diff --git a/crates/omnigraph/src/exec/query.rs b/crates/omnigraph/src/exec/query.rs
index a106cfc..c5c0b12 100644
--- a/crates/omnigraph/src/exec/query.rs
+++ b/crates/omnigraph/src/exec/query.rs
@@ -741,6 +741,13 @@ impl<'a> GraphIndexHandle<'a> {
             .await?;
         Ok(built.as_deref())
     }
+
+    /// Whether the in-memory CSR is already materialized for this query (a prior
+    /// Expand or bulk AntiJoin realized it), so reusing it is ~free. Lets the
+    /// cost chooser prefer the warm CSR over per-hop indexed scans.
+    fn is_built(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self.cell.get(), Some(Some(_)))
+    }
 }
 
 /// Explicit traversal-mode override. `OMNIGRAPH_TRAVERSAL_MODE=indexed|csr`
@@ -893,6 +900,7 @@ fn gather_cost_inputs(
     frontier_rows: usize,
     effective_max_hops: u32,
     coverage: crate::table_store::IndexCoverage,
+    csr_cached: bool,
 ) -> Option<ExpandCostInputs> {
     let edge_entry = snapshot.entry(&format!("edge:{}", edge_type))?;
     let edge_def = catalog.edge_types.get(edge_type)?;
@@ -915,7 +923,7 @@ fn gather_cost_inputs(
         max_hops_cap: expand_indexed_max_hops(),
         max_frontier_cap: expand_indexed_max_frontier(),
         coverage,
-        csr_cached: false,
+        csr_cached,
     })
 }
 
@@ -1008,6 +1016,7 @@ async fn execute_expand(
             frontier_rows,
             effective_max_hops,
             crate::table_store::IndexCoverage::Indexed,
+            graph_index.is_built(),
         ) {
             Some(inputs) => choose_expand_mode(&inputs) == ExpandMode::IndexedScan,
             // Manifest counts absent (e.g. not-yet-materialized table): fall back
@@ -1054,6 +1063,7 @@ async fn execute_expand(
             frontier_rows,
             effective_max_hops,
             coverage_for_decision(&coverage),
+            graph_index.is_built(),
         ) {
             if choose_expand_mode(&inputs) == ExpandMode::Csr {
                 tracing::debug!(
@@ -1541,6 +1551,18 @@ async fn hydrate_nodes(
     Ok(scan_result)
 }
 
+/// Whether the inner pipeline is the bulk-anti-join shape: a single Expand from
+/// the outer var with no destination filters (the only shape the CSR
+/// `has_neighbors` fast path can serve). Pure — it does not touch the CSR — so
+/// the caller can decide whether to realize the O(|E|) graph index at all.
+fn bulk_anti_join_applies(inner_pipeline: &[IROp], outer_var: &str) -> bool {
+    matches!(
+        inner_pipeline,
+        [IROp::Expand { src_var, dst_filters, .. }]
+            if src_var == outer_var && dst_filters.is_empty()
+    )
+}
+
 /// Try bulk anti-join via CSR existence check. Returns Some(mask) if the inner
 /// pipeline is a single Expand from outer_var (the common negation pattern).
 fn try_bulk_anti_join_mask(
@@ -1550,27 +1572,17 @@ fn try_bulk_anti_join_mask(
     catalog: &Catalog,
     outer_var: &str,
 ) -> Option<BooleanArray> {
-    if inner_pipeline.len() != 1 {
+    if !bulk_anti_join_applies(inner_pipeline, outer_var) {
         return None;
     }
     let IROp::Expand {
-        src_var,
         edge_type,
         direction,
-        dst_filters,
         ..
     } = &inner_pipeline[0]
     else {
         return None;
     };
-    if src_var != outer_var {
-        return None;
-    }
-    // Bulk CSR check only tests neighbor existence, not destination
-    // properties.  Fall back to the slow path when dst_filters are present.
-    if !dst_filters.is_empty() {
-        return None;
-    }
     let gi = graph_index?;
     let edge_def = catalog.edge_types.get(edge_type.as_str())?;
 
@@ -1613,9 +1625,15 @@ async fn execute_anti_join(
     catalog: &Catalog,
     outer_var: &str,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    // AntiJoin negation is served by the CSR `has_neighbors` check, so build the
-    // index up front (this is the one place the lazy handle is always realized).
-    let gi = graph_index.get().await?;
+    // Only the bulk fast path consumes the CSR; the slow path's inner Expand
+    // chooses its own access path. Realize the O(|E|) graph index ONLY when the
+    // inner-pipeline shape qualifies for the bulk check — a filtered/nested
+    // anti-join over a large graph must not pay a whole-graph build it won't use.
+    let gi = if bulk_anti_join_applies(inner_pipeline, outer_var) {
+        graph_index.get().await?
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
     // Fast path: bulk CSR existence check (O(N), zero Lance I/O)
     if let Some(mask) = try_bulk_anti_join_mask(wide, inner_pipeline, gi, catalog, outer_var) {
         *wide = arrow_select::filter::filter_record_batch(wide, &mask)
@@ -1627,8 +1645,8 @@ async fn execute_anti_join(
     // whole frontier — a set-oriented anti-semi-join — instead of row-by-row.
     // Each outer row is tagged with a synthetic index; an outer row matches iff
     // it produced at least one surviving inner row. No per-row dispatch, so the
-    // inner Expand runs as a single set-at-a-time traversal (one scan over the
-    // full frontier, reusing the already-built CSR) rather than one Lance scan
+    // inner Expand runs as a single set-at-a-time traversal over the full
+    // frontier (its own chooser picks indexed vs CSR) rather than one Lance scan
     // per outer row.
     let num_rows = wide.num_rows();
     if num_rows == 0 {