diff --git a/hermes_cli/auth.py b/hermes_cli/auth.py
index 021a537c023..8bab7674877 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/auth.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/auth.py
@@ -3443,12 +3443,34 @@ def refresh_xai_oauth_pure(
         )
     if response.status_code != 200:
         detail = response.text.strip()
+        # ``403`` from xAI's token endpoint is almost always a tier /
+        # entitlement gate (the OAuth grant exists but the account isn't
+        # on the allowlist for API access).  Re-running ``hermes model``
+        # won't fix that — surface a separate error code so
+        # ``format_auth_error`` doesn't append a misleading
+        # re-authenticate hint, and point users at the ``XAI_API_KEY``
+        # fallback.  See #26847.
+        if response.status_code == 403:
+            raise AuthError(
+                "xAI token refresh failed with HTTP 403."
+                + (f" Response: {detail}" if detail else "")
+                + " This OAuth account is not authorized for xAI API"
+                  " access — xAI may be restricting API/OAuth use to"
+                  " specific SuperGrok tiers despite the in-app"
+                  " subscription being active. Re-logging in won't"
+                  " change that; set ``XAI_API_KEY`` and switch to"
+                  " ``provider: xai`` (API-key path) if available, or"
+                  " upgrade your subscription at https://x.ai/grok.",
+                provider="xai-oauth",
+                code="xai_oauth_tier_denied",
+                relogin_required=False,
+            )
         raise AuthError(
             "xAI token refresh failed."
             + (f" Response: {detail}" if detail else ""),
             provider="xai-oauth",
             code="xai_refresh_failed",
-            relogin_required=(response.status_code in {400, 401, 403}),
+            relogin_required=(response.status_code in {400, 401}),
         )
     try:
         payload = response.json()
@@ -6225,6 +6247,25 @@ def _xai_oauth_exchange_code_for_tokens(
 
     if response.status_code != 200:
         body = response.text.strip()
+        # See ``refresh_xai_oauth_pure`` — token-exchange 403 also
+        # surfaces tier/entitlement gating from xAI's backend.  Avoid
+        # the misleading "re-authenticate" hint and point at the API
+        # key fallback.  See #26847.
+        if response.status_code == 403:
+            raise AuthError(
+                f"xAI token exchange failed (HTTP 403)."
+                + (f" Response: {body}" if body else "")
+                + " This OAuth account is not authorized for xAI API"
+                  " access — xAI may be restricting API/OAuth use to"
+                  " specific SuperGrok tiers despite the in-app"
+                  " subscription being active. Set ``XAI_API_KEY``"
+                  " and switch to ``provider: xai`` (API-key path) if"
+                  " available, or upgrade your subscription at"
+                  " https://x.ai/grok.",
+                provider="xai-oauth",
+                code="xai_oauth_tier_denied",
+                relogin_required=False,
+            )
         raise AuthError(
             f"xAI token exchange failed (HTTP {response.status_code})."
             + (f" Response: {body}" if body else ""),