diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8ff5c35..3d5207f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Allow pi to start when the model list fetch fails due to no network connectivity. Command Code models are fetched live when online; if the provider starts offline, run `/reload` once connected to refresh the model catalog.
+
+### Contributors
+
+- @k3-2o — reported that the model-list fetch blocked pi startup when offline.
+
 ## 0.4.2 - 2026-07-05
 
 - Fix Oh My Pi extension validation by avoiding the missing `calculateCost` export from OMP's legacy `pi-ai` shim.
diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index b7fb6d9..5fa47e1 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import type { ExtensionAPI } from "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent"
 
 import { COMMAND_CODE_CLI_VERSION, createStreamCommandCode, DEFAULT_API_BASE } from "./src/core.ts"
 import { calculateCommandCodeCost } from "./src/cost.ts"
-import { DEFAULT_MODELS_URL, fetchCommandCodeModels } from "./src/models.ts"
+import { DEFAULT_MODELS_URL, fetchCommandCodeModels, type CommandCodeModel } from "./src/models.ts"
 import { getApiKey, login, refreshToken } from "./src/oauth.ts"
 
 const API_BASE = process.env.COMMANDCODE_API_BASE ?? DEFAULT_API_BASE
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ const streamCommandCode = createStreamCommandCode({
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 export default async function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
-  const models = await fetchCommandCodeModels({ url: MODELS_URL })
+  let models: readonly CommandCodeModel[]
+  try {
+    models = await fetchCommandCodeModels({ url: MODELS_URL })
+  } catch {
+    models = []
+  }
 
   pi.registerProvider("commandcode", {
     name: "Command Code",