diff --git a/plugins/askrene/child/mcf.c b/plugins/askrene/child/mcf.c
index 3c455b852822..a60983fee9d9 100644
--- a/plugins/askrene/child/mcf.c
+++ b/plugins/askrene/child/mcf.c
@@ -1110,6 +1110,14 @@ static void init_linear_network_single_path(
 			if (amount_msat_greater_eq(params->amount, maxcap))
 				continue;
 
+			const double probability =
+			    pickhardt_richter_probability(mincap, maxcap,
+							  params->amount);
+
+			/* too unlikely it is not worth considering */
+			if (probability < 1e-6)
+				continue;
+
 			const u32 chan_id = gossmap_chan_idx(gossmap, c);
 
 			const struct gossmap_node *next =
@@ -1129,8 +1137,7 @@ static void init_linear_network_single_path(
 
 			(*arc_capacity)[arc.idx] = 1;
 			(*arc_prob_cost)[arc.idx] =
-			    (-1.0) * log(pickhardt_richter_probability(
-					 mincap, maxcap, params->amount));
+			    (-1.0) * log(probability);
 
 			struct amount_msat fee;
 			if (!amount_msat_fee(&fee, params->amount,
diff --git a/tests/test_askrene.py b/tests/test_askrene.py
index 49d27460468c..9c62d99fb37e 100644
--- a/tests/test_askrene.py
+++ b/tests/test_askrene.py
@@ -958,13 +958,13 @@ def test_getroutes_single_path(node_factory):
         l1,
         nodemap[1],
         nodemap[2],
-        10000000,
+        9100000,
         [
             [
                 {
                     "short_channel_id_dir": "3x2x2/1",
                     "node_id_out": nodemap[2],
-                    "amount_in_msat": 10000010,
+                    "amount_in_msat": 9100009,
                     "cltv_in": 99 + 6,
                 }
             ]
@@ -991,19 +991,19 @@ def test_getroutes_single_path(node_factory):
         l1,
         nodemap[0],
         nodemap[2],
-        10000000,
+        9100000,
         [
             [
                 {
                     "short_channel_id_dir": "0x1x0/1",
                     "node_id_out": nodemap[1],
-                    "amount_in_msat": 10000020,
+                    "amount_in_msat": 9100018,
                     "cltv_in": 99 + 6 + 6,
                 },
                 {
                     "short_channel_id_dir": "3x2x2/1",
                     "node_id_out": nodemap[2],
-                    "amount_in_msat": 10000010,
+                    "amount_in_msat": 9100009,
                     "cltv_in": 99 + 6,
                 },
             ]
diff --git a/tests/test_pay.py b/tests/test_pay.py
index 72a15855e0a8..879798f36c65 100644
--- a/tests/test_pay.py
+++ b/tests/test_pay.py
@@ -5400,10 +5400,7 @@ def test_sendpay_grouping(node_factory, bitcoind):
 
     We always use slightly decreasing values for the payment, in order
     to avoid having to adjust the channel_hints that are being
-    remembered across attempts. In case of a failure the
-    `channel_hint` will be `attempted amount - 1msat` so use that as
-    the next payment's amount.
-
+    remembered across attempts.
     """
     l1, l2, l3 = node_factory.line_graph(
         3,
@@ -5428,8 +5425,9 @@ def test_sendpay_grouping(node_factory, bitcoind):
     # After this one invocation we have one entry in `listpays`
     assert(len(l1.rpc.listpays()['pays']) == 1)
 
+    # try again with a smaller amount
     with pytest.raises(RpcError, match=r'Failed after 1 attempts'):
-        l1.rpc.xpay(inv, amount_msat='100001msat')
+        l1.rpc.xpay(inv, amount_msat='90000msat')
 
     # Surprise: we should have 2 entries after 2 invocations
     assert(len(l1.rpc.listpays()['pays']) == 2)