined = not yet / dropped).
+ */
+export function collectPanel(
+  calls: Array<Promise<Response | Sentinel>>,
+  cfg: { minPanel: number; stragglerGraceMs: number; panelHardTimeoutMs: number }
+): Promise<Array<Response | Sentinel | undefined>> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const out: Array<Response | Sentinel | undefined> = new Array(calls.length);
+    let settled = 0;
+    let ok = 0;
+    let finished = false;
+    let graceTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+    const finish = () => {
+      if (finished) return;
+      finished = true;
+      clearTimeout(hardTimer);
+      if (graceTimer) clearTimeout(graceTimer);
+      resolve(out);
+    };
+    const hardTimer = setTimeout(finish, cfg.panelHardTimeoutMs);
+    calls.forEach((p, i) => {
+      Promise.resolve(p)
+        .then((v) => {
+          out[i] = v;
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+          out[i] = { __error: e };
+        })
+        .finally(() => {
+          settled++;
+          const slot = out[i] as Response | undefined;
+          if (slot && (slot as Response).ok) ok++;
+          if (settled === calls.length) return finish();
+          if (ok >= cfg.minPanel && !graceTimer) {
+            graceTimer = setTimeout(finish, cfg.stragglerGraceMs);
+          }
+        });
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+export type HandleFusionChatOptions = {
+  body: Body;
+  models: string[];
+  handleSingleModel: HandleSingleModel;
+  log: ComboLogger;
+  comboName?: string;
+  judgeModel?: string | null;
+  tuning?: FusionTuning | null;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Handle a fusion combo: fan the prompt out to every panel model in parallel,
+ * then a judge model synthesizes one final answer from all panel responses.
+ *
+ * Panel calls are forced non-streaming with tools stripped (the judge needs
+ * complete prose to synthesize). The judge call keeps the client's original
+ * stream flag + tools, so streaming and downstream tool use still work.
+ *
+ * Speed: quorum-grace collection caps the straggler penalty. Quality: the judge
+ * runs the consensus/contradiction/blind-spot analysis before writing.
+ *
+ * Degrades gracefully: 0 panel answers → 503, exactly 1 → return it directly.
+ */
+export async function handleFusionChat({
+  body,
+  models,
+  handleSingleModel,
+  log,
+  comboName,
+  judgeModel,
+  tuning,
+}: HandleFusionChatOptions): Promise<Response> {
+  const panel = Array.isArray(models) ? models.filter(Boolean) : [];
+  if (panel.length === 0) {
+    return errorResponse(400, "Fusion combo has no models");
+  }
+
+  // A single-model fusion has nothing to fuse — just answer directly.
+  if (panel.length === 1) {
+    return handleSingleModel(body, panel[0]);
+  }
+
+  const cfg = {
+    minPanel: tuning?.minPanel ?? FUSION_DEFAULTS.minPanel,
+    stragglerGraceMs: tuning?.stragglerGraceMs ?? FUSION_DEFAULTS.stragglerGraceMs,
+    panelHardTimeoutMs: tuning?.panelHardTimeoutMs ?? FUSION_DEFAULTS.panelHardTimeoutMs,
+  };
+  const minPanel = Math.min(Math.max(2, cfg.minPanel), panel.length);
+  const judge = judgeModel && judgeModel.trim() ? judgeModel.trim() : panel[0];
+  log.info(
+    "FUSION",
+    `Combo "${comboName ?? ""}" | panel=${panel.length} [${panel.join(", ")}] | judge=${judge} | quorum=${minPanel}`
+  );
+
+  // 1. Fan out to the panel in parallel: non-streaming, tools stripped (we want prose).
+  const { tools: _tools, tool_choice: _tc, ...rest } = body;
+  void _tools;
+  void _tc;
+  const panelBody: Body = { ...rest, stream: false };
+  const t0 = Date.now();
+  const calls = panel.map((m) =>
+    withTimeout(handleSingleModel(panelBody, m), cfg.panelHardTimeoutMs)
+  );
+  const settled = await collectPanel(calls, { ...cfg, minPanel });
+  log.info("FUSION", `fan-out collected in ${Date.now() - t0}ms`);
+
+  // 2. Collect successful answers.
+  const answers: Array<{ model: string; text: string }> = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < settled.length; i++) {
+    const res = settled[i];
+    const model = panel[i];
+    if (!res) {
+      log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} dropped (straggler/timeout)`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const sentinel = res as Sentinel;
+    if (sentinel.__timeout) {
+      log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} timed out`);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (sentinel.__error) {
+      log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} threw`, {
+        error: sanitizeErrorMessage(sentinel.__error as Error),
+      });
+      continue;
+    }
+    const resp = res as Response;
+    if (!resp.ok) {
+      log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} failed`, { status: resp.status });
+      continue;
+    }
+    try {
+      const json = await resp.clone().json();
+      const text = extractPanelText(json);
+      if (text) {
+        answers.push({ model, text });
+        log.info("FUSION", `Panel ${model} ok (${text.length} chars)`);
+      } else {
+        log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} returned empty content`);
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.warn("FUSION", `Panel ${model} unparseable`, {
+        error: sanitizeErrorMessage(e as Error),
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  // 3. Degrade gracefully when the panel is too thin to fuse.
