diff --git a/open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts b/open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts
index 38913a2263..b70dcd631c 100644
--- a/open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts
+++ b/open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,16 @@ export function invalidateBufferTokensCache(): void {
   _cacheTimestamp = 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Directly set the cached buffer value — called by runtimeSettings after a
+ * settings save so the new value is available synchronously on the next request
+ * (no race window between invalidation and the async DB re-read).
+ */
+export function setBufferTokensCache(value: number): void {
+  _cachedBuffer = value;
+  _cacheTimestamp = Date.now();
+}
+
 // Get HH:MM:SS timestamp
 function getTimeString() {
   return new Date().toLocaleTimeString("en-US", {
diff --git a/src/lib/config/runtimeSettings.ts b/src/lib/config/runtimeSettings.ts
index b22f48c294..c8ad61ad17 100644
--- a/src/lib/config/runtimeSettings.ts
+++ b/src/lib/config/runtimeSettings.ts
@@ -306,10 +306,16 @@ async function applyCacheControlSection() {
   invalidateCacheControlSettingsCache();
 }
 
-async function applyUsageTrackingSection() {
-  const { invalidateBufferTokensCache } =
+async function applyUsageTrackingSection(newBuffer: number | null) {
+  const { invalidateBufferTokensCache, setBufferTokensCache } =
     await import("@omniroute/open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts");
-  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+  if (typeof newBuffer === "number" && newBuffer >= 0) {
+    // Set the value directly so the first request after a settings save gets the
+    // correct count synchronously — no race window back to DEFAULT (2000).
+    setBufferTokensCache(newBuffer);
+  } else {
+    invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+  }
 }
 
 async function applyThoughtSignatureSection(mode: string) {
@@ -465,7 +471,9 @@ export async function applyRuntimeSettings(
   }
 
   if (force || hasChanged(currentSnapshot.usageTokenBuffer, previousSnapshot.usageTokenBuffer)) {
-    await applyUsageTrackingSection();
+    const newBuffer =
+      typeof currentSnapshot.usageTokenBuffer === "number" ? currentSnapshot.usageTokenBuffer : null;
+    await applyUsageTrackingSection(newBuffer);
     markChanged("usageTracking");
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/usage-token-buffer.test.ts b/tests/unit/usage-token-buffer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8872b28675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/usage-token-buffer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import {
+  addBufferToUsage,
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache,
+  setBufferTokensCache,
+} from "../../open-sse/utils/usageTracking.ts";
+
+// ─── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function resetEnv(saved: string | undefined) {
+  if (saved === undefined) {
+    delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  } else {
+    process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER = saved;
+  }
+}
+
+// ─── addBufferToUsage — baseline / env-var path ───────────────────────────
+
+test("addBufferToUsage — adds DEFAULT 2000 when no env var and cache is null", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 25, completion_tokens: 24, total_tokens: 49 });
+
+  // Documents the race: after invalidation the sync path falls back to DEFAULT=2000
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 2025);
+  assert.equal(result.completion_tokens, 24);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 2049);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});
+
+test("addBufferToUsage — respects USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER=0 env override", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER = "0";
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 25, completion_tokens: 24, total_tokens: 49 });
+
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 25);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 49);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});
+
+test("addBufferToUsage — respects USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER=500 env override", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER = "500";
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 86, completion_tokens: 52, total_tokens: 138 });
+
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 586);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 638);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});
+
+test("addBufferToUsage — also adds to Claude-format input_tokens", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER = "100";
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ input_tokens: 40, output_tokens: 20 });
+
+  assert.equal(result.input_tokens, 140);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});
+
+test("addBufferToUsage — returns usage unchanged when buffer is 0 via env", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER = "0";
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+
+  const usage = { prompt_tokens: 86, completion_tokens: 52, total_tokens: 138 };
+  const result = addBufferToUsage(usage);
+
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 86);
+  assert.equal(result.completion_tokens, 52);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 138);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});
+
+// ─── setBufferTokensCache — the fix for the race condition ────────────────
+//
+// The race: invalidateBufferTokensCache() sets _cachedBuffer=null; the next
+// synchronous call to getBufferTokens() falls back to DEFAULT=2000 before
+// _loadBufferFromDb() (async) completes.
+//
+// The fix: runtimeSettings.ts calls setBufferTokensCache(newValue) instead of
+// invalidateBufferTokensCache() so the correct value is available synchronously.
+
+test("setBufferTokensCache(0) — immediately prevents buffer addition (no race window)", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+
+  // Simulates what runtimeSettings does after saving usageTokenBuffer=0 in DB
+  setBufferTokensCache(0);
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 25, completion_tokens: 24, total_tokens: 49 });
+
+  // With the fix: 0 is applied synchronously — no 2000-token race window
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 25);
+  assert.equal(result.completion_tokens, 24);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 49);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+});
+
+test("setBufferTokensCache(500) — immediately sets custom buffer value", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+
+  setBufferTokensCache(500);
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 86, completion_tokens: 52, total_tokens: 138 });
+
+  assert.equal(result.prompt_tokens, 586);
+  assert.equal(result.total_tokens, 638);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+});
+
+test("setBufferTokensCache(0) — works for Claude-format (input_tokens)", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+
+  setBufferTokensCache(0);
+
+  const result = addBufferToUsage({ input_tokens: 40, output_tokens: 20 });
+
+  assert.equal(result.input_tokens, 40);
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+});
+
+test("invalidateBufferTokensCache — still resets to null (returns DEFAULT on next sync call)", () => {
+  const saved = process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+  delete process.env.USAGE_TOKEN_BUFFER;
+
+  // First prime the cache with a custom value
+  setBufferTokensCache(0);
+  const afterSet = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 10, completion_tokens: 5, total_tokens: 15 });
+  assert.equal(afterSet.prompt_tokens, 10); // 0 buffer
+
+  // Then invalidate — next sync call reverts to DEFAULT (2000) while async reload happens
+  invalidateBufferTokensCache();
+  const afterInvalidate = addBufferToUsage({ prompt_tokens: 10, completion_tokens: 5, total_tokens: 15 });
+  assert.equal(afterInvalidate.prompt_tokens, 2010); // DEFAULT=2000 applied (race window)
+
+  resetEnv(saved);
+});