diff --git a/src/api/types.ts b/src/api/types.ts
index 0b9dbe1..27e0619 100644
--- a/src/api/types.ts
+++ b/src/api/types.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ export type PriceWhen = Record<string, string | number | boolean>;
 /** One PER_UNIT_MATRIX row. Current wire carries the typed leaf under
  *  `price`; pre-2026-07 backends sent it under `amount` — accept BOTH. */
 export interface PriceVariant {
-  when: PriceWhen;
+  /** Cell coordinates. Absent on an uncoordinated cell — renderers must
+   *  tolerate it (see `PriceTier.when`). */
+  when?: PriceWhen;
   /** Current wire: the typed leaf price for this cell. */
   price?: PriceAmount;
   /** Old wire shape only. */
@@ -68,7 +70,11 @@ export interface PriceVariant {
  *  when its `when` gate matches the request. */
 export interface PriceTier {
   label: string;
-  when: PriceWhen;
+  /** The gate that switches this tier on. ABSENT on an ungated tier — one
+   *  that always applies and is metered purely by its `selector` (e.g. exa
+   *  `/search` charges per result above 10 with no `when` on the wire).
+   *  Optional because the wire omits it; renderers must tolerate it. */
+  when?: PriceWhen;
   /** WHERE the metered quantity lives; absent ⇒ quantity 1. */
   selector?: { label: string; key: string; in: string };
   /** The add-on's leaf price (× the metered quantity). */
diff --git a/src/output/format.ts b/src/output/format.ts
index adde65f..47ce477 100644
--- a/src/output/format.ts
+++ b/src/output/format.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import type {
   Price,
   PriceAmount,
   PriceVariant,
+  PriceWhen,
   Resource,
   ResourceEvent,
   ResourceEventsResponse,
@@ -71,6 +72,20 @@ export function formatDiscoverResults(data: DiscoverResponse): void {
 
 // --- Inspect ---
 
+/**
+ * Render a price gate (`when`) as `key=value, key=value`.
+ *
+ * The wire OMITS `when` on an ungated tier or cell — one that always applies
+ * and is metered by its `selector` alone. `Object.entries(undefined)` throws,
+ * so an ungated tier used to abort the whole `inspect` render; it now yields
+ * an empty string and callers drop the clause.
+ */
+function formatPriceWhen(when: PriceWhen | undefined): string {
+  return Object.entries(when ?? {})
+    .map(([k, val]) => `${k}=${val}`)
+    .join(', ');
+}
+
 export function formatInspectResult(data: InspectResponse): void {
   console.log();
 
@@ -109,25 +124,22 @@ export function formatInspectResult(data: InspectResponse): void {
   if (data.price.type === 'PER_UNIT_MATRIX' && data.price.variants?.length) {
     console.log(`  Variants: ${data.price.variants.length} (price varies by input)`);
     for (const v of data.price.variants) {
-      const when = Object.entries(v.when)
-        .map(([k, val]) => `${k}=${val}`)
-        .join(', ');
+      const gate = formatPriceWhen(v.when);
       const label = v.label ? ` ${chalk.gray(`(${v.label})`)}` : '';
-      console.log(`    - ${when}: ${formatAmount(variantCell(v))}${label}`);
+      console.log(`    - ${gate ? `${gate}: ` : ''}${formatAmount(variantCell(v))}${label}`);
     }
   }
   if (data.price.type === 'TIERED') {
-    // Always-on default + gated add-on tiers (SUMMED when their `when`
-    // gate matches the request).
+    // Always-on default + add-on tiers (SUMMED on top of it). A tier with
+    // a `when` gate applies when the gate matches; an ungated tier always
+    // applies and is metered by its `selector`.
     if (data.price.default) {
       console.log(`  Base:   ${formatAmount(data.price.default)} (always)`);
     }
     for (const t of data.price.tiers ?? []) {
-      const when = Object.entries(t.when)
-        .map(([k, val]) => `${k}=${val}`)
-        .join(', ');
+      const gate = formatPriceWhen(t.when);
       console.log(
-        `    + ${t.label}: ${formatAmount(t.price)} when ${when}`,
+        `    + ${t.label}: ${formatAmount(t.price)}${gate ? ` when ${gate}` : ''}`,
       );
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/output/price.test.ts b/test/output/price.test.ts
index 2c7e59d..d9e3510 100644
--- a/test/output/price.test.ts
+++ b/test/output/price.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
-import { formatPriceCompact } from '../../src/output/format.js';
-import type { Price } from '../../src/api/types.js';
+import { formatPriceCompact, formatInspectResult } from '../../src/output/format.js';
+import type { InspectResponse, Price } from '../../src/api/types.js';
 
