diff --git a/hermes_cli/models.py b/hermes_cli/models.py
index 494c3d2a9a..93a5111c56 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/models.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/models.py
@@ -1393,6 +1393,59 @@ def _model_in_provider_catalog(name_lower: str, providers: set[str]) -> bool:
     )
 
 
+_AGGREGATOR_PROVIDERS = frozenset(
+    {"nous", "openrouter", "ai-gateway", "copilot", "kilocode"}
+)
+
+
+def _resolve_static_model_alias(
+    name_lower: str,
+    current_keys: set[str],
+) -> Optional[tuple[str, str]]:
+    """Resolve short aliases (e.g. sonnet/opus) using static catalogs only."""
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.model_switch import MODEL_ALIASES
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+    identity = MODEL_ALIASES.get(name_lower)
+    if identity is None:
+        return None
+
+    vendor = identity.vendor
+    family = identity.family
+
+    def _match(provider: str) -> Optional[str]:
+        models = _PROVIDER_MODELS.get(provider, [])
+        if not models:
+            return None
+        prefix = (
+            f"{vendor}/{family}"
+            if provider in _AGGREGATOR_PROVIDERS
+            else family
+        ).lower()
+        for model in models:
+            if model.lower().startswith(prefix):
+                return model
+        return None
+
+    for provider in current_keys:
+        if matched := _match(provider):
+            return provider, matched
+
+    for provider in _PROVIDER_MODELS:
+        if provider in current_keys or provider in _AGGREGATOR_PROVIDERS:
+            continue
+        if matched := _match(provider):
+            return provider, matched
+
+    for provider in _AGGREGATOR_PROVIDERS:
+        if provider in current_keys and (matched := _match(provider)):
+            return provider, matched
+
+    return None
+
+
 def detect_static_provider_for_model(
     model_name: str,
     current_provider: str,
@@ -1409,6 +1462,10 @@ def detect_static_provider_for_model(
     name_lower = name.lower()
     current_keys = _provider_keys(current_provider)
 
+    alias_match = _resolve_static_model_alias(name_lower, current_keys)
+    if alias_match:
+        return alias_match
+
     # --- Step 0: bare provider name typed as model ---
     # If someone types `/model nous` or `/model anthropic`, treat it as a
     # provider switch and pick the first model from that provider's catalog.
@@ -1425,15 +1482,13 @@ def detect_static_provider_for_model(
             return (resolved_provider, default_models[0])
 
     # Aggregators list other providers' models — never auto-switch TO them
-    _AGGREGATORS = {"nous", "openrouter", "ai-gateway", "copilot", "kilocode"}
-
     # If the model belongs to the current provider's catalog, don't suggest switching
     if _model_in_provider_catalog(name_lower, current_keys):
         return None
 
     # --- Step 1: check static provider catalogs for a direct match ---
     for pid, models in _PROVIDER_MODELS.items():
-        if pid in current_keys or pid in _AGGREGATORS:
+        if pid in current_keys or pid in _AGGREGATOR_PROVIDERS:
             continue
         if any(name_lower == m.lower() for m in models):
             return (pid, name)
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
index b493fd2b63..d0201a3e80 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
@@ -256,6 +256,17 @@ class TestDetectProviderForModel:
         """Models belonging to the current provider should not trigger a switch."""
         assert detect_provider_for_model("gpt-5.3-codex", "openai-codex") is None
 
+    def test_short_alias_resolves_to_static_model(self):
+        """Short aliases (e.g. sonnet) should resolve without network lookups."""
+        with patch(
+            "hermes_cli.models.fetch_openrouter_models",
+            side_effect=AssertionError("network lookup should not run"),
+        ):
+            result = detect_provider_for_model("sonnet", "auto")
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result[0] == "anthropic"
+        assert result[1].startswith("claude-sonnet")
+
     def test_openrouter_slug_match(self):
         """Models in the OpenRouter catalog should be found."""
         with patch("hermes_cli.models.fetch_openrouter_models", return_value=LIVE_OPENROUTER_MODELS):
diff --git a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
index 4fd2322b5b..d4cdab8421 100644
--- a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
@@ -141,6 +141,24 @@ def test_startup_runtime_detects_provider_for_model_env(monkeypatch):
     )
 
 
+def test_startup_runtime_resolves_short_alias_without_network(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_MODEL", "sonnet")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_TUI_PROVIDER", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_INFERENCE_PROVIDER", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_load_cfg", lambda: {"model": {"provider": "auto"}})
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "hermes_cli.models.fetch_openrouter_models",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: (_ for _ in ()).throw(
+            AssertionError("network lookup should not run")
+        ),
+    )
+
+    model, provider = server._resolve_startup_runtime()
+
+    assert provider == "anthropic"
+    assert model.startswith("claude-sonnet")
+
+
 def test_startup_runtime_does_not_call_network_detector(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_MODEL", "sonnet")
     monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_TUI_PROVIDER", raising=False)