diff --git a/recommend.js b/recommend.js
index 8615dfa..d582465 100644
--- a/recommend.js
+++ b/recommend.js
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
  * Returns the best Teams provider considering 7d budget utilization.
  *
  * Selection rules:
- *   1. status must be "allowed"
+ *   1. status must be "allowed" or "allowed_warning" (both can serve requests)
  *   2. Scan chain in order; take first with utilization_7d < SWITCH_THRESHOLD
- *   3. If none under threshold, take lowest-utilization allowed provider
- *   4. If no allowed Teams providers, return emergency=true (shelley-proxy)
+ *   3. If none under threshold, take lowest-utilization allowed/allowed_warning provider
+ *   4. If no usable Teams providers, return emergency=true (shelley-proxy)
  *
  * Usage:
  *   node recommend.js                              # JSON output
@@ -90,10 +90,11 @@ async function main() {
     .filter(name => providers[name] && providers[name].type === 'teams-direct')
     .map(name => ({ name, ...providers[name] }));
 
-  // Phase 1: first provider under threshold with status=allowed
+  // Phase 1: first provider under threshold with status=allowed or allowed_warning
+  // Both statuses can serve requests; allowed_warning just means approaching limit
   let best = null;
   for (const p of candidates) {
-    if (p.status === 'allowed') {
+    if (p.status === 'allowed' || p.status === 'allowed_warning') {
       const util7d = p.utilization_7d ?? 0;
       if (util7d < SWITCH_THRESHOLD) {
         best = {
@@ -105,12 +106,13 @@ async function main() {
     }
   }
 
-  // Phase 2: all over threshold — pick lowest 7d utilization that's still allowed
+  // Phase 2: all over threshold — pick lowest 7d utilization (allowed or allowed_warning)
+  // Prefer allowed over allowed_warning; both beat emergency fallback
   if (!best) {
     let lowestUtil = Infinity;
     let lowestCandidate = null;
     for (const p of candidates) {
-      if (p.status === 'allowed') {
+      if (p.status === 'allowed' || p.status === 'allowed_warning') {
         const util7d = p.utilization_7d ?? 0;
         if (util7d < lowestUtil) {
           lowestUtil = util7d;
@@ -119,9 +121,10 @@ async function main() {
       }
     }
     if (lowestCandidate) {
+      const warningTag = lowestCandidate.status === 'allowed_warning' ? ', warning' : '';
       best = {
         name: lowestCandidate.name,
-        reason: `all over threshold — best available at ${pct(lowestUtil)} 7d (data: ${source})`,
+        reason: `all over threshold — best available at ${pct(lowestUtil)} 7d${warningTag} (data: ${source})`,
       };
     }
   }