 /** Strip ANSI color codes so assertions are stable regardless of chalk state. */
 function plain(s: string): string {
@@ -175,3 +175,86 @@ describe('formatPriceCompact', () => {
     expect(out).not.toContain('[object Object]');
   });
 });
+
+/** Capture everything `formatInspectResult` writes to stdout. */
+function captureInspect(data: InspectResponse): string {
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  const original = console.log;
+  console.log = (...args: unknown[]) => {
+    lines.push(args.map(String).join(' '));
+  };
+  try {
+    formatInspectResult(data);
+  } finally {
+    console.log = original;
+  }
+  return plain(lines.join('\n'));
+}
+
+/** The exa `/search` price card exactly as the backend sends it: a TIERED
+ *  card whose single add-on tier carries NO `when` — it always applies and is
+ *  metered by its `selector`. */
+const UNGATED_TIER_INSPECT: InspectResponse = {
+  provider: 'exa',
+  providerName: 'Exa',
+  endpoint: '/search',
+  price: {
+    type: 'TIERED',
+    amount: { value: 0.01, currency: 'USD' },
+    default: { type: 'PER_CALL', amount: { value: 0.01, currency: 'USD' } },
+    tiers: [
+      {
+        label: 'Results above 10',
+        selector: { label: 'Results above 10', key: 'numResults', in: 'body' },
+        price: { type: 'PER_RESULT', amount: { value: 0.001, currency: 'USD' } },
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+} as unknown as InspectResponse;
+
+describe('formatInspectResult', () => {
+  it('renders a TIERED tier that has no `when` gate instead of throwing', () => {
+    // Regression: `Object.entries(t.when)` threw "Cannot convert undefined or
+    // null to object" and aborted the whole render right after the base price.
+    const out = captureInspect(UNGATED_TIER_INSPECT);
+    expect(out).toContain('Base:   $0.01 (always)');
+    expect(out).toContain('+ Results above 10: $0.001 / result');
+    // No dangling gate clause when there is nothing to gate on.
+    expect(out).not.toContain('when undefined');
+    expect(out).not.toMatch(/when\s*$/m);
+  });
+
+  it('still renders the gate for a tier that has one', () => {
+    const gated = {
+      ...UNGATED_TIER_INSPECT,
+      price: {
+        ...UNGATED_TIER_INSPECT.price,
+        tiers: [
+          {
+            label: 'Deep mode',
+            when: { deep: true },
+            price: { type: 'PER_CALL', amount: { value: 0.05, currency: 'USD' } },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    } as unknown as InspectResponse;
+    expect(captureInspect(gated)).toContain('+ Deep mode: $0.05 when deep=true');
+  });
+
+  it('renders a PER_UNIT_MATRIX variant that has no `when` instead of throwing', () => {
+    const matrix = {
+      ...UNGATED_TIER_INSPECT,
+      price: {
+        type: 'PER_UNIT_MATRIX',
+        amount: { value: 0.02, currency: 'USD' },
+        variants: [
+          { price: { type: 'PER_CALL', amount: { value: 0.02, currency: 'USD' } }, label: 'flat' },
+        ],
+      },
+    } as unknown as InspectResponse;
+    const out = captureInspect(matrix);
+    expect(out).toContain('- $0.02 (flat)');
+    // No orphaned "key=value:" separator when there are no coordinates.
+    expect(out).not.toMatch(/^\s+- :/m);
+  });
+});