diff --git a/src/shared/key-management/openai/provider.ts b/src/shared/key-management/openai/provider.ts
index f5a1441..2e6dd53 100644
--- a/src/shared/key-management/openai/provider.ts
+++ b/src/shared/key-management/openai/provider.ts
@@ -149,32 +149,51 @@ export class OpenAIKeyProvider implements KeyProvider<OpenAIKey> {
     return this.keys.map((key) => Object.freeze({ ...key, key: undefined }));
   }
 
-  public get(requestModel: string) {
-    let model = requestModel;
-
-    const neededFamily = getOpenAIModelFamily(model);
-    const excludeTrials = model === "text-embedding-ada-002";
-
-    const availableKeys = this.keys.filter(
-      // Allow keys which
-      (key) =>
-        !key.isDisabled && // are not disabled
-        key.modelFamilies.includes(neededFamily) && // have access to the model family we need
-        (!excludeTrials || !key.isTrial) && // and are not trials if we don't want them
-        (!config.checkKeys || key.modelIds.includes(model)) // and have the specific snapshot we need
-    );
-
-    if (availableKeys.length === 0) {
-      throw new PaymentRequiredError(
-        `No OpenAI keys available for model ${model}`
-      );
+  public get(requestModel: string): OpenAIKey {
+    if (!this.keys.length) {
+      throw new PaymentRequiredError(`No OpenAI keys available for model ${requestModel}`);
     }
 
-    const keysByPriority = prioritizeKeys(
-      availableKeys,
-      (a, b) => +a.isTrial - +b.isTrial
+    // Get the model family, which determines key compatibility.
+    const family = getOpenAIModelFamily(requestModel, "turbo");
+
+    // For image models, we need extra validation to ensure the key has been properly validated
+    const isImageModel = family === "gpt-image";
+    
+    // Only use keys that are enabled, not revoked, and can serve this model family.
+    const suitableKeys = this.keys.filter(
+      (k) => {
+        const basicRequirements = 
+          !k.isDisabled &&
+          !k.isRevoked &&
+          !k.isOverQuota &&
+          k.modelFamilies.includes(family) &&
+          Date.now() >= k.rateLimitedUntil;
+        
+        // For image models, we need to ensure the key has been properly validated
+        // and has actually been tested for gpt-image-1 access
+        if (isImageModel && basicRequirements) {
+          // If the key hasn't been checked at all, it shouldn't be used for image models yet
+          if (!k.lastChecked) {
+            this.log.debug({ key: k.hash }, "Skipping unchecked key for image model request");
+            return false;
+          }
+          return true;
+        }
+        
+        return basicRequirements;
+      }
     );
 
+    if (suitableKeys.length === 0) {
+      throw new PaymentRequiredError(`No suitable OpenAI keys available for model ${requestModel}`);
+    }
+
+    // Sort keys by usefulness and select the most useful key.
+    // Trial keys are prioritized because they can't be used for anything else.
+    // Otherwise, the key with the most remaining quota is chosen.
+    const keysByPriority = prioritizeKeys(suitableKeys, (a, b) => +a.isTrial - +b.isTrial);
+
     const selectedKey = keysByPriority[0];
     selectedKey.lastUsed = Date.now();
     this.throttle(selectedKey.hash);