diff --git a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/deploy.py b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/deploy.py
index 49535f052..7b6a82e5b 100644
--- a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/deploy.py
+++ b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/deploy.py
@@ -226,9 +226,6 @@ class RequestedPlacement:
                 "--name."
             )
 
-    def must_place(self, *, required: bool) -> bool:
-        return required or self.requested
-
     def resolve(self, listeners: Sequence[Listener]) -> Placement:
         if not listeners:
             if self.requested:
@@ -287,7 +284,7 @@ def _describe_listeners(listeners: Sequence[Listener]) -> str:
     if len(listeners) > len(shown):
         lines.append(f"  ... and {len(listeners) - len(shown)} more")
     if len(listeners) == MAX_PAGE_SIZE:
-        lines.append(f"  (the first {MAX_PAGE_SIZE} listeners are shown)")
+        lines.append(f"  (only the first {MAX_PAGE_SIZE} listeners were read)")
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
 
@@ -1551,7 +1548,8 @@ class CustomerRegistrySource:
         )
 
     def _placement(self, ctx: DeployContext) -> Placement:
-        if not self.placement.must_place(required=ctx.endpoints.is_cloud):
+        places_on_a_listener = ctx.endpoints.is_cloud or self.placement.requested
+        if not places_on_a_listener:
             return Unplaced()
         placement = self.placement.resolve(_available_listeners(ctx.client))
         if placement.summary:
diff --git a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_deploy_helpers.py b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_deploy_helpers.py
index cdca4e205..292aff97e 100644
--- a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_deploy_helpers.py
+++ b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_deploy_helpers.py
@@ -974,35 +974,6 @@ NO_NAMESPACE = Listener("listener-3", "broken-cluster", ())
 
 
 class TestRequestedPlacement:
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-        ("request_", "required", "expected"),
-        [
-            pytest.param(RequestedPlacement(), True, True, id="cloud_must_place"),
-            pytest.param(
-                RequestedPlacement(),
-                False,
-                False,
-                id="self_hosted_keeps_its_bundled_operator",
-            ),
-            pytest.param(
-                RequestedPlacement(listener_id="listener-1"),
-                False,
-                True,
-                id="self_hosted_places_when_asked",
-            ),
-            pytest.param(
-                RequestedPlacement(k8s_namespace="agents"),
-                False,
-                True,
-                id="a_namespace_alone_is_still_a_request",
-            ),
-        ],
-    )
-    def test_must_place_decides_whether_listeners_matter(
-        self, request_, required, expected
-    ):
-        assert request_.must_place(required=required) is expected
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("request_", "listeners", "expected"),
         [