diff --git a/acp_adapter/session.py b/acp_adapter/session.py
index c40553f267268..c300aa8cd9cd5 100644
--- a/acp_adapter/session.py
+++ b/acp_adapter/session.py
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ def _make_agent(
         default_model = ""
         config_provider = None
         if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-            default_model = str(model_cfg.get("default") or default_model)
+            default_model = str(model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or default_model)
             config_provider = model_cfg.get("provider")
         elif isinstance(model_cfg, str) and model_cfg.strip():
             default_model = model_cfg.strip()
diff --git a/agent/auxiliary_client.py b/agent/auxiliary_client.py
index 18197ae309e8d..ce119e96c1c60 100644
--- a/agent/auxiliary_client.py
+++ b/agent/auxiliary_client.py
@@ -1683,7 +1683,7 @@ def _read_main_model() -> str:
         if isinstance(model_cfg, str) and model_cfg.strip():
             return model_cfg.strip()
         if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-            default = model_cfg.get("default", "")
+            default = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
             if isinstance(default, str) and default.strip():
                 return default.strip()
     except Exception:
@@ -2026,7 +2026,7 @@ def _try_azure_foundry(
         return None, None
 
     final_model = _normalize_resolved_model(
-        model or str(model_cfg.get("default") or ""),
+        model or str(model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""),
         "azure-foundry",
     )
     if not final_model:
diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index c05c361a7c05a..026864d1b9c3f 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -3002,7 +3002,7 @@ def __init__(
         # authoritative.  This avoids conflicts in multi-agent setups where
         # env vars would stomp each other.
         _model_config = CLI_CONFIG.get("model", {})
-        _config_model = (_model_config.get("default") or _model_config.get("model") or "") if isinstance(_model_config, dict) else (_model_config or "")
+        _config_model = (_model_config.get("default") or _model_config.get("name") or _model_config.get("model") or "") if isinstance(_model_config, dict) else (_model_config or "")
         _DEFAULT_CONFIG_MODEL = ""
         self.model = model or _config_model or _DEFAULT_CONFIG_MODEL
         # Auto-detect model from local server if still on default
diff --git a/cron/scheduler.py b/cron/scheduler.py
index a51ade8efe651..3005958e9c99d 100644
--- a/cron/scheduler.py
+++ b/cron/scheduler.py
@@ -1499,7 +1499,7 @@ def _run_job_impl(job: dict) -> tuple[bool, str, str, Optional[str]]:
                     if isinstance(_model_cfg, str):
                         model = _model_cfg
                     elif isinstance(_model_cfg, dict):
-                        model = _model_cfg.get("default", model)
+                        model = _model_cfg.get("default") or _model_cfg.get("name") or _model_cfg.get("model") or model
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning("Job '%s': failed to load config.yaml, using defaults: %s", job_id, e)
 
diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index a2e41c6090f8b..8fa8471ea6153 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -1455,7 +1455,7 @@ def _resolve_gateway_model(config: dict | None = None) -> str:
     if isinstance(model_cfg, str):
         return model_cfg
     elif isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-        return model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
+        return model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
     return ""
 
 
@@ -8353,7 +8353,7 @@ async def _handle_message_with_agent(self, event, source, _quick_key: str, run_g
                     if isinstance(_model_cfg, str):
                         _hyg_model = _model_cfg
                     elif isinstance(_model_cfg, dict):
-                        _hyg_model = _model_cfg.get("default") or _model_cfg.get("model") or _hyg_model
+                        _hyg_model = _model_cfg.get("default") or _model_cfg.get("name") or _model_cfg.get("model") or _hyg_model
                         # Read explicit context_length override from model config
                         # (same as run_agent.py lines 995-1005)
                         _raw_ctx = _model_cfg.get("context_length")
@@ -10177,7 +10177,7 @@ async def _handle_model_command(self, event: MessageEvent) -> Optional[str]:
             if cfg:
                 model_cfg = cfg.get("model", {})
                 if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-                    current_model = model_cfg.get("default", "")
+                    current_model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
                     current_provider = model_cfg.get("provider", current_provider)
                     current_base_url = model_cfg.get("base_url", "")
                 user_provs = cfg.get("providers")
diff --git a/hermes_cli/doctor.py b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
index dbc486e87b104..cfc7be6e63e25 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/doctor.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ def run_doctor(args):
             model_section = cfg.get("model") or {}
             provider_raw = (model_section.get("provider") or "").strip()
             provider = provider_raw.lower()
-            default_model = (model_section.get("default") or model_section.get("model") or "").strip()
+            default_model = (model_section.get("default") or model_section.get("name") or model_section.get("model") or "").strip()
 
