diff --git a/scripts/ci_impact/cli.py b/scripts/ci_impact/cli.py
index ebee87142a..d279272c6d 100644
--- a/scripts/ci_impact/cli.py
+++ b/scripts/ci_impact/cli.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from .core import STAGES, ImpactPlan, build_plan, write_plan
+from .core import STAGES, ImpactPlan, build_plan, is_hard_full_path, write_plan
 from .llm import (
     LLMSelection,
     LLMStageError,
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ def _plan(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         catalog = load_catalog(args.catalog, plan.head)
         plan = expand_plan_with_catalog(plan, catalog)
         write_plan(plan, args.deterministic_output)
-        if plan.mode == "full":
+        hard_full_change = any(is_hard_full_path(path) for path in plan.changed_files)
+        if plan.mode == "full" and (args.force_full or hard_full_change):
             selection = _skipped_llm_selection()
             plan.llm = selection.to_dict()
             write_llm_artifact(selection, args.llm_output)
diff --git a/scripts/ci_impact/core.py b/scripts/ci_impact/core.py
index fb2b2a454c..c01c927aef 100644
--- a/scripts/ci_impact/core.py
+++ b/scripts/ci_impact/core.py
@@ -37,11 +37,7 @@
     "weight_free_qaic",
 )
 
-HARD_FULL_FILES = {
-    "pyproject.toml",
-    "scripts/Jenkinsfile",
-    "scripts/JenkinsFileFullCi",
-}
+HARD_FULL_FILES = {"pyproject.toml", "scripts/Jenkinsfile", "scripts/JenkinsFileFullCi"}
 IGNORED_FILES = {
     ".gitignore",
     ".pre-commit-config.yaml",
@@ -626,6 +622,11 @@ def _empty_plan(
     )
 
 
+def is_hard_full_path(path: str) -> bool:
+    """Return whether a changed path must bypass LLM test selection."""
+    return path in HARD_FULL_FILES or path.startswith("scripts/ci_impact/")
+
+
 def build_plan(repo: Path, base: str, head: str = "HEAD", force_full: bool = False) -> ImpactPlan:
     repo = repo.resolve()
     merge_base, head_sha, changes = resolve_changes(repo, base, head)
@@ -635,7 +636,7 @@ def build_plan(repo: Path, base: str, head: str = "HEAD", force_full: bool = Fal
         return _empty_plan("no_tests", merge_base, head_sha, changes, ["no changed files"], [])
 
     paths = {change.path for change in changes}
-    hard = sorted(path for path in paths if path in HARD_FULL_FILES or path.startswith("scripts/ci_impact/"))
+    hard = sorted(path for path in paths if is_hard_full_path(path))
     if hard:
         reasons = [f"unconditional full-CI path: {path}" for path in hard]
         return _empty_plan("full", merge_base, head_sha, changes, reasons, [])
diff --git a/scripts/ci_impact/llm.py b/scripts/ci_impact/llm.py
index ad7f92e265..9e33e6848a 100644
--- a/scripts/ci_impact/llm.py
+++ b/scripts/ci_impact/llm.py
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 from dataclasses import asdict, dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from .core import SCHEMA_VERSION, STAGES, ImpactPlan, TestCase
+from .core import SCHEMA_VERSION, STAGES, ImpactPlan, TestCase, is_hard_full_path
 
-DEFAULT_MODEL = "azure::gpt-5.5"
+DEFAULT_MODEL = "gpt5.6-terra"
 DEFAULT_REASONING_EFFORT = "high"
 MAX_PROMPT_BYTES = 400_000
 MAX_RESPONSE_BYTES = 1_000_000
@@ -36,13 +36,6 @@
 QUERY_TOOL_PATH = Path(__file__).with_name("query.py")
 TOOL_POLICY_PATH = Path(__file__).with_name("tool_policy.py")
 HOOK_AUDIT_NAME = ".ci-impact-qgenie-audit.jsonl"
-LLM_REFINABLE_FULL_REASONS = (
-    "global pytest behavior changed:",
-    "source snapshot generation failed",
-    "unsafe static analysis for ",
-    "unclassified production/configuration changes",
-    "unparsable model inventory:",
-)
 
 
 class LLMStageError(RuntimeError):
@@ -700,11 +693,7 @@ def merge_selection(
             plan.stages[stage]["enabled"] = True
         return plan
 
-    if (
-        plan.mode == "full"
-        and plan.reasons
-        and all(reason.startswith(LLM_REFINABLE_FULL_REASONS) for reason in plan.reasons)
-    ):
+    if plan.mode == "full" and not any(is_hard_full_path(path) for path in plan.changed_files):
         for stage in STAGES:
             plan.stages[stage]["enabled"] = False
         plan.reasons.append("LLM bounded a deterministic static-analysis full-CI fallback")
diff --git a/tests/ci_impact/test_core.py b/tests/ci_impact/test_core.py
index 5d13b34649..5dddf85316 100644
--- a/tests/ci_impact/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/ci_impact/test_core.py
@@ -564,13 +564,23 @@ def test_llm_can_escalate_to_full_ci() -> None:
     assert all(stage["enabled"] for stage in merged.stages.values())
 
 
-def test_llm_can_refine_static_analysis_full_plan() -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "reason",
+    [
+        "unsafe static analysis for QEfficient/base/modeling_qeff.py",
+        "unclassified production/configuration changes",
+        "unparsable model inventory: tests/configs/models.json",
+        "production changes produced no confident deterministic test matches",
+        "dependency closure reaches every Jenkins stage",
+    ],
+)
+def test_llm_can_refine_deterministic_full_plan(reason: str) -> None:
     deterministic = ImpactPlan(
         mode="full",
         base="base",
         head="head",
         changed_files=["QEfficient/base/modeling_qeff.py"],
-        reasons=["unsafe static analysis for QEfficient/base/modeling_qeff.py"],
+        reasons=[reason],
         unresolved=["QEFFBaseModel: dynamic reflection"],
         stages=_stage_plans(enabled=True),
     )