diff --git a/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module.go b/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module.go
index 3ce23f7e49..93b7555ec5 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module.go
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-protos/cre/go/sdk"
 )
 
+// ErrRunnerUnavailable means a runner of the required type exists but cannot yet
+// satisfy the requirements (e.g. a gated capability); callers may retry, not fail.
+var ErrRunnerUnavailable = errors.New("no runner can currently satisfy the trigger requirements")
+
 type ModuleAndHandler struct {
 	Module
 	RequirementsHandler
@@ -109,6 +113,9 @@ func (r *requirementSelectingModule) subscribe(ctx context.Context, request *sdk
 			}
 		}
 		if !matched {
+			if r.runnerTypeAvailable(sub.Requirements) {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w for trigger %d", ErrRunnerUnavailable, i)
+			}
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot find a runner that can satisfy the requirements for trigger %d", i)
 		}
 	}
@@ -116,6 +123,17 @@ func (r *requirementSelectingModule) subscribe(ctx context.Context, request *sdk
 	return result, nil
 }
 
+// runnerTypeAvailable reports whether any module handles req's requirement types,
+// even if it can't currently satisfy them: a present-but-unavailable runner vs none.
+func (r *requirementSelectingModule) runnerTypeAvailable(req *sdk.Requirements) bool {
+	for _, m := range r.modules {
+		if HandlesRequirements(m.RequirementsHandler, req) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func (r *requirementSelectingModule) trigger(ctx context.Context, request *sdk.ExecuteRequest, handler ExecutionHelper) (*sdk.ExecutionResult, error) {
 	trigger := request.GetTrigger()
 	if val, cached := r.cache.Load(trigger.Id); cached {
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module_test.go b/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module_test.go
index f91f539046..83e96feb15 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/host/requirement_selecting_module_test.go
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestRequirementSelectingModule_Execute(t *testing.T) {
 
 		_, err := m.Execute(t.Context(), subscribeRequest(), nil)
 		require.Error(t, err)
-		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "cannot find a runner that can satisfy the requirements")
+		assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrRunnerUnavailable)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("subscribe skips non-matching and selects later additional", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -542,6 +542,7 @@ func TestRequirementSelectingModule_TriggerCache(t *testing.T) {
 		_, err := m.Execute(t.Context(), subscribeRequest(), nil)
 		require.Error(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "cannot find a runner")
+		assert.NotErrorIs(t, err, ErrRunnerUnavailable)
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_gen/requirements_helper.go.tmpl b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_gen/requirements_helper.go.tmpl
index da55611a42..f822cc849a 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_gen/requirements_helper.go.tmpl
+++ b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_gen/requirements_helper.go.tmpl
@@ -33,3 +33,24 @@ func CheckRequirements(ctx context.Context, handler RequirementsHandler, req *sd
 
 	return true
 }
+
+// HandlesRequirements reports whether handler covers every non-nil field in req (the
+// right runner type), regardless of whether those callbacks pass. Distinguishes a
+// present-but-unavailable runner from a missing one.
+func HandlesRequirements(handler RequirementsHandler, req *sdk.Requirements) bool {
+	if req == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if len(req.ProtoReflect().GetUnknown()) != 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+{{range .Fields}}
+	if req.{{.Name}} != nil && handler.{{.Name}} == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+{{end}}
+
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen.go b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen.go
index d9e5140f34..73099b9c0b 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen.go
@@ -35,3 +35,22 @@ func CheckRequirements(ctx context.Context, handler RequirementsHandler, req *sd
 
 	return true
 }
+
+// HandlesRequirements reports whether handler covers every non-nil field in req (the
+// right runner type), regardless of whether those callbacks pass. Distinguishes a
+// present-but-unavailable runner from a missing one.
+func HandlesRequirements(handler RequirementsHandler, req *sdk.Requirements) bool {
+	if req == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if len(req.ProtoReflect().GetUnknown()) != 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if req.Tee != nil && handler.Tee == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen_test.go b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen_test.go
index 68bb23b3d7..ed53178b25 100644
--- a/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflows/host/requirements_helper_gen_test.go
@@ -46,3 +46,38 @@ func Test_CheckRequirements(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.True(t, CheckRequirements(context.Background(), handler, req))
 	})
 }
+
+func Test_HandlesRequirements(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	t.Run("nil req always passes", func(t *testing.T) {
+		assert.True(t, HandlesRequirements(RequirementsHandler{}, nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("no fields always passes", func(t *testing.T) {
+		assert.True(t, HandlesRequirements(RequirementsHandler{}, &sdk.Requirements{}))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("unknown proto fields", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Encode a field number (99) unknown to Requirements so proto.Unmarshal
+		// preserves it as unknown bytes.
+		b := protowire.AppendTag(nil, 99, protowire.VarintType)
+		b = protowire.AppendVarint(b, 1)
+		req := &sdk.Requirements{}
+		require.NoError(t, proto.Unmarshal(b, req))
+
+		assert.False(t, HandlesRequirements(RequirementsHandler{}, req))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("required field with nil handler returns false", func(t *testing.T) {
+		req := &sdk.Requirements{Tee: &sdk.Tee{}}
+		assert.False(t, HandlesRequirements(RequirementsHandler{}, req))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("handler present passes regardless of callback result", func(t *testing.T) {
+		req := &sdk.Requirements{Tee: &sdk.Tee{}}
+		// HandlesRequirements only checks coverage, not whether the callback passes,
+		// so a handler that would fail CheckRequirements still handles the request.
+		handler := RequirementsHandler{Tee: func(context.Context, *sdk.Tee) bool { return false }}
+		assert.True(t, HandlesRequirements(handler, req))
+	})
+}