diff --git a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/cost.rs b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/cost.rs
index 98ba9d4c49..61db9b0bbe 100644
--- a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/cost.rs
+++ b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/cost.rs
@@ -318,6 +318,28 @@ mod tests {
         .cost_in_usd_cents.unwrap();
       assert!(p1080 > p720, "1080p ({p1080}) should cost more than 720p ({p720})");
     }
+
+    /// Regression: an image-less v1.5 request must get a quote through the
+    /// full public builder path (build2 → estimate_cost). The cost UI polls
+    /// for a price before the user has attached an image; the image
+    /// requirement is enforced at send time and by the generate endpoints,
+    /// NOT here.
+    #[test]
+    fn image_less_request_gets_a_quote_through_the_builder() {
+      let builder = GenerateVideoRequestBuilder {
+        model: RouterVideoModel::GrokImagineVideo1p5,
+        provider: RouterProvider::Artcraft,
+        duration_seconds: Some(5),
+        video_batch_count: Some(1),
+        ..Default::default()
+      };
+      let cost = builder.build2()
+        .expect("build2 should succeed without an image")
+        .estimate_cost()
+        .expect("estimate_cost should succeed without an image");
+      assert!(cost.cost_in_usd_cents.unwrap() > 0);
+      assert_eq!(cost.cost_in_credits, cost.cost_in_usd_cents);
+    }
   }
 
   // ── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -382,8 +404,7 @@ mod tests {
       resolution,
       duration_seconds: Some(duration_seconds),
       video_batch_count: Some(video_batch_count),
-      // v1.5 requires an input image — the no-image guard in build()
-      // rejects T2V.
+      // These cases price the image-to-video tier (one input image).
       start_frame: Some(ImageRef::MediaFileToken(MediaFileToken::new("mf_default".to_string()))),
       ..Default::default()
     };
diff --git a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/request.rs b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/request.rs
index 8ada1fddb0..1072d50040 100644
--- a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/request.rs
+++ b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_router/src/generate/generate_video/providers/artcraft/grok_imagine_video_1p5/request.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ pub struct ArtcraftGrokImagineVideo1p5RequestState {
 
 impl ArtcraftGrokImagineVideo1p5RequestState {
   pub async fn send(&self, client: &RouterArtcraftClient) -> Result<GenerateVideoResponse, ArtcraftRouterError> {
-    // Defense in depth: `build()` already enforces this. Bouncing here costs
-    // nothing and avoids an upstream call we know will fail.
+    // xAI's v1.5 model rejects text-to-video at the server. This is the
+    // GENERATION-time guard — `build()` and `estimate_cost()` deliberately
+    // allow image-less states so the cost path can quote a request the user
+    // is still composing. Bouncing here costs nothing and avoids an upstream
+    // call we know will fail.
     if self.request.start_frame_image_media_token.is_none()
       && self.request.reference_image_media_tokens.as_ref().map_or(true, |v| v.is_empty())
     {
@@ -27,3 +30,55 @@ impl ArtcraftGrokImagineVideo1p5RequestState {
     send_artcraft_omni_video_request(&self.request, client).await
   }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+  use artcraft_client::credentials::storyteller_credential_set::StorytellerCredentialSet;
+  use artcraft_client::utils::api_host::ApiHost;
+  use enums::common::generation::common_video_model::CommonVideoModel as CommonVideoModelEnum;
+
+  use super::*;
+
+  /// Generation must never reach xAI with an image-less v1.5 request. The
+  /// build/cost layers allow that state (the cost path quotes it), so the
+  /// send-time guard is the router's last line of defense.
+  #[tokio::test]
+  async fn send_rejects_image_less_request_before_any_network_call() {
+    let state = ArtcraftGrokImagineVideo1p5RequestState {
+      request: OmniGenVideoCostAndGenerateRequest {
+        idempotency_token: Some("a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890".to_string()),
+        model: Some(CommonVideoModelEnum::GrokImagineVideo1p5),
+        prompt: Some("a corgi running through a field".to_string()),
+        negative_prompt: None,
+        start_frame_image_media_token: None,
+        end_frame_image_media_token: None,
+        reference_image_media_tokens: None,
+        reference_video_media_tokens: None,
+        reference_audio_media_tokens: None,
+        reference_character_tokens: None,
+        resolution: None,
+        aspect_ratio: None,
+        bitrate: None,
+        quality: None,
+        duration_seconds: Some(5),
+        video_batch_count: Some(1),
+        generate_audio: None,
+      },
+    };
+
+    // The guard fires before the client is used, so an unroutable localhost
+    // client with empty credentials proves no network call happens.
+    let client = RouterArtcraftClient::new(
+      ApiHost::Localhost { port: 1 },
+      StorytellerCredentialSet::empty(),
+    );
+
+    let err = state.send(&client).await.expect_err("image-less send should be rejected");
+    match err {
+      ArtcraftRouterError::Client(ClientError::ModelDoesNotSupportOption { field, .. }) => {
+        assert_eq!(field, "image_inputs");
+      }
+      other => panic!("expected Client(ModelDoesNotSupportOption), got {:?}", other),
+    }
+  }
+}