diff --git a/mealie/services/query_filter/builder.py b/mealie/services/query_filter/builder.py
index 499d1a631..278056254 100644
--- a/mealie/services/query_filter/builder.py
+++ b/mealie/services/query_filter/builder.py
@@ -249,8 +249,9 @@ class QueryFilterBuilder:
                     mapper = sa.inspect(current_model)
                     relationship = mapper.relationships[proxied_attribute_link]
                     current_model = relationship.mapper.class_
-                    if not allow_restricted and current_model.__filter_restricted__:
-                        raise ValueError(f"cannot traverse into restricted model '{current_model.__name__}'")
+
+                    # Association proxies are intentional field exposures defined on the source model,
+                    # so we do not apply the __filter_restricted__ check here.
                     model_attr = cls._get_model_attr(current_model, next_attribute_link)
 
                 # at the end of the chain there are no more relationships to inspect
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_query_filter_builder.py b/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_query_filter_builder.py
index 1f481c179..3333b2bf4 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_query_filter_builder.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/repository_tests/test_query_filter_builder.py
@@ -117,6 +117,15 @@ def test_restricted_traversal_blocked_when_disallowed():
         QueryFilterBuilder.get_model_and_model_attr_from_attr_string("user.email", RecipeModel, allow_restricted=False)
 
 
+def test_association_proxy_through_restricted_model_allowed():
+    """Association proxies (e.g. household_id) traverse through User but are intentional
+    exposures on the source model and must NOT be blocked even when allow_restricted=False."""
+    model, attr, _ = QueryFilterBuilder.get_model_and_model_attr_from_attr_string(
+        "household_id", RecipeModel, allow_restricted=False
+    )
+    assert model is User
+
+
 def test_restricted_traversal_allowed_by_default():
     """Traversing into User via RecipeModel.user should succeed when allow_restricted=True (default)."""
     model, attr, _ = QueryFilterBuilder.get_model_and_model_attr_from_attr_string("user.email", RecipeModel)