diff --git a/studio/install_python_stack.py b/studio/install_python_stack.py
index 8c18d4753e..0798fbd634 100644
--- a/studio/install_python_stack.py
+++ b/studio/install_python_stack.py
@@ -1420,12 +1420,18 @@ def _ensure_verbatim_torch_index() -> None:
     pin (it is neither rocm/gfx nor cpu nor cuXXX), so without this the pin would be
     silently ignored and the GPU-probed default index used instead.
 
-    Fires ONLY when the marker exists and records a DIFFERENT index than the pin
-    (or after this reinstalls, the marker is rewritten to match). With NO marker it
-    is a no-op: an old venv (or torch installed out-of-band) must not be blindly
-    force-reinstalled from an unverified custom index -- backward compatibility.
-    macOS/no-torch: skipped (no torch to repair). The install uses the pinned URL
-    exclusively (--index-url) with bare specs so it "wins verbatim".
+    Fires when the marker differs from the pin (True) OR is ABSENT (None): a venv
+    predating the marker feature has no record, and the version-tag heuristics
+    cannot judge an unknown-family pin, so an explicitly-set URL would otherwise be
+    silently ignored on the first `studio update` -- the user asked for this index,
+    so apply it verbatim ONCE and record it. The write below makes every later
+    update a no-op (marker == pin -> False). Skips only when the marker already
+    records this exact pin (False). A user who did NOT set the override gets
+    pin=None and is never touched, so an out-of-band torch install is safe. macOS/
+    no-torch: skipped (no torch to repair). The install uses the pinned URL
+    exclusively (--index-url) with bare specs so it "wins verbatim" -- an incomplete
+    mirror that cannot serve the trio fails loudly here, same as the marker-present
+    path (that is the cost of honouring an explicit pin).
     """
     if NO_TORCH or IS_MACOS:
         return
@@ -1433,13 +1439,14 @@ def _ensure_verbatim_torch_index() -> None:
     if pin is None:
         return
     _mismatch = _marker_pin_mismatch(pin)
-    if _mismatch is not True:
-        # None -> no marker (fall back / do nothing); False -> already this index.
+    if _mismatch is False:
+        # Marker already records this exact pin -> no reinstall (no per-update loop).
+        # True (marker differs) or None (no marker yet) both fall through to apply
+        # the explicit pin verbatim once, then _write_torch_index_marker below makes
+        # the next update a no-op.
         return
-    print(
-        f"   explicit torch index pin ({pin}) differs from the recorded index -- "
-        f"reinstalling torch verbatim from it"
-    )
+    _why = "differs from the recorded index" if _mismatch is True else "has no recorded index yet"
+    print(f"   explicit torch index pin ({pin}) {_why} -- reinstalling torch verbatim from it")
     pip_install(
         "torch (pinned custom index)",
         "--force-reinstall",
diff --git a/studio/setup.ps1 b/studio/setup.ps1
index f068230910..8ed74a6993 100644
--- a/studio/setup.ps1
+++ b/studio/setup.ps1
@@ -2804,6 +2804,17 @@ if ((Test-Path -LiteralPath $VenvDir -PathType Container) -and -not $NoTorchMode
                 # not also rebuild on a bogus tag comparison here.
                 $_expectedKnown = $false
                 $expectedTorchTag = $installedTorchTag
+                # A venv predating the marker feature has $_markerMismatch = $null.
+                # The user has now explicitly set an unknown-family URL pin, but the
+                # flavor heuristic cannot judge it, so without the marker the pin would
+                # be silently ignored on this first update (the fast path keeps
+                # $SkipPythonDeps true and the --index-url install never runs). Apply
+                # it ONCE in place: PinChangedForceReinstall forces the dependency pass
+                # so the torch block reinstalls from $PinnedTorchIndexUrl and writes the
+                # marker, making later updates no-ops. Do NOT set $shouldRebuild here --
+                # that wipes the venv and delegates to install.ps1, stranding a direct
+                # `studio update` at "Virtual environment not found".
+                if ($null -eq $_markerMismatch) { $script:PinChangedForceReinstall = $true }
             }
         } elseif ($HasNvidiaSmi) {
             $expectedTorchTag = Get-PytorchCudaTag
diff --git a/studio/setup.sh b/studio/setup.sh
index d244e3cdcf..c3935ae268 100755
--- a/studio/setup.sh
+++ b/studio/setup.sh
@@ -971,6 +971,21 @@ sys.exit(0 if (major, minor) >= (4, 14) else 1)
     fi
 fi
 
