diff --git a/desktop/main/studio-local-models.ts b/desktop/main/studio-local-models.ts
index c1cfe457e..33b861ee3 100644
--- a/desktop/main/studio-local-models.ts
+++ b/desktop/main/studio-local-models.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ export class StudioLocalModels {
   private readonly inFlight = new Map<string, Promise<void>>();
   private engine: LocalEngineStatus | null = null;
   private engineRun: Promise<void> | null = null;
+  /** A status ask from a catalog paint still running (engineStatusSoon), shared by the next paint. */
+  private engineAsk: Promise<LocalEngineStatus | null> | null = null;
   private readonly loads = new Map<string, Promise<void>>();
   /** The artifact this app loaded last, and whether with the vision projector (edit/reference). */
   private loadedHere: { id: string; vision: boolean } | null = null;
@@ -349,23 +351,65 @@ export class StudioLocalModels {
     return engine;
   }
 
-  /** Whether Core's sd.cpp engine is installed, and if not, whether this computer can take it. */
+  /**
+   * Keep a definite answer about the engine. The first one, or one that changes the
+   * state, is pushed as an `engine` event so a page painted without it repaints.
+   */
+  private knowEngine(engine: LocalEngineStatus): LocalEngineStatus {
+    const changed = this.engine?.state !== engine.state;
+    this.engine = engine;
+    if (changed) this.deps.emit({ type: "engine", engine: { ...engine } });
+    return { ...engine };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Whether Core's sd.cpp engine is installed, and if not, whether this computer can take it.
+   * Only a definite answer is kept (ATO-1420): when Core's engine catalog did not answer, the
+   * state is not known, the reply says `missing` for now and the next call asks again. A kept
+   * guess would never be asked again, and Download would no longer refuse on a computer that
+   * cannot run local generation.
+   */
   async engineStatus(): Promise<LocalEngineStatus> {
     if (this.engineRun && this.engine) return { ...this.engine };
     const client = await this.deps.ready();
     const status = await client.call<{ install?: { state?: string; backend?: string; tag?: string } }>("/diffusion/status");
     if (status.install?.state === "installed") {
-      this.engine = { state: "ready", message: "The image engine is ready.", backend: status.install.backend ?? null, tag: status.install.tag ?? null, progress: null, error: null };
-      return { ...this.engine };
+      return this.knowEngine({ state: "ready", message: "The image engine is ready.", backend: status.install.backend ?? null, tag: status.install.tag ?? null, progress: null, error: null });
     }
     const catalog = await client.call<{ manifest?: unknown; host_backend_id?: string | null; host_reason?: string | null }>("/engine-builds/sd-cpp/catalog", {}, { timeoutMs: 30_000 }).catch(() => null);
     if (catalog?.manifest && !catalog.host_backend_id) {
-      this.engine = { state: "unsupported", message: `This computer cannot run local image models${catalog.host_reason ? ` (${catalog.host_reason.replace(/\.$/, "")})` : ""}. Use a cloud model instead.`, backend: null, tag: null, progress: null, error: null };
-      return { ...this.engine };
+      return this.knowEngine({ state: "unsupported", message: `This computer cannot run local image models${catalog.host_reason ? ` (${catalog.host_reason.replace(/\.$/, "")})` : ""}. Use a cloud model instead.`, backend: null, tag: null, progress: null, error: null });
     }
     if (this.engine?.state === "failed") return { ...this.engine };
-    this.engine = { state: "missing", message: "The image engine downloads once, the first time you generate locally.", backend: catalog?.host_backend_id ?? null, tag: null, progress: null, error: null };
-    return { ...this.engine };
+    const missing: LocalEngineStatus = { state: "missing", message: "The image engine downloads once, the first time you generate locally.", backend: catalog?.host_backend_id ?? null, tag: null, progress: null, error: null };
+    // Core named a build for this computer: it can take the engine, a definite answer.
+    if (catalog?.manifest && catalog.host_backend_id) return this.knowEngine(missing);
+    return missing;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The engine for a page about to paint: the kept answer at once, else Core asked for at
+   * most `waitMs` (ATO-1420). Null when Core is slow or down, so the catalog shows right away;
+   * the ask goes on, and a definite answer that lands later is pushed as an `engine` event.
+   * Asks overlapping in time share one call to Core.
