diff --git a/clarifai/cli/model.py b/clarifai/cli/model.py
index 4337ab62..6a37d1bc 100644
--- a/clarifai/cli/model.py
+++ b/clarifai/cli/model.py
@@ -2022,10 +2022,17 @@ def _get_saved(key):
         public_visibility = resources_pb2.Visibility(
             gettable=resources_pb2.Visibility.Gettable.PUBLIC
         )
+        app_exists = True
         try:
             app = user.app(app_id)
-            out.status("App ready")
         except Exception:
+            app_exists = False
+
+        if app_exists:
+            # Ensure the app has PUBLIC visibility (required for public models)
+            user.patch_app(app_id, visibility=resources_pb2.Visibility.Gettable.PUBLIC)
+            out.status("App ready")
+        else:
             out.status("Creating app... ", nl=False)
             app = user.create_app(app_id, visibility=public_visibility)
             click.echo("done")
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_local_runner_cli.py b/tests/cli/test_local_runner_cli.py
index c92d4a8d..acbdd546 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_local_runner_cli.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_local_runner_cli.py
@@ -299,6 +299,11 @@ def validate_ctx_mock(ctx):
         # Existing resources not re-created
         mock_user.create_compute_cluster.assert_not_called()
         mock_user.create_app.assert_not_called()
+        # Existing app patched to PUBLIC visibility
+        mock_user.patch_app.assert_called_once()
+        patch_kwargs = mock_user.patch_app.call_args
+        assert patch_kwargs[0][0] == "local-runner-app"  # app_id positional arg
+        assert patch_kwargs[1]["visibility"] == 50  # PUBLIC gettable enum value
         # But version IS always created fresh
         mock_user.app().model().create_version.assert_called_once()