diff --git a/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/bridge.rs b/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/bridge.rs
index ab5efbef8a6..d426971d377 100644
--- a/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/bridge.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/bridge.rs
@@ -721,7 +721,10 @@ pub struct SettingsSnapshot {
 
 #[tauri::command]
 pub fn get_bootstrap_state() -> BootstrapState {
-    let settings = Settings::load();
+    bootstrap_state_for(Settings::load())
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn bootstrap_state_for(settings: Settings) -> BootstrapState {
     BootstrapState {
         contract_version: "v1",
         providers: provider_catalog_for(&settings),
diff --git a/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/tests.rs b/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/tests.rs
index d25a0a064a2..ee13623a0a6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/tests.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop-tauri/src-tauri/src/commands/tests.rs
@@ -1905,7 +1905,10 @@ fn external_url_validator_rejects_non_web_and_control_urls() {
 
 #[test]
 fn bootstrap_payload_exposes_every_provider_variant() {
-    let payload = super::get_bootstrap_state();
+    // Built from default settings instead of `Settings::load()` so a retired
+    // provider enabled in the developer's real settings.json cannot change
+    // the catalog size.
+    let payload = super::bootstrap_state_for(Settings::default());
 
     let catalog_ids: std::collections::HashSet<String> = payload
         .providers