diff --git a/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts b/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
index 9fc62ba8e2c..f657764f313 100644
--- a/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
@@ -285,104 +285,6 @@ describe("model-selection", () => {
         ref: { provider: "anthropic", model: "claude-sonnet-4-6" },
       });
     });
-
-    it("rejects non-alias direct model ids when strict mode is enabled", () => {
-      const cfg: OpenClawConfig = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-            models: {
-              "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": { alias: "sonnet" },
-            },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-      const catalog = [
-        { provider: "anthropic", id: "claude-sonnet-4-6", name: "Claude Sonnet 4.6" },
-        { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-5.2", name: "gpt-5.2" },
-      ];
-
-      const result = resolveAllowedModelRef({
-        cfg,
-        catalog,
-        raw: "claude-sonnet-4-6",
-        defaultProvider: "openai",
-        defaultModel: "gpt-5.2",
-        requireProviderOrAlias: true,
-      });
-
-      expect(result).toEqual({
-        error: "invalid model: claude-sonnet-4-6 (use provider/model or alias)",
-      });
-    });
-
-    it("accepts aliases when strict mode is enabled", () => {
-      const cfg: OpenClawConfig = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-            models: {
-              "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": { alias: "sonnet" },
-            },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-      const catalog = [
-        { provider: "anthropic", id: "claude-sonnet-4-6", name: "Claude Sonnet 4.6" },
-        { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-5.2", name: "gpt-5.2" },
-      ];
-
-      const result = resolveAllowedModelRef({
-        cfg,
-        catalog,
-        raw: "sonnet",
-        defaultProvider: "openai",
-        defaultModel: "gpt-5.2",
-        requireProviderOrAlias: true,
-      });
-
-      expect(result).toEqual({
-        key: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
-        ref: { provider: "anthropic", model: "claude-sonnet-4-6" },
-      });
-    });
-
-    it("accepts provider-prefixed refs whose model id contains slashes in strict mode", () => {
-      const cfg: OpenClawConfig = {
-        agents: {
-          defaults: {
-            model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-            models: {
-              "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-4.6": { alias: "gateway-opus" },
-            },
-          },
-        },
-      } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-      const catalog = [
-        {
-          provider: "vercel-ai-gateway",
-          id: "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
-          name: "Gateway Claude Opus 4.6",
-        },
-      ];
-
-      const result = resolveAllowedModelRef({
-        cfg,
-        catalog,
-        raw: "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
-        defaultProvider: "openai",
-        defaultModel: "gpt-5.2",
-        requireProviderOrAlias: true,
-      });
-
-      expect(result).toEqual({
-        key: "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
-        ref: { provider: "vercel-ai-gateway", model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6" },
-      });
-    });
   });
 
   describe("resolveModelRefFromString", () => {
diff --git a/src/agents/model-selection.ts b/src/agents/model-selection.ts
index c1b7a254fb3..cf66d1d1c68 100644
--- a/src/agents/model-selection.ts
+++ b/src/agents/model-selection.ts
@@ -514,7 +514,6 @@ export function resolveAllowedModelRef(params: {
   raw: string;
   defaultProvider: string;
   defaultModel?: string;
-  requireProviderOrAlias?: boolean;
 }):
   | { ref: ModelRef; key: string }
   | {
@@ -537,9 +536,6 @@ export function resolveAllowedModelRef(params: {
   if (!resolved) {
     return { error: `invalid model: ${trimmed}` };
   }
-  if (params.requireProviderOrAlias === true && !resolved.alias && !trimmed.includes("/")) {
-    return { error: `invalid model: ${trimmed} (use provider/model or alias)` };
-  }
 
