diff --git a/providers/__init__.py b/providers/__init__.py
index 4d828c561d34..011e84afa723 100644
--- a/providers/__init__.py
+++ b/providers/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 """Provider module registry.
 
-Provider profiles can live in two places:
+Provider profiles can live in three places:
 
 1. Bundled plugins: ``plugins/model-providers/<name>/`` (shipped with hermes-agent)
 2. User plugins: ``$HERMES_HOME/plugins/model-providers/<name>/``
+3. Pip-installed plugins: distributions exposing a ``hermes_agent.plugins``
+   entry point (``module:func`` callable or a self-registering ``module``)
 
 Each plugin directory contains:
   - ``__init__.py`` — calls ``register_provider(profile)`` at import
@@ -144,6 +146,128 @@ def _import_plugin_dir(plugin_dir: Path, source: str) -> None:
         sys.modules.pop(module_name, None)
 
 
+def _discover_entry_point_providers() -> None:
+    """Import pip-installed provider plugins via the ``hermes_agent.plugins``
+    entry-point group so they self-register.
+
+    A distribution ships::
+
+        [project.entry-points."hermes_agent.plugins"]
+        acme-inference = "acme_hermes_plugin:register"
+
+    The target may be either a **callable** (``module:func`` — invoked with no
+    args; typically calls ``register_provider(profile)``) or a **module**
+    (``module`` — imported for its module-level ``register_provider`` side
+    effect, mirroring the directory-plugin ``__init__.py`` contract).
+
+    Gating and safety:
+
+    * **Opt-in.** Entry-point plugins are subject to the same
+      ``plugins.enabled`` allow-list (and ``plugins.disabled`` deny-list) the
+      general PluginManager enforces — a pip package is never imported just
+      because it is installed. An entry point whose name is not enabled is
+      skipped without loading.
+    * **Provider targets only.** The ``hermes_agent.plugins`` group is shared
+      with general plugins whose target is ``register(ctx)``. Callables that
+      require arguments are skipped here (the PluginManager owns them);
+      provider registration hooks take no arguments by contract.
+
+    Failures are swallowed per-entry (a broken third-party package must not
+    break provider discovery) and logged at warning level. This scan runs
+    first, so filesystem plugins (bundled + ``$HERMES_HOME``) keep their
+    documented override precedence via last-writer-wins in
+    ``register_provider()`` — a pip package cannot hijack a first-party
+    provider name.
+    """
+    try:
+        import importlib.metadata as _md
+    except Exception:  # pragma: no cover — importlib.metadata always present ≥3.8
+        return
+
+    # Same opt-in gate as the general PluginManager: only entry points named
+    # in ``plugins.enabled`` load, and ``plugins.disabled`` always wins.
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.plugins import _get_disabled_plugins, _get_enabled_plugins
+
+        enabled = _get_enabled_plugins()  # None = nothing enabled yet (opt-in default)
+        disabled = _get_disabled_plugins()
+    except Exception:  # pragma: no cover — config layer unavailable
+        enabled, disabled = None, set()
+    if not enabled:
+        return
+
+    group = "hermes_agent.plugins"
+    try:
+        eps = _md.entry_points()
+        # Python 3.10+ exposes .select(); older returns a dict-like mapping.
+        if hasattr(eps, "select"):
+            group_eps = list(eps.select(group=group))
+        else:  # pragma: no cover — legacy interpreters
+            group_eps = list(eps.get(group, []))  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("entry-point provider scan skipped: %s", exc)
+        return
+
+    for ep in group_eps:
+        if ep.name not in enabled or ep.name in disabled:
+            logger.debug(
+                "entry-point provider %r skipped: not enabled in config", ep.name
+            )
+            continue
+        try:
+            loaded = ep.load()
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logger.warning(
+                "Failed to load entry-point provider plugin %r: %s", ep.name, exc
+            )
+            continue
+        # ``module:func`` → callable we invoke; bare ``module`` → import side
+        # effect already happened during load(). Only call when it's callable
+        # AND zero-arg: general plugins in this shared group expose
+        # ``register(ctx)`` (requires an argument) and belong to the
+        # PluginManager, not the provider registry.
+        if callable(loaded):
+            if _requires_arguments(loaded):
+                logger.debug(
+                    "entry-point %r skipped by provider scan: target requires "
+                    "arguments (general plugin owned by PluginManager)",
+                    ep.name,
+                )
+                continue
+            try:
+                loaded()
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Entry-point provider plugin %r raised on invocation: %s",
+                    ep.name,
+                    exc,
+                )
+
+
+def _requires_arguments(fn) -> bool:
+    """True when ``fn`` cannot be called with zero arguments.
+
+    Used to distinguish provider registration hooks (zero-arg by contract)
+    from general plugin hooks (``register(ctx)``) sharing the same entry-point
+    group. Unintrospectable callables (C extensions) are treated as zero-arg
+    and left to the per-entry exception guard.
+    """
+    import inspect
+
+    try:
+        sig = inspect.signature(fn)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):  # pragma: no cover — builtins/C callables
+        return False
+    for param in sig.parameters.values():
+        if param.kind in (
+            inspect.Parameter.POSITIONAL_ONLY,
+            inspect.Parameter.POSITIONAL_OR_KEYWORD,
+            inspect.Parameter.KEYWORD_ONLY,
+        ) and param.default is inspect.Parameter.empty:
+            return True
+    return False
+
+
 def _discover_providers() -> None:
     """Populate the registry by importing every provider plugin.
 
