diff --git a/pallas/_fastagent_patch.py b/pallas/_fastagent_patch.py
index 3f5ec51..0baa3b8 100644
--- a/pallas/_fastagent_patch.py
+++ b/pallas/_fastagent_patch.py
@@ -464,17 +464,25 @@ def _patch_execute_on_server() -> None:
 
 
 def install() -> None:
-    if getattr(_mcm._prepare_headers_and_auth, "_pallas_forward_patched", False):
-        return
-    _refresh_forward_servers()
-    _prepare_headers_and_auth_with_forward._pallas_forward_patched = True  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-    _mcm._prepare_headers_and_auth = _prepare_headers_and_auth_with_forward
+    # NOTE: we do NOT short-circuit on "already patched" at the top of this
+    # function — each individual ``_patch_*`` helper owns its own idempotency
+    # guard, and we want all three trace-capture patches to be applied even
+    # when the bearer-forwarding patch was installed in a previous reload.
+    # Previously a top-level guard on ``_prepare_headers_and_auth`` would
+    # return immediately on a reinstall, leaving the trace wrappers missing
+    # silently — which is exactly the failure we chased.
+    if not getattr(
+        _mcm._prepare_headers_and_auth, "_pallas_forward_patched", False
+    ):
+        _refresh_forward_servers()
+        _prepare_headers_and_auth_with_forward._pallas_forward_patched = True  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+        _mcm._prepare_headers_and_auth = _prepare_headers_and_auth_with_forward
+        # INFO so it always appears in the journal at boot — greppable proof
+        # that the patch ran before any agent started.
+        logger.info(
+            "bearer-forwarding patch installed "
+            "(forward_inbound_auth-aware _prepare_headers_and_auth)"
+        )
     _patch_send_request()
     _patch_session_call_tool()
     _patch_execute_on_server()
-    # INFO so it always appears in the journal at boot — greppable proof
-    # that the patch ran before any agent started.
-    logger.info(
-        "bearer-forwarding patch installed "
-        "(forward_inbound_auth-aware _prepare_headers_and_auth)"
-    )