diff --git a/crates/aisix-proxy/src/passthrough.rs b/crates/aisix-proxy/src/passthrough.rs
index dc2c3489..11d545ff 100644
--- a/crates/aisix-proxy/src/passthrough.rs
+++ b/crates/aisix-proxy/src/passthrough.rs
@@ -204,17 +204,31 @@ async fn dispatch(
     // Find a model for this provider so we can borrow its provider_key.
     let provider_lower = provider.to_lowercase();
     let all_models = snapshot.models.entries();
+    let matches_provider = |e: &aisix_core::resource::ResourceEntry<aisix_core::Model>| {
+        e.value
+            .provider
+            .as_deref()
+            .map(|p| p.eq_ignore_ascii_case(&provider_lower))
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+    };
+    let provider_has_model = all_models.iter().any(|e| matches_provider(e));
+    // Enforce the authenticated key's model ACL before lending this
+    // provider's credentials through generic passthrough: pick the first
+    // model of the provider the key is actually allowed to access.
+    // Without this any valid key could reach any configured provider's
+    // upstream credentials (#449). Mirrors LiteLLM, which enforces the
+    // key's model access on passthrough when a target is identifiable.
     let model_entry = all_models
         .into_iter()
-        .find(|e| {
-            e.value
-                .provider
-                .as_deref()
-                .map(|p| p.eq_ignore_ascii_case(&provider_lower))
-                .unwrap_or(false)
-        })
+        .find(|e| matches_provider(e) && auth.key().can_access(&e.value.display_name))
         .ok_or_else(|| {
-            ProxyError::ModelNotFound(format!("no model found for provider `{provider}`"))
+            if provider_has_model {
+                ProxyError::ModelForbidden(format!(
+                    "api key is not authorized for any model of provider `{provider}`"
+                ))
+            } else {
+                ProxyError::ModelNotFound(format!("no model found for provider `{provider}`"))
+            }
         })?;
 
     let model = &model_entry.value;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/src/cases/passthrough-model-acl-e2e.test.ts b/tests/e2e/src/cases/passthrough-model-acl-e2e.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c23b3f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/src/cases/passthrough-model-acl-e2e.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import {
+  AdminClient,
+  EtcdClient,
+  spawnApp,
+  startOpenAiUpstream,
+  waitConfigPropagation,
+  type OpenAiUpstream,
+  type SpawnedApp,
+} from "../harness/index.js";
+
+// E2E: generic passthrough enforces the caller's model ACL (#449).
+// Pre-fix, /passthrough/{provider}/* picked the first Model matching the
+// provider and lent its credentials to ANY valid API key, regardless of
+// the key's allowed_models — so a low-privilege key could reach a
+// provider's upstream credentials it was never granted. The gateway now
+// requires the key to be allowed to access a model of that provider
+// before injecting the provider credential.
+
+const sha = (s: string) => createHash("sha256").update(s).digest("hex");
+const ALLOWED = "sk-pt-acl-allowed";
+const DENIED = "sk-pt-acl-denied";
+
+describe("passthrough model ACL (#449)", () => {
+  let app: SpawnedApp | undefined;
+  let upstream: OpenAiUpstream | undefined;
+  let etcdReachable = false;
+
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    etcdReachable = await new EtcdClient().ping();
+    if (!etcdReachable) return;
+    upstream = await startOpenAiUpstream({});
+    app = await spawnApp();
+    const admin = new AdminClient(app.adminUrl, app.adminKey);
+    const pk = await admin.createProviderKey({
+      display_name: "pt-acl-pk",
+      secret: "sk-openai-mock",
+      api_base: upstream.baseUrl,
+    });
+    await admin.createModel({
+      display_name: "pt-acl-model",
+      provider: "openai",
+      model_name: "gpt-x",
+      provider_key_id: pk.id,
+    });
+    // ALLOWED key may use the openai model; DENIED key may only use an
+    // unrelated model name (no openai model in its ACL).
+    await admin.createApiKey({ key_hash: sha(ALLOWED), allowed_models: ["pt-acl-model"] });
+    await admin.createApiKey({ key_hash: sha(DENIED), allowed_models: ["unrelated-model"] });
+  });
+
+  afterAll(async () => {
+    await app?.exit();
+    await upstream?.close();
+  });
+
+  const callPassthrough = (key: string) =>
+    fetch(`${app!.proxyUrl}/passthrough/openai/v1/files`, {
+      method: "GET",
+      headers: { authorization: `Bearer ${key}` },
+    });
+
+  test("key without access to a provider model is rejected (#449)", async (ctx) => {
+    if (!etcdReachable || !app || !upstream) {
+      ctx.skip();
+      return;
+    }
+    await waitConfigPropagation(async () => (await callPassthrough(ALLOWED)).ok);
+
+    const denied = await callPassthrough(DENIED);
+    expect(
+      denied.status,
+      "key with no openai model in its ACL must not reach openai passthrough creds",
+    ).toBe(403);
+
+    const allowed = await callPassthrough(ALLOWED);
+    expect(allowed.status, "key allowed for an openai model may use openai passthrough").toBe(200);
+  });
+});