diff --git a/crates/prism-lium-types/src/types.rs b/crates/prism-lium-types/src/types.rs
index 85a24b4f8..c9487febd 100644
--- a/crates/prism-lium-types/src/types.rs
+++ b/crates/prism-lium-types/src/types.rs
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@ impl Offer {
     ///
     /// Accepts an exact-width host, a larger host when `requested > 1`, or a
     /// multi-GPU host that advertises (or omits-min) GPU splitting. A 1-GPU
-    /// pin never takes a non-split 8× pack — except NCU, which is whole-host
-    /// only and is the live B200 champion path. 8×5090 is never a silent
-    /// fallback.
+    /// pin never takes a non-split 8× pack. NCU is whole-host only, so
+    /// `rent_count` may exceed the pin; the client skips that offer before
+    /// POST and tries later split-capable rows. 8×5090 is never posted.
     #[must_use]
     pub fn matches_gpu_count(&self, requested: u32) -> bool {
         if self.allows_split_for(requested) {
diff --git a/crates/prism-lium/src/client.rs b/crates/prism-lium/src/client.rs
index 30febc1b6..4a0c125b5 100644
--- a/crates/prism-lium/src/client.rs
+++ b/crates/prism-lium/src/client.rs
@@ -815,10 +815,14 @@ impl EvalJobBackend for LiumClient {
                 prism_lium_types::effective_gpu_count(selected.gpu_count, &selected.gpu_type);
             // Split hosts: requested width. NCU / non-split: whole host.
             let rent_gpu_count = selected.rent_count(spec.gpu_count);
-            if pref.matches_pin("RTX 5090") && rent_gpu_count >= 8 && spec.gpu_count < 8 {
-                return Err(LiumError::Api(format!(
-                    "abort: refusing {rent_gpu_count}× 5090 rent (no 8×5090 fallback)"
-                )));
+            // Never POST more GPUs than requested (Proof harvest default 1×).
+            // Skip this candidate — a later split 8× B200 can still rent 1×.
+            if rent_gpu_count > spec.gpu_count {
+                last_err = format!(
+                    "abort: refusing {rent_gpu_count}× {} rent (requested {}; no whole-host upsell)",
+                    selected.gpu_type, spec.gpu_count
+                );
+                continue 'offers;
             }
             loop {
                 info!(
@@ -1557,7 +1561,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
-    async fn provision_rents_whole_host_on_ncu_2x_b200() {
+    async fn provision_refuses_ncu_2x_b200_when_requesting_one() {
         let server = MockServer::start().await;
         mount_common(
             &server,
@@ -1578,21 +1582,117 @@ mod tests {
             .respond_with(
                 ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-ncu"})),
             )
+            .expect(0)
+            .mount(&server)
+            .await;
+        let c = LiumClient::with_base_url("test-key", server.uri()).unwrap();
+        // HarvestLimits.gpu_count stays 1; rent_count would upsize NCU to 2.
+        let err = c.provision(&provision_spec()).await.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            err.to_string().contains("abort:") && err.to_string().contains("requested 1"),
+            "got {err}"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(provision_spec().gpu_count, 1);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn provision_refuses_8x_b200_when_requesting_one() {
+        let server = MockServer::start().await;
+        mount_common(
+            &server,
+            serde_json::json!([{
+                "id": "eight-b200",
+                "machine_name": "NVIDIA B200",
+                "gpu_count": 8,
+                "available_gpu_count": 8,
+                "min_gpu_count_for_rental": 1,
+                "ncu_profiling_enabled": true,
+                "price_per_gpu": 6.52
+            }]),
+        )
+        .await;
+        Mock::given(method("POST"))
+            .and(path("/executors/eight-b200/rent"))
+            .and(body_partial_json(serde_json::json!({"gpu_count": 8})))
+            .respond_with(
+                ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-8x"})),
+            )
+            .expect(0)
+            .mount(&server)
+            .await;
+        let c = LiumClient::with_base_url("test-key", server.uri()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(provision_spec().gpu_count, 1);
+        let err = c.provision(&provision_spec()).await.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(
+            err.to_string().contains("abort:")
+                && err.to_string().contains("requested 1")
+                && (err.to_string().contains("8×") || err.to_string().contains("8x")),
+            "got {err}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn provision_skips_ncu_upsell_and_rents_split_1x() {
+        let server = MockServer::start().await;
+        mount_common(
+            &server,
+            serde_json::json!([
+                {
+                    "id": "ncu-2x",
+                    "machine_name": "NVIDIA B200",
+                    "gpu_count": 2,
+                    "available_gpu_count": 2,
+                    "min_gpu_count_for_rental": 1,
+                    "ncu_profiling_enabled": true,
+                    "price_per_gpu": 5.5
+                },
+                {
+                    "id": "eight-b200-idle",
+                    "machine_name": "NVIDIA B200",
+                    "gpu_count": 8,
+                    "available_gpu_count": 8,
+                    "price_per_gpu": 6.52
+                }
+            ]),
+        )
+        .await;
+        Mock::given(method("POST"))
+            .and(path("/executors/ncu-2x/rent"))
+            .and(body_partial_json(serde_json::json!({"gpu_count": 2})))
+            .respond_with(
+                ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-ncu"})),
+            )
+            .expect(0)
+            .mount(&server)
+            .await;
+        Mock::given(method("POST"))
+            .and(path("/executors/eight-b200-idle/rent"))
+            .and(body_partial_json(serde_json::json!({"gpu_count": 8})))
+            .respond_with(
+                ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-8x"})),
+            )
+            .expect(0)
+            .mount(&server)
+            .await;
+        Mock::given(method("POST"))
+            .and(path("/executors/eight-b200-idle/rent"))
+            .and(body_partial_json(serde_json::json!({"gpu_count": 1})))
+            .respond_with(
+                ResponseTemplate::new(200).set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-split-1"})),
+            )
             .mount(&server)
             .await;
         Mock::given(method("GET"))
-            .and(path("/pods/pod-ncu"))
+            .and(path("/pods/pod-split-1"))
             .respond_with(
                 ResponseTemplate::new(200)
-                    .set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-ncu", "status": "RUNNING"})),
+                    .set_body_json(serde_json::json!({"id": "pod-split-1", "status": "RUNNING"})),
             )
             .mount(&server)
             .await;
         let c = LiumClient::with_base_url("test-key", server.uri()).unwrap();
-        // HarvestLimits.gpu_count stays 1; rent_count upsizes NCU to 2.
         let inst = c.provision(&provision_spec()).await.unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(inst.id, "pod-ncu");
-        assert_eq!(provision_spec().gpu_count, 1);
+        assert_eq!(inst.id, "pod-split-1");
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
@@ -1683,9 +1783,13 @@ mod tests {
         spec.gpu_count = 4;
         let err = c.provision(&spec).await.unwrap_err();
         assert!(
-            err.to_string().contains("8×5090")
-                || err.to_string().contains("8x5090")
-                || err.to_string().contains("no 8"),
+            err.to_string().contains("abort:")
+                && err.to_string().contains("requested 4")
+                && (err.to_string().contains("8×")
+                    || err.to_string().contains("8x")
+                    || err.to_string().contains("8×5090")
+                    || err.to_string().contains("8x5090")
+                    || err.to_string().contains("no 8")),
             "got {err}"
         );
     }