@@ -160,6 +284,22 @@ def _discover_providers() -> None:
         return
     _discovered = True
 
+    # 0. Pip-installed plugins — entry points in the ``hermes_agent.plugins``
+    #    group (the same group the general PluginManager uses). The manager
+    #    records model-provider manifests for introspection but deliberately
+    #    does NOT import them — provider lifecycle is owned here — so without
+    #    this step a ``pip install``ed provider never calls
+    #    ``register_provider()`` and is never selectable.
+    #
+    #    Discovered FIRST, i.e. lowest precedence: because
+    #    ``register_provider()`` is last-writer-wins, running this before the
+    #    filesystem steps means a bundled or ``$HERMES_HOME`` profile of the
+    #    same name always overrides a pip-installed one. That prevents a
+    #    third-party package from silently hijacking a first-party provider
+    #    name (e.g. ``openrouter``) while still letting pip packages add
+    #    genuinely new providers.
+    _discover_entry_point_providers()
+
     # 1. Bundled plugins — shipped with hermes-agent.
     if _BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR.is_dir():
         for child in sorted(_BUNDLED_PLUGINS_DIR.iterdir()):
@@ -196,3 +336,7 @@ def _discover_providers() -> None:
                 )
     except Exception:
         pass
+
+    # (Pip entry-point providers are discovered in step 0, before the
+    # filesystem plugins, so first-party profiles always win on name
+    # collision — see _discover_entry_point_providers.)
diff --git a/tests/providers/test_entry_point_discovery.py b/tests/providers/test_entry_point_discovery.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..86965f47fb34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/providers/test_entry_point_discovery.py
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+"""Tests for pip entry-point provider discovery (hermes_agent.plugins group).
+
+Verifies that ``providers/__init__.py`` imports provider plugins exposed via a
+distribution's ``hermes_agent.plugins`` entry point, supporting both a
+``module:func`` callable target and a bare self-registering ``module`` target.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+import providers
+
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+
+
+def _clear_provider_caches():
+    providers._REGISTRY.clear()
+    providers._ALIASES.clear()
+    providers._PROVIDER_LIST_CACHE = None
+    providers._discovered = False
+    for mod in list(sys.modules.keys()):
+        if mod.startswith("plugins.model_providers") or mod.startswith(
+            "_hermes_user_provider"
+        ):
+            del sys.modules[mod]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _restore_real_discovery():
+    """Snapshot registry state; on teardown re-run REAL discovery.
+
+    These tests monkeypatch ``importlib.metadata.entry_points`` and evict the
+    ``plugins.model_providers`` submodules to force re-discovery. Without an
+    explicit restore, the emptied registry / ``sys.modules`` would leak into
+    later tests (e.g. ``from plugins.model_providers.custom import ...``).
+
+    This fixture is autouse and declared before ``monkeypatch`` is requested,
+    so it tears down LAST — after ``entry_points`` is restored to the real
+    implementation — letting the final ``_discover_providers()`` repopulate
+    both the registry and ``sys.modules`` from the real filesystem plugins.
+    """
+    yield
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    providers._discover_providers()
+
+
+
+class _FakeEP:
+    def __init__(self, name, loader):
+        self.name = name
+        self.group = "hermes_agent.plugins"
+        self._loader = loader
+
+    def load(self):
+        return self._loader()
+
+
+def _enable(monkeypatch, *names, disabled=()):
+    """Gate helper: mark entry-point names enabled/disabled in config.
+
+    ``_discover_entry_point_providers`` enforces the PluginManager's
+    ``plugins.enabled`` opt-in allow-list, so tests must enable their fake
+    entry points explicitly.
+    """
+    import hermes_cli.plugins as hp
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(hp, "_get_enabled_plugins", lambda: set(names))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(hp, "_get_disabled_plugins", lambda: set(disabled))
+
+
+class _FakeEntryPoints:
+    def __init__(self, eps):
+        self._eps = eps
+
+    def select(self, group):
+        return [e for e in self._eps if e.group == group]
+
+
+def _register_via_callable():
+    from providers.base import ProviderProfile
+
+    def register():
+        providers.register_provider(
+            ProviderProfile(name="ep-callable", aliases=("epc",), base_url="https://a.test/v1")
+        )
+
+    return register  # ep.load() returns the callable; discovery invokes it
+
+
+def _register_via_module():
