diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index abd4d2391e..424594acf8 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -3176,7 +3176,14 @@ class HermesCLI:
         # the configured model (e.g. "qwen3.6-plus"), causing 400 errors.
         runtime_model = runtime.get("model")
         if runtime_model and isinstance(runtime_model, str):
-            self.model = runtime_model
+            # Only use runtime model if: model is unset, or model equals provider name
+            should_use_runtime_model = (
+                not self.model or  # No model configured yet
+                self.model == self.provider or  # Model is the provider slug
+                self.model == runtime.get("name")  # Model matches provider display name
+            )
+            if should_use_runtime_model:
+                self.model = runtime_model
 
         # If model is still empty (e.g. user ran `hermes auth add openai-codex`
         # without `hermes model`), fall back to the provider's first catalog