+   */
+  async engineStatusSoon(waitMs: number): Promise<LocalEngineStatus | null> {
+    if (this.engine) return { ...this.engine };
+    if (!this.engineAsk) {
+      this.engineAsk = this.engineStatus()
+        .catch(() => null)
+        .finally(() => { this.engineAsk = null; });
+    }
+    const ask = this.engineAsk;
+    let resolveLate: (value: null) => void = () => {};
+    const late = new Promise<null>((resolve) => { resolveLate = resolve; });
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => resolveLate(null), Math.max(0, waitMs));
+    timer.unref?.();
+    try {
+      return await Promise.race([ask, late]);
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+    }
   }
 
   /** Install Core's sd.cpp engine when it is missing; joins an install in flight. */
diff --git a/desktop/main/studio-media.ts b/desktop/main/studio-media.ts
index 9da1f6727..158ff0ea2 100644
--- a/desktop/main/studio-media.ts
+++ b/desktop/main/studio-media.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ import { normalizeItem, normalizeJob, toCoreImageRequest, toCoreVideoRequest, ty
 export const OPENROUTER_MEDIA_BASE_URL = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1";
 /** A lease is let go this long after the last followed job ends. */
 const LEASE_GRACE_MS = 60_000;
+/** How long a catalog paint waits for the image engine's status before it shows without it. */
+export const ENGINE_ASK_ON_PAINT_MS = 1_500;
 
 export interface StudioMediaDeps {
   /** The managed data dir (`localModels.managed.dataDirOverride`, else `<stateDir>/models`), read per call. */
@@ -267,8 +269,10 @@ export class StudioMedia {
       if (m && m.modality === kind && typeof m.modelId === "string") loaded = m.modelId;
     } catch { /* Core down: families are still listed */ }
     /* The engine as last seen, else asked now: the page offers Download and local generation
-       by `engine.state`, and a cached null would hide "this computer cannot run them". */
-    const engine = this.local.state().engine ?? (await this.local.engineStatus().catch(() => null));
+       by `engine.state`, and a cached null would hide "this computer cannot run them".
+       The ask waits a moment only (ATO-1420): with Core slow or down the catalog still shows
+       at once, and the answer repaints the page when it lands (an `engine` event). */
+    const engine = this.local.state().engine ?? (await this.local.engineStatusSoon(ENGINE_ASK_ON_PAINT_MS));
     const extra: LocalSectionExtra = { machine: this.local.profile(), modelsDir: this.local.modelsDir(), engine };
     try {
       const { doc, catalog, error } = await this.local.catalog();
diff --git a/desktop/test/studio-local.test.mjs b/desktop/test/studio-local.test.mjs
index 703a5a8fc..b07e55997 100644
--- a/desktop/test/studio-local.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/test/studio-local.test.mjs
@@ -366,3 +366,106 @@ test("the local catalog section asks for the engine when nothing has yet, so the
   assert.equal(section.engine, null);
   assert.ok(section.models.length > 0);
 });
+
+/* ------------------------------------- engine status not kept on a failed ask (ATO-1420) */
+
+test("an engine status Core could not answer is not kept: the next ask goes to Core again and Download still refuses", async () => {
+  const { StudioLocalModels } = require("../out/main/studio-local-models.js");
+  const dataDir = join(base, "engine-flaky");
+  let catalogAsks = 0;
+  const core = {
+    call: async (path) => {
+      if (path === "/diffusion/status") return { install: { state: "missing" }, model: { loaded: null } };
+      if (path.startsWith("/engine-builds/sd-cpp/catalog")) {
+        catalogAsks++;
+        if (catalogAsks === 1) throw new Error("Core's engine catalog timed out");
+        return { manifest: {}, host_backend_id: null, host_reason: "no supported GPU." };
+      }
+      throw new Error(`unexpected ${path}`);
+    },
+  };
+  const events = [];
+  const lm = new StudioLocalModels({
+    dataDir: () => dataDir, ready: async () => core, running: async () => null,
+    emit: (e) => events.push(e), request: async () => { throw new Error("offline"); },
+  });
+  const first = await lm.engineStatus();
+  assert.equal(first.state, "missing", "the reply still has a shape the page reads");
+  assert.equal(lm.state().engine, null, "a guess is not kept");
+  assert.equal(events.filter((e) => e.type === "engine").length, 0);
+  // Download asks again and now learns this computer cannot run it.
