diff --git a/src/voice/areaActions.js b/src/voice/areaActions.js
index 2032adcd4..d8785a84d 100644
--- a/src/voice/areaActions.js
+++ b/src/voice/areaActions.js
@@ -603,6 +603,12 @@ export function createVoiceAreas({
       return { ok: false, code: 'BAD_AREA', error: 'Name a landmark.' };
     const budget = AbortSignal.timeout(AROUND_BUDGET_MS);
     const combined = signal ? AbortSignal.any([signal, budget]) : budget;
+    // A radius the user gave always draws a buffer, so the enclosing outline
+    // (and its Nominatim request) is never looked up for it.
+    const explicitRadius =
+      args.radiusM !== undefined &&
+      args.radiusM !== null &&
+      Number.isFinite(Number(args.radiusM));
     let resolved;
     let outline = null;
     try {
@@ -618,7 +624,10 @@ export function createVoiceAreas({
         allowDistant: true,
         signal: combined,
       });
-      outline = resolved ? await awaitOutline(resolved, aroundOutlineMs) : null;
+      outline =
+        resolved && !explicitRadius
+          ? await awaitOutline(resolved, aroundOutlineMs)
+          : null;
     } catch {
       resolved = null;
     }
@@ -636,10 +645,6 @@ export function createVoiceAreas({
             error: `Could not find ${target}.`,
           };
     }
-    const explicitRadius =
-      args.radiusM !== undefined &&
-      args.radiusM !== null &&
-      Number.isFinite(Number(args.radiusM));
     const radiusM = Math.max(
       50,
       Math.min(
diff --git a/src/voice/areaActions.test.mjs b/src/voice/areaActions.test.mjs
index 4894a2296..e99107e27 100644
--- a/src/voice/areaActions.test.mjs
+++ b/src/voice/areaActions.test.mjs
@@ -588,11 +588,33 @@ test('an area around a landmark uses its enclosing outline, else a labelled buff
   const buffered = await slow.areas.resolveAreaAction({
     query: 'Ferry Building',
     around: true,
-    radiusM: 400,
   });
   assert.ok(Date.now() - started < 1000);
   assert.equal(buffered.approximate, true);
-  assert.equal(buffered.display.basis, '400 m around the landmark');
+  assert.equal(buffered.display.basis, '250 m around the landmark');
+
+  // A radius the user gave never needs the outline, so it is never looked up.
+  let outlineLookups = 0;
+  const radius = makeAreas({
+    annotationResolver: {
+      resolveAnnotationTarget: async () => ({
+        lat: 37.7955,
+        lon: -122.3937,
+        ring: null,
+        resolveOutline: async () => {
+          outlineLookups += 1;
+          return null;
+        },
+      }),
+    },
+  });
+  const sizedBuffer = await radius.areas.resolveAreaAction({
+    query: 'Ferry Building',
+    around: true,
+    radiusM: 400,
+  });
+  assert.equal(sizedBuffer.display.basis, '400 m around the landmark');
+  assert.equal(outlineLookups, 0, 'no outline request for a sized buffer');
 
   const missing = makeAreas({
     annotationResolver: { resolveAnnotationTarget: async () => null },