diff --git a/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py b/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
index 2d975e2..23bbc94 100644
--- a/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
+++ b/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
@@ -294,18 +294,26 @@ class _TorchHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         self._send_openai_response(result_text, model_name, stream, messages)
 
     def _get_remaining_route(self, model: str) -> list[str]:
+        # Fast path: tracker pre-resolved the downstream route and injected it as a header.
+        injected = self.headers.get("X-Meshnet-Route")
+        if injected:
+            try:
+                route = json.loads(injected)
+                if isinstance(route, list):
+                    return [str(ep) for ep in route]
+            except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError):
+                pass
+
+        # Slow path: query the tracker (direct node-to-node calls, or tracker didn't inject).
         server: _TorchHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
         if server.tracker_url is None:
             return []
-        # Use the backend's actual hf_repo, not the client-provided model name (which may be
-        # a lowercased or abbreviated alias that doesn't match what the tracker registered).
         route_model = getattr(server.backend, "model_id", None) or model
         try:
             url = f"{server.tracker_url}/v1/route?model={urllib.parse.quote(route_model)}"
             with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=5.0) as r:
                 route_resp = json.loads(r.read())
             route = route_resp.get("route", [])
-            # Skip our own endpoint from the route (match by port so host aliases don't matter).
             own_port = server.server_address[1]
             return [ep for ep in route if not ep.rstrip("/").endswith(f":{own_port}")]
         except Exception as exc:
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
index 377264a..7c201bb 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
@@ -606,10 +606,33 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         node = candidates[int(time.time() * 1000) % len(candidates)]
         target_url = f"{node.endpoint}/v1/chat/completions"
 
+        # Pre-resolve the downstream route so the first-shard node skips its own
+        # tracker query.  We already hold the full registry picture — no need for
+        # a second round-trip.
+        route_model = node.hf_repo or node.model or model
+        with server.lock:
+            if route_model in server.model_presets:
+                preset = server.model_presets[route_model]
+                rs, re = _preset_layer_bounds(preset)
+                all_nodes: list = [n for n in server.registry.values() if n.model == route_model]
+            else:
+                all_nodes = [
+                    n for n in server.registry.values()
+                    if (n.hf_repo == route_model or n.model == route_model)
+                    and n.shard_start is not None and n.num_layers is not None
+                ]
+                rs, re = 0, (max((n.num_layers for n in all_nodes), default=1) - 1)
+        route_nodes, _ = _select_route(all_nodes, rs, re)
+        # Strip the first-shard node we're about to proxy to — it's already handling the request.
+        downstream_urls = json.dumps([n.endpoint for n in route_nodes if n.endpoint != node.endpoint])
+
         req = urllib.request.Request(
             target_url,
             data=raw_body,
-            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+            headers={
+                "Content-Type": "application/json",
+                "X-Meshnet-Route": downstream_urls,
+            },
             method="POST",
         )
         # Copy Authorization header from client if present