             known_providers: set = set()
             try:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/dump.py b/hermes_cli/dump.py
index c29ef19775ca1..0eb8353b7f9a5 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/dump.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/dump.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def _get_model_and_provider(config: dict) -> tuple[str, str]:
     """Extract model and provider from config."""
     model_cfg = config.get("model", "")
     if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-        model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or model_cfg.get("name") or "(not set)"
+        model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "(not set)"
         provider = model_cfg.get("provider") or "(auto)"
     elif isinstance(model_cfg, str):
         model = model_cfg or "(not set)"
diff --git a/hermes_cli/fallback_cmd.py b/hermes_cli/fallback_cmd.py
index 09142ea99eaff..010e5d13d48ba 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/fallback_cmd.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/fallback_cmd.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def _extract_fallback_from_model_cfg(model_cfg: Any) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]
         return None
     provider = (model_cfg.get("provider") or "").strip()
     # The picker writes the selected model to ``model.default``.
-    model = (model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
+    model = (model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
     if not provider or not model:
         return None
     entry: Dict[str, Any] = {"provider": provider, "model": model}
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def _describe_primary(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Optional[str]:
     model_cfg = config.get("model")
     if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
         provider = (model_cfg.get("provider") or "?").strip() or "?"
-        model = (model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or "?").strip() or "?"
+        model = (model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "?").strip() or "?"
         return f"{model}  (via {provider})"
     if isinstance(model_cfg, str) and model_cfg.strip():
         return model_cfg.strip()
diff --git a/hermes_cli/inventory.py b/hermes_cli/inventory.py
index 5cf32d1c847c7..93d63e5040dcb 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/inventory.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/inventory.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def load_picker_context() -> ConfigContext:
     cfg = load_config()
     model_cfg = cfg.get("model", {})
     if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-        current_model = model_cfg.get("default", model_cfg.get("name", "")) or ""
+        current_model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
         current_provider = model_cfg.get("provider", "") or ""
         current_base_url = model_cfg.get("base_url", "") or ""
     else:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/main.py b/hermes_cli/main.py
index 82df98f395da0..e3297dade8e76 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main.py
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ def _has_any_provider_configured() -> bool:
     cfg = load_config()
     model_cfg = cfg.get("model")
     if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-        _model_name = (model_cfg.get("default") or "").strip()
+        _model_name = (model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
     elif isinstance(model_cfg, str):
         _model_name = model_cfg.strip()
     else:
@@ -2125,7 +2125,7 @@ def select_provider_and_model(args=None):
     config = load_config()
     current_model = config.get("model")
     if isinstance(current_model, dict):
-        current_model = current_model.get("default", "")
+        current_model = current_model.get("default") or current_model.get("name") or current_model.get("model") or ""
     current_model = current_model or "(not set)"
 
     # Read effective provider the same way the CLI does at startup:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/oneshot.py b/hermes_cli/oneshot.py
index b79644f67061f..31393505f03f8 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/oneshot.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/oneshot.py
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ def _run_agent(
     if isinstance(model_cfg, str):
         cfg_model = model_cfg
     else:
-        cfg_model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
+        cfg_model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
 
     env_model = os.getenv("HERMES_INFERENCE_MODEL", "").strip()
     effective_model = (model or "").strip() or env_model or cfg_model
diff --git a/hermes_cli/profiles.py b/hermes_cli/profiles.py
index ec315c7fdb1ba..1946cce7c6d9b 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/profiles.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/profiles.py
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ def _read_config_model(profile_dir: Path) -> tuple:
         if isinstance(model_cfg, str):
             return model_cfg, None
         if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-            return model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model"), model_cfg.get("provider")
+            return model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model"), model_cfg.get("provider")
         return None, None
     except Exception:
         return None, None
diff --git a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
index c40316e02ccfc..8fb99bfc28eac 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def _copilot_runtime_api_mode(model_cfg: Dict[str, Any], api_key: str) -> str:
     if configured_mode and _provider_supports_explicit_api_mode("copilot", configured_provider):
         return configured_mode
 
-    model_name = str(model_cfg.get("default") or "").strip()
+    model_name = str(model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
     if not model_name:
         return "chat_completions"
 