+  await assert.rejects(lm.download("z-image:q4_k_m"), (e) => e.code === "ENGINE_UNSUPPORTED");
+  assert.equal(catalogAsks, 2);
+  assert.equal(lm.state().engine.state, "unsupported");
+  assert.deepEqual(events.filter((e) => e.type === "engine").map((e) => e.engine.state), ["unsupported"]);
+  assert.equal(events.filter((e) => e.type === "download").length, 0);
+});
+
+test("a definite engine answer is kept and not asked again by Download", async () => {
+  const { StudioLocalModels } = require("../out/main/studio-local-models.js");
+  let catalogAsks = 0;
+  const core = {
+    call: async (path) => {
+      if (path === "/diffusion/status") return { install: { state: "missing" }, model: { loaded: null } };
+      if (path.startsWith("/engine-builds/sd-cpp/catalog")) { catalogAsks++; return { manifest: {}, host_backend_id: null, host_reason: null }; }
+      throw new Error(`unexpected ${path}`);
+    },
+  };
+  const lm = new StudioLocalModels({
+    dataDir: () => join(base, "engine-kept"), ready: async () => core, running: async () => null,
+    emit: () => {}, request: async () => { throw new Error("offline"); },
+  });
+  assert.equal((await lm.engineStatus()).state, "unsupported");
+  await assert.rejects(lm.download("z-image:q4_k_m"), (e) => e.code === "ENGINE_UNSUPPORTED");
+  assert.equal(catalogAsks, 1);
+});
+
+test("a catalog paint waits for a slow engine ask a moment only, shares it, and the late answer is pushed", async () => {
+  const { StudioLocalModels } = require("../out/main/studio-local-models.js");
+  let release;
+  const held = new Promise((resolve) => { release = resolve; });
+  let catalogAsks = 0;
+  const core = {
+    call: async (path) => {
+      if (path === "/diffusion/status") return { install: { state: "missing" }, model: { loaded: null } };
+      if (path.startsWith("/engine-builds/sd-cpp/catalog")) { catalogAsks++; await held; return { manifest: {}, host_backend_id: null, host_reason: null }; }
+      throw new Error(`unexpected ${path}`);
+    },
+  };
+  const events = [];
+  const lm = new StudioLocalModels({
+    dataDir: () => join(base, "engine-slow"), ready: async () => core, running: async () => null,
+    emit: (e) => events.push(e), request: async () => { throw new Error("offline"); },
+  });
+  const t0 = Date.now();
+  assert.equal(await lm.engineStatusSoon(50), null);
+  assert.equal(await lm.engineStatusSoon(50), null);
+  assert.ok(Date.now() - t0 < 2_000, "the paint did not wait for Core");
+  assert.equal(catalogAsks, 1, "overlapping paints share one ask");
+  release();
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 20));
+  assert.deepEqual(events.filter((e) => e.type === "engine").map((e) => e.engine.state), ["unsupported"]);
+  assert.equal((await lm.engineStatusSoon(50)).state, "unsupported");
+  assert.equal(catalogAsks, 1);
+});
+
+test("the local catalog section shows without waiting for an engine ask that hangs", async () => {
+  const { StudioMedia, ENGINE_ASK_ON_PAINT_MS } = require("../out/main/studio-media.js");
+  const studio = new StudioMedia({
+    dataDir: () => join(base, "section-slow"), stateDir: base, coreVersion: "0.0.0", openRouterKey: async () => null,
+    emitJob: () => {}, emitLocal: () => {},
+    request: async () => { throw new Error("offline"); },
+    coreRequest: () => { throw new Error("no Core download in this test"); },
+  });
+  studio.ready = async () => { throw new Error("no Core in this test"); };
+  let asked = 0;
+  studio.local.engineStatus = () => { asked++; return new Promise(() => {}); };
+  const t0 = Date.now();
+  const section = await studio["localSection"]("image");
+  const took = Date.now() - t0;
+  assert.equal(asked, 1);
+  assert.equal(section.engine, null);
+  assert.ok(section.models.length > 0, "the families are listed");
+  assert.ok(ENGINE_ASK_ON_PAINT_MS <= 2_000);
+  assert.ok(took < ENGINE_ASK_ON_PAINT_MS + 1_500, `waited ${took} ms, not up to Core's 30 s`);
+});