+  if (answers.length === 0) {
+    log.warn("FUSION", "All panel models failed");
+    return errorResponse(503, "All fusion panel models failed");
+  }
+  if (answers.length === 1) {
+    log.info(
+      "FUSION",
+      `Only ${answers[0].model} succeeded — answering directly (no fusion)`
+    );
+    return handleSingleModel(body, answers[0].model);
+  }
+
+  // 4. Judge analyzes + writes one final answer (streams to client if requested).
+  const judgeBody = appendUserTurn(body, buildJudgePrompt(answers));
+  log.info("FUSION", `Judging ${answers.length} answers with ${judge}`);
+  return handleSingleModel(judgeBody, judge);
+}
diff --git a/src/i18n/messages/en.json b/src/i18n/messages/en.json
index beb013043f..4d14c2acd6 100644
--- a/src/i18n/messages/en.json
+++ b/src/i18n/messages/en.json
@@ -2384,6 +2384,8 @@
     "resetAwareDesc": "Balances remaining quota against 5h and weekly resets, then round-robins similar scores",
     "strictRandom": "Strict Random",
     "strictRandomDesc": "Shuffle deck — uses each model once before reshuffling",
+    "fusion": "Fusion",
+    "fusionDesc": "Fans the prompt to every panel model in parallel, then a judge model synthesizes one final answer",
     "models": "Models",
     "autoBalance": "Auto-balance",
     "advancedSettings": "Advanced Settings",
diff --git a/src/shared/constants/routingStrategies.ts b/src/shared/constants/routingStrategies.ts
index 18e35e3d4c..1e09f350ac 100644
--- a/src/shared/constants/routingStrategies.ts
+++ b/src/shared/constants/routingStrategies.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export const ROUTING_STRATEGY_VALUES = [
   "auto",
   "lkgp",
   "context-optimized",
+  "fusion",
 ] as const;
 
 export type RoutingStrategyValue = (typeof ROUTING_STRATEGY_VALUES)[number];
@@ -170,6 +171,13 @@ export const ROUTING_STRATEGIES: RoutingStrategyOption[] = [
     settingsDescKey: "contextOptDesc",
     icon: "text_snippet",
   },
+  {
+    value: "fusion",
+    labelKey: "fusion",
+    combosDescKey: "fusionDesc",
+    settingsDescKey: "fusionDesc",
+    icon: "hub",
+  },
 ];
 
 export const SETTINGS_FALLBACK_STRATEGY_VALUES = ACCOUNT_FALLBACK_STRATEGY_VALUES;
diff --git a/tests/unit/combo-fusion-strategy.test.ts b/tests/unit/combo-fusion-strategy.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..775baef70f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/combo-fusion-strategy.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+/**
+ * Fusion combo strategy — parallel panel + judge synthesis.
+ *
+ * Ported from upstream decolua/9router (Daniil Schovkunov). Adds Fusion as the 16th
+ * combo strategy: fan the prompt out to every panel model in parallel, then a judge
+ * model synthesizes one final answer from all panel responses.
+ */
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+const TEST_DATA_DIR = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "omniroute-combo-fusion-"));
+process.env.DATA_DIR = TEST_DATA_DIR;
+process.env.API_KEY_SECRET = process.env.API_KEY_SECRET || "combo-fusion-test-secret";
+
+const { handleComboChat } = await import("../../open-sse/services/combo.ts");
+
+const noop = () => {};
+const log = { info: noop, warn: noop, debug: noop, error: noop };
+
+type Body = Record<string, unknown>;
+
+// Minimal OpenAI-chat Response-shaped object compatible with the engine's .ok + .clone().json() surface.
+function okResponse(content: string, { delayMs = 0 } = {}): Response | Promise<Response> {
+  const body = JSON.stringify({ choices: [{ message: { role: "assistant", content } }] });
+  const make = () =>
+    new Response(body, { status: 200, headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" } });
+  return delayMs > 0 ? new Promise((r) => setTimeout(() => r(make()), delayMs)) : make();
+}
+
+function errResponse(status = 500): Response {
+  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: { message: "boom" } }), {
+    status,
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+  });
+}
+
+function fusionCombo(models: string[], extra: Record<string, unknown> = {}) {
+  return {
+    name: "test-fusion-combo",
+    strategy: "fusion",
+    models: models.map((m) => ({ model: m })),
+    config: extra,
+  };
+}
+
+test("fusion: single-model panel answers directly (nothing to fuse)", async () => {
+  const calls: string[] = [];
+  const handleSingleModel = async (_b: Body, m: string) => {
+    calls.push(m);
+    return okResponse("solo");
+  };
+  const res = await handleComboChat({
+    body: { messages: [{ role: "user", content: "hi" }] },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/only"]),
+    handleSingleModel,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(calls[0], "p/only");
+  assert.equal(res.status, 200);
+});
+
+test("fusion: fans out to the panel then routes a synthesis turn to the judge", async () => {
+  const seen: string[] = [];
+  const seenBodies: Body[] = [];
+  const handleSingleModel = async (b: Body, m: string) => {
+    seen.push(m);
+    seenBodies.push(b);
+    if (m === "p/judge") return okResponse("FINAL");
+    return okResponse(`ans-${m}`);
+  };
+
+  const res = await handleComboChat({
+    body: {
+      messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Q" }],
+      stream: true,
+      tools: [{ name: "x" }],
+    },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/a", "p/b", "p/c"], { judgeModel: "p/judge" }),
+    handleSingleModel,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+
+  // 3 panel calls + 1 judge call.