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def _resolve_runtime_from_pool_entry(
     # longer matches the model actually being used — the bug that caused
     # opencode-zen /v1 to be stripped for chat_completions requests when
     # config.default was still a Claude model.
-    effective_model = (target_model or model_cfg.get("default") or "")
+    effective_model = (target_model or model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "")
     base_url = (getattr(entry, "runtime_base_url", None) or getattr(entry, "base_url", None) or "").rstrip("/")
     api_key = getattr(entry, "runtime_api_key", None) or getattr(entry, "access_token", "")
     api_mode = "chat_completions"
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ def _resolve_azure_foundry_runtime(
     # against them returns 400 "The requested operation is unsupported."
     # Upgrade api_mode when the model name matches, unless the user has
     # explicitly chosen anthropic_messages (Anthropic-style endpoint).
-    effective_model = str(target_model or model_cfg.get("default") or "").strip()
+    effective_model = str(target_model or model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
     if effective_model and cfg_api_mode != "anthropic_messages":
         try:
             from hermes_cli.models import azure_foundry_model_api_mode
@@ -1570,7 +1570,7 @@ def resolve_runtime_provider(
         # Dual-path routing: Claude models use AnthropicBedrock SDK for full
         # feature parity (prompt caching, thinking budgets, adaptive thinking).
         # Non-Claude models use the Converse API for multi-model support.
-        _current_model = str(model_cfg.get("default") or "").strip()
+        _current_model = str(model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or "").strip()
         if is_anthropic_bedrock_model(_current_model):
             # Claude on Bedrock → AnthropicBedrock SDK → anthropic_messages path
             runtime = {
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ def resolve_runtime_provider(
                 # from base_url for chat_completions models and 404'ing.
                 # Refs #16878.
                 from hermes_cli.models import opencode_model_api_mode
-                _effective = target_model or model_cfg.get("default", "")
+                _effective = target_model or model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
                 api_mode = opencode_model_api_mode(provider, _effective)
             elif configured_mode and _provider_supports_explicit_api_mode(provider, configured_provider):
                 api_mode = configured_mode
diff --git a/hermes_cli/setup.py b/hermes_cli/setup.py
index 1af23f3b9cd52..51c72c1d2ab64 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/setup.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/setup.py
@@ -2720,7 +2720,7 @@ def _get_section_config_summary(config: dict, section_key: str) -> Optional[str]
         if isinstance(model, str) and model.strip():
             return model.strip()
         if isinstance(model, dict):
-            return str(model.get("default") or model.get("model") or "configured")
+            return str(model.get("default") or model.get("name") or model.get("model") or "configured")
         return "configured"
 
     elif section_key == "terminal":
diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_server.py b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
index d8d7996b868e0..746278a54e431 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_server.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ def _normalize_config_for_web(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     if isinstance(model_val, dict):
         # Extract context_length before flattening the dict
         ctx_len = model_val.get("context_length", 0)
-        config["model"] = model_val.get("default", model_val.get("name", ""))
+        config["model"] = model_val.get("default") or model_val.get("name") or model_val.get("model") or ""
         config["model_context_length"] = ctx_len if isinstance(ctx_len, int) else 0
     else:
         config["model_context_length"] = 0
@@ -901,7 +901,7 @@ def get_model_info():
 
         # Extract model name and provider from the config
         if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-            model_name = model_cfg.get("default", model_cfg.get("name", ""))
+            model_name = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""
             provider = model_cfg.get("provider", "")
             base_url = model_cfg.get("base_url", "")
             config_ctx = model_cfg.get("context_length")
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ def get_auxiliary_models():
         if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
             main = {
                 "provider": str(model_cfg.get("provider", "") or ""),
-                "model": str(model_cfg.get("default", model_cfg.get("name", "")) or ""),
+                "model": str(model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("name") or model_cfg.get("model") or ""),
             }
         else:
             main = {"provider": "", "model": str(model_cfg) if model_cfg else ""}
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py b/tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py
index e71226da53f1b..58ece99e53b50 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_cli_provider_resolution.py
@@ -381,6 +381,43 @@ def _runtime_resolve(**kwargs):
     assert shell.model != "should-be-ignored"
 
 
+def test_cli_uses_legacy_model_name_for_named_custom_provider(monkeypatch):
+    """Legacy/custom-provider configs may use model.name instead of model.default.
+
+    Regression test for #34500: the CLI must pass that configured model through
+    to AIAgent so OpenAI-compatible custom backends do not receive model="".
+    """
+    cli = _import_cli()
+
+    monkeypatch.setitem(cli.CLI_CONFIG, "model", {
+        "name": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
+        "provider": "my-litellm",
+    })
+
+    def _runtime_resolve(**kwargs):
+        return {
+            "provider": "my-litellm",
+            "api_mode": "chat_completions",
+            "base_url": "http://litellm-proxy:4000/v1",
+            "api_key": "test-key",
+            "source": "config/custom_providers",
+        }
+
+    class _DummyAgent:
+        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            self.kwargs = kwargs
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.runtime_provider.resolve_runtime_provider", _runtime_resolve)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.runtime_provider.format_runtime_provider_error", lambda exc: str(exc))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "AIAgent", _DummyAgent)
+
+    shell = cli.HermesCLI(compact=True, max_turns=1)
+
+    assert shell.model == "claude-sonnet-4-20250514"
+    assert shell._init_agent() is True
+    assert shell.agent.kwargs["model"] == "claude-sonnet-4-20250514"
+
+
 def test_codex_config_model_not_replaced_by_normalization(monkeypatch):
     """When the user sets model.default in config.yaml to a specific codex
     model, _normalize_model_for_provider must NOT replace it with the latest
diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index 67e5864473863..b32a4cb5cb37d 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ def _resolve_model() -> str:
         return env
     m = _load_cfg().get("model", "")
     if isinstance(m, dict):
-        return str(m.get("default", "") or "").strip()
+        return str(m.get("default") or m.get("name") or m.get("model") or "").strip()
     if isinstance(m, str) and m:
         return m.strip()
     return "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"