diff --git a/router/router.py b/router/router.py
index 0919828..80a4c21 100644
--- a/router/router.py
+++ b/router/router.py
@@ -236,13 +236,39 @@ def select_best_gpu(candidates, reason, agent=""):
 
 
 
+#  Phase 1: Circuit Breaker for GPU Hosts 
+def is_circuit_tripped(model):
+    """Check if a GPU host is currently blacklisted."""
+    if not get_redis():
+        return False
+    return r.exists("circuit:" + model + ":open")
+
+def trip_circuit(model, duration=30):
+    """Blacklist a GPU host for a specified duration."""
+    if not get_redis():
+        return
+    key = "circuit:" + model + ":open"
+    r.set(key, 1, ex=duration)
+    r.incr("circuit:" + model + ":count")
+    log.warning("CIRCUIT_TRIPPED: %s blacklisted for %ds", model, duration)
+
+def half_open_probe(model):
+    """Check if a GPU host can be un-blacklisted."""
+    if not get_redis():
+        return True
+    key = "circuit:" + model + ":open"
+    if not r.exists(key):
+        return True  # no circuit
+    return False  # still open
+
 def route(rd, tier, agent=""):
     msgs = rd.get("messages",[]); t = estimate_tokens(msgs)
     sys = any(m.get("role")=="system" for m in msgs)
     turns = len([m for m in msgs if m.get("role") in ("user","assistant")])
     hints = rd.get("routing_hints",{})
     allowed = TIER_MODELS.get(tier, ["gemma-4-12b"])
-    avail = [m for m in available_models() if m in allowed]
+    #  Phase 1: Filter out models with tripped circuit breakers
+    avail = [m for m in available_models() if m in allowed and not is_circuit_tripped(m)]
     if not avail: return {"model": allowed[0], "reason": "all_saturated", "saturated": True}
     if all(is_gpu_busy(m) for m in avail):
         return {"model": avail[0], "reason": "all_saturated", "saturated": True}
@@ -463,7 +489,10 @@ def chat():
         lat = int((time.time()-start)*1000)
         gpu_decr(model)
         
-        if resp.status_code != 200: return jsonify({"error":"GPU error "+str(resp.status_code)}), 502
+        if resp.status_code != 200:
+            if resp.status_code == 502 or resp.status_code == 504:
+                trip_circuit(model, 30)
+            return jsonify({"error":"GPU error "+str(resp.status_code)}), 502
         if is_stream:
             # Buffer SSE chunks, handle split lines for large responses
             chunks = []
@@ -537,7 +566,8 @@ def chat():
         return resp
     except requests.Timeout:
         gpu_decr(model)
-        log.error("TIMEOUT: %s -> %s", agent, model)
+        trip_circuit(model, 30)
+        log.error("TIMEOUT: %s -> %s (Circuit tripped)", agent, model)
         return jsonify({"error":"timeout"}), 504
     except Exception as e:
         gpu_decr(model)
@@ -734,6 +764,22 @@ def metrics_timeseries():
             data["models"][model] = counts
     return jsonify(data)
 
+@app.route("/metrics/circuit-breaker")
+def metrics_circuit_breaker():
+    """Expose circuit breaker status per model. Phase 1."""
+    result = {}
+    if r:
+        for model in GPU_URLS:
+            key = "circuit:" + model + ":open"
+            duration = r.ttl(key)
+            trip_count = int(r.get("circuit:" + model + ":count") or 0)
+            result[model] = {
+                "tripped": r.exists(key),
+                "remaining_ttl": duration,
+                "trip_count": trip_count
+            }
+    return jsonify(result)
+
 @app.route("/stream")
 def stream():
     def ev():