+  assert.equal(seen.length, 4);
+  assert.deepEqual(seen.slice(0, 3).sort(), ["p/a", "p/b", "p/c"]);
+  assert.equal(seen[3], "p/judge");
+
+  // Panel calls are non-streaming with tools stripped.
+  for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+    const b = seenBodies[i];
+    assert.equal(b.stream, false, "panel call should be non-streaming");
+    assert.equal(b.tools, undefined, "panel call should have tools stripped");
+  }
+
+  // Judge call carries every panel answer + keeps the client's stream flag.
+  const judgeBody = seenBodies[3];
+  const judgeMsgs = judgeBody.messages as Array<{ role: string; content: string }>;
+  const judgeText = judgeMsgs[judgeMsgs.length - 1].content;
+  assert.match(judgeText, /ans-p\/a/);
+  assert.match(judgeText, /ans-p\/b/);
+  assert.match(judgeText, /ans-p\/c/);
+  assert.match(judgeText, /Source 1/);
+  assert.equal(judgeBody.stream, true);
+
+  assert.equal(res.status, 200);
+});
+
+test("fusion: defaults the judge to the first panel model when none is set", async () => {
+  const seen: string[] = [];
+  const handleSingleModel = async (_b: Body, m: string) => {
+    seen.push(m);
+    return okResponse(`ans-${m}`);
+  };
+  await handleComboChat({
+    body: { messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Q" }] },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/first", "p/second"]),
+    handleSingleModel,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+  // Last call is the judge; defaults to panel[0].
+  assert.equal(seen[seen.length - 1], "p/first");
+});
+
+test("fusion: proceeds on quorum without waiting for a straggler (grace window)", async () => {
+  const handleSingleModel = async (_b: Body, m: string) => {
+    if (m === "p/slow") return okResponse("slow", { delayMs: 5000 });
+    if (m === "p/judge") return okResponse("FINAL");
+    return okResponse(`fast-${m}`);
+  };
+
+  const t0 = Date.now();
+  const seenBodies: Body[] = [];
+  const wrapped = async (b: Body, m: string) => {
+    seenBodies.push(b);
+    return handleSingleModel(b, m);
+  };
+  await handleComboChat({
+    body: { messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Q" }] },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/x", "p/y", "p/slow"], {
+      judgeModel: "p/judge",
+      fusionTuning: { minPanel: 2, stragglerGraceMs: 50, panelHardTimeoutMs: 10000 },
+    }),
+    handleSingleModel: wrapped,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+  const elapsed = Date.now() - t0;
+
+  // Two fast answers reach quorum; grace is 50ms, so we never wait ~5s for p/slow.
+  assert.ok(elapsed < 2000, `should not wait for straggler (took ${elapsed}ms)`);
+
+  const judgeBody = seenBodies[seenBodies.length - 1];
+  const judgeMsgs = judgeBody.messages as Array<{ role: string; content: string }>;
+  const judgeText = judgeMsgs[judgeMsgs.length - 1].content;
+  assert.match(judgeText, /fast-p\/x/);
+  assert.match(judgeText, /fast-p\/y/);
+  assert.ok(!/slow/.test(judgeText), "straggler answer should not appear in the judge prompt");
+});
+
+test("fusion: returns the lone survivor directly when only one panel model succeeds", async () => {
+  const seen: string[] = [];
+  const handleSingleModel = async (_b: Body, m: string) => {
+    seen.push(m);
+    if (m === "p/ok") return okResponse("lone");
+    return errResponse(500);
+  };
+  await handleComboChat({
+    body: { messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Q" }] },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/ok", "p/bad"], {
+      judgeModel: "p/judge",
+      fusionTuning: { minPanel: 2, stragglerGraceMs: 50, panelHardTimeoutMs: 5000 },
+    }),
+    handleSingleModel,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+  // No judge call — single answer means there is nothing to fuse.
+  assert.ok(
+    !seen.includes("p/judge"),
+    "judge should not be invoked when only one panel model survives"
+  );
+});
+
+test("fusion: returns 503 when the whole panel fails", async () => {
+  const handleSingleModel = async () => errResponse(500);
+  const res = await handleComboChat({
+    body: { messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Q" }] },
+    combo: fusionCombo(["p/a", "p/b"], {
+      fusionTuning: { minPanel: 2, stragglerGraceMs: 50, panelHardTimeoutMs: 5000 },
+    }),
+    handleSingleModel,
+    log,
+    settings: {},
+    allCombos: [],
+  });
+  assert.equal(res.status, 503);
+});