diff --git a/src/api/providers/__tests__/anthropic.spec.ts b/src/api/providers/__tests__/anthropic.spec.ts
index 5832b96352..92180131f3 100644
--- a/src/api/providers/__tests__/anthropic.spec.ts
+++ b/src/api/providers/__tests__/anthropic.spec.ts
@@ -454,8 +454,8 @@ describe("AnthropicHandler", () => {
 			)
 		})
 
-		it("should include tools even when toolProtocol is set to xml (user preference now ignored)", async () => {
-			// XML protocol deprecation: user preference is now ignored when model supports native tools
+		it("should not include tools when toolProtocol is set to xml (user preference takes precedence)", async () => {
+			// When toolProtocol is set to xml, it takes precedence over supportsNativeTools
 			const xmlHandler = new AnthropicHandler({
 				...mockOptions,
 				toolProtocol: "xml",
@@ -471,14 +471,10 @@ describe("AnthropicHandler", () => {
 				// Just consume
 			}
 
-			// Native is forced when supportsNativeTools===true, so tools should still be included
+			// XML protocol means no tools should be included in the request
 			expect(mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-				expect.objectContaining({
-					tools: expect.arrayContaining([
-						expect.objectContaining({
-							name: "get_weather",
-						}),
-					]),
+				expect.not.objectContaining({
+					tools: expect.anything(),
 				}),
 				expect.anything(),
 			)
diff --git a/src/utils/__tests__/resolveToolProtocol.spec.ts b/src/utils/__tests__/resolveToolProtocol.spec.ts
index 513a7eaa35..47acd2b200 100644
--- a/src/utils/__tests__/resolveToolProtocol.spec.ts
+++ b/src/utils/__tests__/resolveToolProtocol.spec.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 			}
 			// undefined lockedProtocol should return native
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings, undefined, undefined)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE)
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML)
 		})
 	})
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 				apiProvider: "anthropic",
 			}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE)
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML)
 		})
 
 		it("should use native even when user preference is XML (user prefs ignored)", () => {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 				apiProvider: "openai-native",
 			}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE)
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML)
 		})
 
 		it("should use native for OpenAI compatible provider", () => {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 		it("should handle missing provider name gracefully", () => {
 			const settings: ProviderSettings = {}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE) // Always native now
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML) // Always native now
 		})
 
 		it("should handle undefined model info gracefully", () => {
@@ -87,13 +87,13 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 				apiProvider: "openai-native",
 			}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings, undefined)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE) // Always native now
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML) // Always native now
 		})
 
 		it("should handle empty settings", () => {
 			const settings: ProviderSettings = {}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE) // Always native now
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML) // Always native now
 		})
 	})
 
@@ -137,13 +137,13 @@ describe("resolveToolProtocol", () => {
 	})
 
 	describe("Backward Compatibility - User Preferences Ignored", () => {
-		it("should ignore user preference for XML", () => {
+		it("should use user preference for XML", () => {
 			const settings: ProviderSettings = {
 				toolProtocol: "xml", // User explicitly wants XML - ignored
 				apiProvider: "openai-native",
 			}
 			const result = resolveToolProtocol(settings)
-			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE) // Native is always used
+			expect(result).toBe(TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML) // Native is always used
 		})
 
 		it("should return native regardless of user preference", () => {
diff --git a/src/utils/resolveToolProtocol.ts b/src/utils/resolveToolProtocol.ts
index d30538e30a..b095d00eb2 100644
--- a/src/utils/resolveToolProtocol.ts
+++ b/src/utils/resolveToolProtocol.ts
@@ -39,29 +39,19 @@ export function resolveToolProtocol(
 		return lockedProtocol
 	}
 
-	if (["openai", "zgsm", "gemini-cli"].includes(_providerSettings.apiProvider || "")) {
-		// If model doesn't support native tools, return XML immediately
-		// 1. User Preference - Per-Profile (explicit profile setting, highest priority)
-		if (_providerSettings.toolProtocol) {
-			return _providerSettings.toolProtocol
-		}
-		// 2.Treat undefined as unsupported (only allow native when explicitly true)
-		if (_modelInfo?.supportsNativeTools === true) {
-			return TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE
-		}
+	if (_providerSettings.toolProtocol) {
+		return _providerSettings.toolProtocol
+	}
 
-		// 3. Model Default - model's preferred protocol
-		if (_modelInfo?.defaultToolProtocol) {
-			return _modelInfo.defaultToolProtocol
-		}
+	if (_modelInfo?.supportsNativeTools === true) {
+		return TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE
+	}
 
-		// 3. Native Fallback
-		return _providerSettings.apiProvider === "zgsm" ? TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML : TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE
+	if (_modelInfo?.defaultToolProtocol) {
+		return _modelInfo.defaultToolProtocol
 	}
 
-	// 2. Always return Native protocol for new tasks
-	// All models now support native tools; XML is deprecated
-	return TOOL_PROTOCOL.NATIVE
+	return TOOL_PROTOCOL.XML
 }
 
 /**