+    # ep.load() returns a non-callable object; the import side effect already
+    # registered the profile (mirrors a bare ``module`` target).
+    from providers.base import ProviderProfile
+
+    providers.register_provider(
+        ProviderProfile(name="ep-module", base_url="https://b.test/v1")
+    )
+    return object()  # non-callable → discovery must NOT try to call it
+
+
+def test_entry_point_callable_and_module_targets(monkeypatch):
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints(
+        [
+            _FakeEP("ep-callable", _register_via_callable),
+            _FakeEP("ep-module", _register_via_module),
+        ]
+    )
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "ep-callable", "ep-module")
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("ep-callable") is not None
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("epc") is not None  # alias
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("ep-module") is not None
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
+
+
+def test_entry_point_not_enabled_is_skipped(monkeypatch):
+    """Entry points honor the plugins.enabled opt-in gate — installed ≠ loaded."""
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints([_FakeEP("ep-callable", _register_via_callable)])
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "some-other-plugin")  # ep-callable NOT enabled
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("ep-callable") is None
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
+
+
+def test_entry_point_disabled_wins_over_enabled(monkeypatch):
+    """plugins.disabled is a deny-list that beats plugins.enabled."""
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints([_FakeEP("ep-callable", _register_via_callable)])
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "ep-callable", disabled=("ep-callable",))
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("ep-callable") is None
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
+
+
+def test_general_plugin_register_ctx_not_invoked(monkeypatch):
+    """A register(ctx)-style general plugin sharing the group is never called."""
+    calls = []
+
+    def _general_plugin_target():
+        def register(ctx):  # requires an argument — PluginManager contract
+            calls.append(ctx)
+
+        return register
+
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints([_FakeEP("general-plugin", _general_plugin_target)])
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "general-plugin")
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        providers._discover_providers()
+        assert calls == []  # never invoked (would have been a TypeError anyway)
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
+
+
+def test_entry_point_failure_is_isolated(monkeypatch):
+    def _boom():
+        raise RuntimeError("broken plugin")
+
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints(
+        [
+            _FakeEP("broken", _boom),
+            _FakeEP("ep-callable", _register_via_callable),
+        ]
+    )
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "broken", "ep-callable")
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        # A broken entry point must not prevent the good one from registering.
+        assert providers.get_provider_profile("ep-callable") is not None
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
+
+
+def test_filesystem_plugins_win_over_entry_points(monkeypatch):
+    """Entry points are discovered FIRST (lowest precedence): last-writer-wins
+    in register_provider() means a bundled/user profile of the same name
+    overrides a pip impostor."""
+    from providers.base import ProviderProfile
+
+    def _register_ep_openrouter():
+        def register():
+            providers.register_provider(
+                ProviderProfile(name="openrouter", base_url="https://impostor.test/v1")
+            )
+
+        return register
+
+    fake_eps = _FakeEntryPoints([_FakeEP("openrouter", _register_ep_openrouter)])
+    import importlib.metadata as md
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(md, "entry_points", lambda: fake_eps)
+    _enable(monkeypatch, "openrouter")  # enabled, so precedence is what's tested
+    _clear_provider_caches()
+    try:
+        p = providers.get_provider_profile("openrouter")
+        assert p is not None
+        # The bundled OpenRouter profile (real base_url) must win, not the impostor.
+        assert "impostor.test" not in (p.base_url or "")
+    finally:
+        _clear_provider_caches()
diff --git a/website/docs/developer-guide/model-provider-plugin.md b/website/docs/developer-guide/model-provider-plugin.md
index dd1be9f291b7..5127107fa312 100644
--- a/website/docs/developer-guide/model-provider-plugin.md
+++ b/website/docs/developer-guide/model-provider-plugin.md
@@ -248,14 +248,49 @@ The general `PluginManager` (the thing `hermes plugins` operates on) **sees** mo
 