+# Honor an explicit torch-index pin on `studio update` even when unsloth is already
+# current. install_python_stack.py owns the marker-driven torch reinstall (a verbatim
+# custom-index pin via _ensure_verbatim_torch_index, and cu*/rocm flavor/family repair
+# via _ensure_cuda/rocm_torch), and the fast "up to date" path above skips it -- so a
+# newly-set or changed UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_URL / _FAMILY (including the gfx1151 ->
+# gfx120X-all marker case) would be silently ignored on Linux. Force the pass when a
+# pin is set; it is idempotent -- the _ensure_* helpers no-op when the marker already
+# records this index. Mirrors setup.ps1, whose stale-venv pre-check force-reinstalls on
+# a pin change. Same shape as the anyio-repair override above. Unpinned updates keep
+# the fast path.
+if [ "$_SKIP_PYTHON_DEPS" = true ] && [ -n "${UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_URL:-}${UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_FAMILY:-}" ]; then
+    substep "explicit torch-index pin set -- running dependency pass to apply/verify it..."
+    _SKIP_PYTHON_DEPS=false
+fi
+
 if [ "$_SKIP_PYTHON_DEPS" = false ]; then
     install_python_stack
 else
diff --git a/tests/python/test_cross_platform_parity.py b/tests/python/test_cross_platform_parity.py
index 1413a3f3bc..4bc457dc11 100644
--- a/tests/python/test_cross_platform_parity.py
+++ b/tests/python/test_cross_platform_parity.py
@@ -554,6 +554,61 @@ class TestPinnedRocmLeafDigitParity:
         ), "install.sh must not gate _install_bnb_rocm on a bare */rocm* whole-URL glob"
 
 
+class TestFirstCustomPinAppliedWithoutMarker:
+    """An explicitly-set custom (unknown-family) UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_URL must be
+    applied on the FIRST `studio update` of a venv that predates the marker feature.
+    Such a venv has no .unsloth-torch-index marker, so the marker compare returns
+    None/$null and the version-tag heuristics cannot judge an unknown leaf; without
+    treating "no marker" as "apply verbatim once", the explicit pin would be silently
+    ignored until a marker happened to exist. The verbatim reinstall writes the
+    marker, so every later update is a no-op (marker == pin)."""
+
+    def test_stack_py_applies_pin_when_marker_absent(self):
+        text = STACK_PY.read_text(encoding = "utf-8")
+        body = text[text.find("def _ensure_verbatim_torch_index") :][:2200]
+        # The short-circuit must be "already this exact pin" (False), NOT the old
+        # "anything other than a definite mismatch" (is not True), which also bailed
+        # on a None (no-marker) result.
+        assert "if _mismatch is False:" in body, (
+            "_ensure_verbatim_torch_index must reinstall on an absent marker (None), "
+            "returning early only when the marker already records this exact pin (False)"
+        )
+        assert "if _mismatch is not True:" not in body, (
+            "_ensure_verbatim_torch_index must no longer skip the reinstall when the "
+            "marker is absent (None)"
+        )
+
+    def test_setup_sh_forces_stack_pass_when_pin_set(self):
+        """On Linux, `studio update` runs setup.sh, which skips install_python_stack.py
+        (the only place the marker-driven torch reinstall lives) when unsloth is already
+        current. Without an override that fast path silently ignores an explicit torch
+        index pin, so setup.sh must force the dependency pass when a pin env var is set."""
+        setup_sh = REPO_ROOT / "studio" / "setup.sh"
+        text = setup_sh.read_text(encoding = "utf-8")
+        assert (
+            '[ -n "${UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_URL:-}${UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_FAMILY:-}" ]' in text
+            and "_SKIP_PYTHON_DEPS=false" in text
+        ), (
+            "setup.sh must clear _SKIP_PYTHON_DEPS when UNSLOTH_TORCH_INDEX_URL/_FAMILY is "
+            "set so install_python_stack.py runs and applies the pin (marker no-ops if unchanged)"
+        )
+
+    def test_setup_ps1_forces_reinstall_when_marker_absent(self):
+        text = SETUP_PS1.read_text(encoding = "utf-8")
+        # The unknown-family else branch must promote a null marker to an in-place
+        # force-reinstall (PinChangedForceReinstall), NOT a wipe ($shouldRebuild).
+        assert 'if ($null -eq $_markerMismatch) { $script:PinChangedForceReinstall = $true }' in text, (
+            "setup.ps1 must set PinChangedForceReinstall for an unknown-family pin on a "
+            "marker-less venv so the torch block reinstalls from $PinnedTorchIndexUrl in place"
+        )
+        # Guard: the unknown-leaf branch must not trigger the venv wipe path.
+        else_branch = text[text.find("PEP 503 mirror ending in /simple") :][:900]
+        assert "$shouldRebuild = $true" not in else_branch, (
+            "setup.ps1 unknown-family branch must repair in place (PinChangedForceReinstall), "
+            "not wipe the venv ($shouldRebuild), which would strand a direct studio update"
+        )
+
+
 class TestPinnedIndexClearsUvEnvParity:
     """Every installer must neutralise the uv index env vars for a pinned torch
     install (#6898). uv treats the default index (--index-url / --default-index) as