diff --git a/agent/core/prompt_caching.py b/agent/core/prompt_caching.py
index 04304bcd..38c58068 100644
--- a/agent/core/prompt_caching.py
+++ b/agent/core/prompt_caching.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 """Prompt-cache helpers for HF Router FAL requests.
 
 The HF Router/OpenRouter path uses provider-native prompt caching. Anthropic
-models need explicit JSON ``cache_control`` content blocks; OpenAI models cache
-eligible prefixes automatically and accept routing/retention hints in the body.
+models keep explicit JSON ``cache_control`` content blocks for compatibility,
+and also need the top-level ``cache_control`` hint on the OpenAI-compatible HF
+Router path; the explicit markers alone are accepted there but do not produce
+cache writes. OpenAI models cache eligible prefixes automatically and accept
+routing/retention hints in the body.
 Headers like ``X-OpenRouter-Cache`` control response caching, not prompt
 caching through this route.
 """
@@ -67,6 +70,9 @@ def with_prompt_cache_params(
         if _is_openai_gpt55(llm_params):
             updates["prompt_cache_key"] = stable_session_id
 
+    if _uses_explicit_cache_control(llm_params):
+        updates["cache_control"] = dict(_CACHE_CONTROL)
+
     if _is_openai_gpt55(llm_params):
         updates["prompt_cache_retention"] = "24h"
 
diff --git a/agent/core/telemetry.py b/agent/core/telemetry.py
index f71078b7..43b359c5 100644
--- a/agent/core/telemetry.py
+++ b/agent/core/telemetry.py
@@ -52,14 +52,18 @@ def _g(name, default=0):
 
     cache_read = _g("cache_read_input_tokens")
     cache_creation = _g("cache_creation_input_tokens")
-
-    if not cache_read:
-        details = _g("prompt_tokens_details", None)
-        if details is not None:
-            if isinstance(details, dict):
-                cache_read = details.get("cached_tokens", 0) or 0
-            else:
-                cache_read = getattr(details, "cached_tokens", 0) or 0
+    details = _g("prompt_tokens_details", None)
+
+    if not cache_read and details is not None:
+        if isinstance(details, dict):
+            cache_read = details.get("cached_tokens", 0) or 0
+        else:
+            cache_read = getattr(details, "cached_tokens", 0) or 0
+    if not cache_creation and details is not None:
+        if isinstance(details, dict):
+            cache_creation = details.get("cache_write_tokens", 0) or 0
+        else:
+            cache_creation = getattr(details, "cache_write_tokens", 0) or 0
 
     return {
         "prompt_tokens": int(prompt),
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/UsageMeter.tsx b/frontend/src/components/UsageMeter.tsx
index 55f054cc..89a0d2f4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/UsageMeter.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/UsageMeter.tsx
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export default function UsageMeter() {
           Usage
         </Typography>
         <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary">
-          Billing window resets when you switch back to a task.
+          Estimated from HF account usage per session.
         </Typography>
 
         {error ? (
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_prompt_caching.py b/tests/unit/test_prompt_caching.py
index 95ec8ebf..424b8536 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_prompt_caching.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_prompt_caching.py
@@ -182,10 +182,19 @@ def test_prompt_cache_params_add_session_id_for_fal_router_model():
     cached_params = with_prompt_cache_params(llm_params, session_id="session-1")
 
     assert cached_params is not llm_params
-    assert cached_params["extra_body"] == {"session_id": "session-1"}
+    assert cached_params["extra_body"] == {
+        "session_id": "session-1",
+        "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"},
+    }
     assert "extra_body" not in llm_params
 
 
+def test_prompt_cache_params_adds_anthropic_cache_control_without_session_id():
+    cached_params = with_prompt_cache_params(_anthropic_fal_params())
+
+    assert cached_params["extra_body"] == {"cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}}
+
+
 def test_prompt_cache_params_merges_gpt55_cache_hints():
     llm_params = {
         **_gpt55_fal_params(),
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_telemetry_usage.py b/tests/unit/test_telemetry_usage.py
index 4a1f3db9..dfb27bbb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_telemetry_usage.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_telemetry_usage.py
@@ -13,6 +13,25 @@ async def send_event(self, event):
         self.events.append(event)
 
 
+def test_extract_usage_reads_hf_router_cache_write_tokens():
+    response = SimpleNamespace(
+        usage=SimpleNamespace(
+            prompt_tokens=100,
+            completion_tokens=10,
+            total_tokens=110,
+            prompt_tokens_details=SimpleNamespace(
+                cached_tokens=80,
+                cache_write_tokens=20,
+            ),
+        )
+    )
+
+    usage = telemetry.extract_usage(response)
+
+    assert usage["cache_read_tokens"] == 80
+    assert usage["cache_creation_tokens"] == 20
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_record_hf_job_complete_emits_runtime_cost(monkeypatch):
     async def fake_catalog():