diff --git a/core/download/orchestrator.py b/core/download/orchestrator.py
index 231e5f2..d93ee39 100644
--- a/core/download/orchestrator.py
+++ b/core/download/orchestrator.py
@@ -239,6 +239,26 @@ def download_file(
                 error_msg = f"SHA256 mismatch: expected {expected_sha256}, got {actual_sha256}"
                 if bad_path:
                     error_msg += f"; file kept at {bad_path}"
+                    # Use the intended filename so removing .badsha also makes
+                    # the already computed hash available to local model info.
+                    # Never attach the rejected file's hash to an existing model.
+                    sidecar_model_path = bad_path if os.path.exists(dest_path) else dest_path
+                    try:
+                        payload = facade.build_model_resolver_metadata(
+                            sidecar_model_path,
+                            {"sha256": actual_sha256, "size": downloaded},
+                            category,
+                        )
+                        payload.update({
+                            "expected_sha256": expected_sha256,
+                            "sha256_verified": False,
+                        })
+                        metadata_path = facade.get_model_resolver_sidecar_path(sidecar_model_path)
+                        facade.write_json_atomic(metadata_path, payload, indent=2)
+                        result["metadata_path"] = metadata_path
+                        log.info(f"Metadata saved for SHA256-mismatched download: {metadata_path}")
+                    except Exception as exc:
+                        log.warning(f"Could not save metadata for {bad_path}: {exc}")
                 with download_lock:
                     download_progress[download_id]["status"] = "error"
                     download_progress[download_id]["error"] = error_msg
diff --git a/tests/test_resolver_robustness.py b/tests/test_resolver_robustness.py
index fb1c6f7..281fe0f 100644
--- a/tests/test_resolver_robustness.py
+++ b/tests/test_resolver_robustness.py
@@ -371,7 +371,6 @@ class ModelResolverRobustnessTests(unittest.TestCase):
                         {},
                     ),
                 ),
-                patch("core.download.api.context.write_model_resolver_metadata") as write_metadata,
             ):
                 result = download_model(
                     "https://example.com/mismatched.safetensors",
@@ -391,7 +390,23 @@ class ModelResolverRobustnessTests(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(bad_path))
             with open(bad_path, "rb") as bad_handle:
                 self.assertEqual(payload, bad_handle.read())
-            write_metadata.assert_not_called()
+            with open(result["metadata_path"], encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+                saved = json.load(handle)
+            actual_sha256 = hashlib.sha256(payload).hexdigest()
+            self.assertEqual(actual_sha256, saved["sha256"])
+            self.assertEqual(expected_sha256, saved["expected_sha256"])
+            self.assertFalse(saved["sha256_verified"])
+            self.assertEqual("completed", saved["hash_status"])
+            self.assertEqual(len(payload), saved["size"])
+            self.assertFalse(saved["from_civitai"])
+            os.replace(bad_path, model_path)
+            with patch("core.path_utils.hashlib.sha256", side_effect=AssertionError("must reuse saved hash")):
+                self.assertEqual(actual_sha256, read_completed_metadata_sha256(model_path))
+            from core.sources.civitai import get_model_info_for_file
+
+            with patch("core.sources.civitai.calculate_file_sha256", side_effect=AssertionError("must reuse saved hash")):
+                info = get_model_info_for_file(model_path, local_only=True)
+            self.assertEqual(actual_sha256, info["sha256"])
             response.close.assert_called_once_with()
 
     def test_base_model_mapping_fuzzy_resolution(self):