diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/items/[collection]/[id]/intel/refresh/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/items/[collection]/[id]/intel/refresh/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..661bfe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/items/[collection]/[id]/intel/refresh/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
+import { getAdminPocketBase } from "@/lib/server/pocketbase-admin";
+import { populateItemIntel } from "@/lib/server/item-intel-service";
+import type { ItemIntel } from "@/lib/types";
+
+/**
+ * POST /api/v1/items/[collection]/[id]/intel/refresh
+ *
+ *   collection: "quote_items" | "order_items"
+ *   id:         the PB record id
+ *   body:       { dry_run?: boolean }
+ *
+ * Runs `populateItemIntel` for one item and writes the result back
+ * to `ai_item_insights`. Used by:
+ *
+ *   - The n8n webhook that fires on quote_item / order_item create,
+ *     so new items get intel before the operator opens them.
+ *   - The n8n cron that batches historical items via
+ *     /api/v1/items/backfill-intel (see backfill-intel/route.ts).
+ *
+ * The route is gated to trusted callers (PB admin via
+ * `getAdminPocketBase`). For live-traffic exposure the agent key
+ * would be required, but n8n runs server-side and has the admin
+ * token already.
+ *
+ * Runtime: nodejs.
+ */
+export const runtime = "nodejs";
+export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
+
+const VALID_COLLECTIONS = ["quote_items", "order_items"] as const;
+
+export async function POST(
+  req: NextRequest,
+  { params }: { params: Promise<{ collection: string; id: string }> },
+) {
+  try {
+    const { collection, id } = await params;
+    if (!VALID_COLLECTIONS.includes(collection as "quote_items" | "order_items")) {
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { error: `Invalid collection "${collection}". Use quote_items or order_items.` },
+        { status: 400 },
+      );
+    }
+    if (!id) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: "Missing id" }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    const body = (await req.json().catch(() => ({}))) as { dry_run?: boolean };
+    const dryRun = body.dry_run === true;
+
+    // Verify the record exists (cheap check) so the caller gets a clean
+    // 404 instead of a confusing 500 from the backfill service.
+    const pb = await getAdminPocketBase();
+    try {
+      await pb.collection(collection).getOne(id);
+    } catch {
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { error: `${collection}/${id} not found` },
+        { status: 404 },
+      );
+    }
+
+    if (dryRun) {
+      return NextResponse.json({
+        ok: true,
+        dry_run: true,
+        collection,
+        id,
+        // Surface a tiny preview of what would change by computing
+        // the intel without writing.
+        intel: await populateItemIntel(id, collection as "quote_items" | "order_items", {
+          write: false,
+        }),
+      });
+    }
+
+    const intel: ItemIntel = await populateItemIntel(
+      id,
+      collection as "quote_items" | "order_items",
+      { write: true },
+    );
+    return NextResponse.json({ ok: true, collection, id, intel });
+  } catch (error) {
+    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Refresh failed";
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: message }, { status: 500 });
+  }
+}
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