 ## Distribute via pip
 
-Like any Hermes plugin, model providers can ship as a pip package. Add an entry point to your `pyproject.toml`:
+Model providers can ship as a pip package. Expose an entry point in the
+`hermes_agent.plugins` group in your `pyproject.toml`:
 
 ```toml
 [project.entry-points."hermes_agent.plugins"]
 acme-inference = "acme_hermes_plugin:register"
 ```
 
-…where `acme_hermes_plugin:register` is a function that calls `register_provider(profile)`. The general PluginManager picks up entry-point plugins during `discover_and_load()`. For `kind: model-provider` pip plugins, you still need to declare the kind in your manifest (or rely on the source-text heuristic).
+The target may be either:
+
+- a **callable** (`module:func`) — invoked with no arguments; it should call
+  `register_provider(profile)`, or
+- a **bare module** (`module`) — imported for its module-level
+  `register_provider(...)` side effect, mirroring the directory-plugin
+  `__init__.py` contract.
+
+`providers/__init__.py` discovers these entry points itself — the general
+`PluginManager` never invokes provider registration for pip packages (its
+entry-point path targets `register(ctx)`-style general plugins, gated by
+`plugins.enabled`), so the provider registry does its own scan. Two rules
+apply:
+
+- **Opt-in required.** The same `plugins.enabled` allow-list (and
+  `plugins.disabled` deny-list) from `config.yaml` governs this scan. A pip
+  package is never imported just because it is installed — users must add the
+  entry-point name to `plugins.enabled`:
+
+  ```yaml
+  plugins:
+    enabled:
+      - acme-inference
+  ```
+
+- **Lowest precedence.** Entry-point plugins are discovered **before**
+  filesystem plugins: because `register_provider()` is last-writer-wins, a
+  bundled or `$HERMES_HOME` profile of the same name always overrides a
+  pip-installed one. A pip package can add a genuinely new provider, but
+  cannot silently hijack a first-party provider name.
+
+Targets that require arguments (a general plugin's `register(ctx)`) are
+skipped by the provider scan — they belong to the `PluginManager`. A broken
+entry point is isolated — it is logged at warning level and skipped, and never
+blocks discovery of the other providers.
 
 See [Building a Hermes Plugin](/developer-guide/plugins#distribute-via-pip) for the full entry-points setup.