diff --git a/src/lib/response-cache.ts b/src/lib/response-cache.ts
index 13a982073..6f3b67440 100644
--- a/src/lib/response-cache.ts
+++ b/src/lib/response-cache.ts
@@ -307,18 +307,20 @@ function buildResponseHeaders(
 // Cache bypass control
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-let cacheDisabledFlag = false;
+let cacheReadBypassed = false;
 
 /**
- * Disable the response cache for the current process.
- * Called when `--fresh` flag is passed to a command.
+ * Bypass cache reads for the current process.
+ *
+ * Called when `--fresh` flag is passed to a command. Fresh API responses are
+ * still written to cache so subsequent invocations serve updated data.
  */
 export function disableResponseCache(): void {
-  cacheDisabledFlag = true;
+  cacheReadBypassed = true;
 }
 
 /**
- * Re-enable the response cache after `disableResponseCache()` was called.
+ * Re-enable cache reads after `disableResponseCache()` was called.
  *
  * This is only needed in tests to prevent one test's `--fresh` flag from
  * permanently disabling caching for subsequent tests in the same process.
@@ -327,17 +329,28 @@ export function disableResponseCache(): void {
  * @internal Exported for testing
  */
 export function resetCacheState(): void {
-  cacheDisabledFlag = false;
+  cacheReadBypassed = false;
 }
 
 /**
- * Check if response caching is disabled.
- * Cache is disabled when:
- * - `disableResponseCache()` was called (--refresh flag)
+ * Check if cache reads are disabled.
+ * Reads are skipped when:
+ * - `disableResponseCache()` was called (`--fresh` flag)
  * - `SENTRY_NO_CACHE=1` environment variable is set
  */
 export function isCacheDisabled(): boolean {
-  return cacheDisabledFlag || getEnv().SENTRY_NO_CACHE === "1";
+  return cacheReadBypassed || getEnv().SENTRY_NO_CACHE === "1";
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if cache writes are disabled.
+ *
+ * Only the `SENTRY_NO_CACHE=1` env var disables writes. The `--fresh` flag
+ * intentionally allows writes so that the freshly-fetched response replaces
+ * any stale cache entry.
+ */
+function isCacheWriteDisabled(): boolean {
+  return getEnv().SENTRY_NO_CACHE === "1";
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -474,7 +487,7 @@ export async function storeCachedResponse(
 ): Promise<void> {
   if (
     method !== "GET" ||
-    isCacheDisabled() ||
+    isCacheWriteDisabled() ||
     !response.ok ||
     classifyUrl(url) === "no-cache"
   ) {
diff --git a/test/lib/response-cache.test.ts b/test/lib/response-cache.test.ts
index b17fbb378..e91e6eead 100644
--- a/test/lib/response-cache.test.ts
+++ b/test/lib/response-cache.test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import {
   buildCacheKey,
   clearResponseCache,
+  disableResponseCache,
   getCachedResponse,
   normalizeUrl,
   resetCacheState,
@@ -262,6 +263,75 @@ describe("cache bypass", () => {
     const cached = await getCachedResponse(TEST_METHOD, TEST_URL, {});
     expect(cached).toBeUndefined();
   });
+
+  test("--fresh bypasses cache reads", async () => {
+    await storeCachedResponse(
+      TEST_METHOD,
+      TEST_URL,
+      {},
+      mockResponse(TEST_BODY)
+    );
+
+    disableResponseCache();
+
+    const cached = await getCachedResponse(TEST_METHOD, TEST_URL, {});
+    expect(cached).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test("--fresh still allows cache writes", async () => {
+    disableResponseCache();
+
+    const freshBody = { data: "fresh" };
+    await storeCachedResponse(
+      TEST_METHOD,
+      TEST_URL,
+      {},
+      mockResponse(freshBody)
+    );
+
+    // Re-enable cache reads to verify the write succeeded
+    resetCacheState();
+
+    const cached = await getCachedResponse(TEST_METHOD, TEST_URL, {});
+    expect(cached).toBeDefined();
+    expect(await cached!.json()).toEqual(freshBody);
+  });
+
+  test("--fresh round-trip: stale entry is replaced by fresh response", async () => {
+    const staleBody = { data: "stale" };
+    const freshBody = { data: "fresh" };
+
+    // Store initial stale entry
+    await storeCachedResponse(
+      TEST_METHOD,
+      TEST_URL,
+      {},
+      mockResponse(staleBody)
+    );
+
+    // Activate --fresh: reads are bypassed, but writes still go through
+    disableResponseCache();
+
+    // Verify stale entry is not served
+    const duringFresh = await getCachedResponse(TEST_METHOD, TEST_URL, {});
+    expect(duringFresh).toBeUndefined();
+
+    // Store fresh response (overwrites the stale entry)
+    await storeCachedResponse(
+      TEST_METHOD,
+      TEST_URL,
+      {},
+      mockResponse(freshBody)
+    );
+
+    // Re-enable cache reads (simulates next invocation without --fresh)
+    resetCacheState();
+
+    // Verify fresh data is served from cache
+    const afterFresh = await getCachedResponse(TEST_METHOD, TEST_URL, {});
+    expect(afterFresh).toBeDefined();
+    expect(await afterFresh!.json()).toEqual(freshBody);
+  });
 });
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------