   const status = getModelRefStatus({
     cfg: params.cfg,
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/sessions.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/sessions.ts
index 5dcd5b127f0..357d1f4e563 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/sessions.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/sessions.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import { resolveDefaultAgentId } from "../../agents/agent-scope.js";
 import { clearBootstrapSnapshot } from "../../agents/bootstrap-cache.js";
-import { resolveDefaultModelForAgent } from "../../agents/model-selection.js";
 import { abortEmbeddedPiRun, waitForEmbeddedPiRunEnd } from "../../agents/pi-embedded.js";
-import { resolveSelectedAndActiveModel } from "../../auto-reply/model-runtime.js";
 import { stopSubagentsForRequester } from "../../auto-reply/reply/abort.js";
 import { clearSessionQueues } from "../../auto-reply/reply/queue.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
@@ -43,6 +41,7 @@ import {
   pruneLegacyStoreKeys,
   readSessionPreviewItemsFromTranscript,
   resolveGatewaySessionStoreTarget,
+  resolveSessionModelRef,
   resolveSessionTranscriptCandidates,
   type SessionsPatchResult,
   type SessionsPreviewEntry,
@@ -325,26 +324,15 @@ export const sessionsHandlers: GatewayRequestHandlers = {
     }
     const parsed = parseAgentSessionKey(target.canonicalKey ?? key);
     const agentId = normalizeAgentId(parsed?.agentId ?? resolveDefaultAgentId(cfg));
-    const agentDefault = resolveDefaultModelForAgent({ cfg, agentId });
-    const selectedProvider = applied.entry.providerOverride?.trim() || agentDefault.provider;
-    const selectedModel = applied.entry.modelOverride?.trim() || agentDefault.model;
-    const selectedActive = resolveSelectedAndActiveModel({
-      selectedProvider,
-      selectedModel,
-      sessionEntry: applied.entry,
-    });
+    const resolved = resolveSessionModelRef(cfg, applied.entry, agentId);
     const result: SessionsPatchResult = {
       ok: true,
       path: storePath,
       key: target.canonicalKey,
       entry: applied.entry,
       resolved: {
-        modelProvider: selectedActive.active.provider,
-        model: selectedActive.active.model,
-        selectedModelProvider: selectedActive.selected.provider,
-        selectedModel: selectedActive.selected.model,
-        activeModelProvider: selectedActive.active.provider,
-        activeModel: selectedActive.active.model,
+        modelProvider: resolved.provider,
+        model: resolved.model,
       },
     };
     respond(true, result, undefined);
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.sessions.gateway-server-sessions-a.test.ts b/src/gateway/server.sessions.gateway-server-sessions-a.test.ts
index 52cc013d06c..b05cf2220ed 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.sessions.gateway-server-sessions-a.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.sessions.gateway-server-sessions-a.test.ts
@@ -419,14 +419,6 @@ describe("gateway server sessions", () => {
     const modelPatched = await rpcReq<{
       ok: true;
       entry: { modelOverride?: string; providerOverride?: string };
-      resolved?: {
-        modelProvider?: string;
-        model?: string;
-        selectedModelProvider?: string;
-        selectedModel?: string;
-        activeModelProvider?: string;
-        activeModel?: string;
-      };
     }>(ws, "sessions.patch", {
       key: "agent:main:main",
       model: "openai/gpt-test-a",
@@ -434,10 +426,6 @@ describe("gateway server sessions", () => {
     expect(modelPatched.ok).toBe(true);
     expect(modelPatched.payload?.entry.modelOverride).toBe("gpt-test-a");
     expect(modelPatched.payload?.entry.providerOverride).toBe("openai");
-    expect(modelPatched.payload?.resolved?.selectedModelProvider).toBe("openai");
-    expect(modelPatched.payload?.resolved?.selectedModel).toBe("gpt-test-a");
-    expect(modelPatched.payload?.resolved?.activeModelProvider).toBe("anthropic");
-    expect(modelPatched.payload?.resolved?.activeModel).toBe("claude-sonnet-4-6");
 
     const compacted = await rpcReq<{ ok: true; compacted: boolean }>(ws, "sessions.compact", {
       key: "agent:main:main",
diff --git a/src/gateway/session-utils.ts b/src/gateway/session-utils.ts
index 4a7e91c9a4e..c1505642742 100644
--- a/src/gateway/session-utils.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/session-utils.ts
@@ -846,8 +846,6 @@ export function listSessionsFromStore(params: {
         responseUsage: entry?.responseUsage,
         modelProvider,
         model,
-        providerOverride: entry?.providerOverride,
-        modelOverride: entry?.modelOverride,
         contextTokens: entry?.contextTokens,
         deliveryContext: deliveryFields.deliveryContext,
         lastChannel: deliveryFields.lastChannel ?? entry?.lastChannel,
diff --git a/src/gateway/session-utils.types.ts b/src/gateway/session-utils.types.ts
index 605e89cbf28..233a3d7c782 100644
--- a/src/gateway/session-utils.types.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/session-utils.types.ts
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ export type GatewaySessionRow = {
   responseUsage?: "on" | "off" | "tokens" | "full";
   modelProvider?: string;
   model?: string;
-  providerOverride?: string;
-  modelOverride?: string;
   contextTokens?: number;
   deliveryContext?: DeliveryContext;
   lastChannel?: SessionEntry["lastChannel"];
@@ -90,9 +88,5 @@ export type SessionsPatchResult = {
   resolved?: {
     modelProvider?: string;
     model?: string;
-    selectedModelProvider?: string;
-    selectedModel?: string;
-    activeModelProvider?: string;
-    activeModel?: string;
   };
 };
diff --git a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.test.ts b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.test.ts
index 2f2f1f8725e..6bf20d32641 100644
--- a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.test.ts
@@ -243,104 +243,6 @@ describe("gateway sessions patch", () => {
     expect(res.entry.modelOverride).toBe("claude-sonnet-4-6");
   });
 
-  test("rejects non-alias direct model ids from sessions.patch", async () => {
-    const store: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {};
-    const cfg = {
-      agents: {
-        defaults: {
-          model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-          models: {
-            "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": { alias: "sonnet" },
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-    const res = await applySessionsPatchToStore({
-      cfg,
-      store,
-      storeKey: "agent:main:main",
-      patch: { key: "agent:main:main", model: "claude-sonnet-4-6" },
-      loadGatewayModelCatalog: async () => [
-        { provider: "anthropic", id: "claude-sonnet-4-6", name: "Claude Sonnet 4.6" },
-        { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-5.2", name: "gpt-5.2" },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(res.ok).toBe(false);
-    if (res.ok) {
-      return;
-    }
-    expect(res.error.message).toContain("invalid model: claude-sonnet-4-6");
-  });
-
-  test("accepts alias refs in strict sessions.patch parsing", async () => {
-    const store: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {};
-    const cfg = {
-      agents: {
-        defaults: {
-          model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-          models: {
-            "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": { alias: "sonnet" },
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-    const res = await applySessionsPatchToStore({
-      cfg,
-      store,
-      storeKey: "agent:main:main",
-      patch: { key: "agent:main:main", model: "sonnet" },
-      loadGatewayModelCatalog: async () => [
-        { provider: "anthropic", id: "claude-sonnet-4-6", name: "Claude Sonnet 4.6" },
-        { provider: "openai", id: "gpt-5.2", name: "gpt-5.2" },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
-    if (!res.ok) {
-      return;
-    }
-    expect(res.entry.providerOverride).toBe("anthropic");
-    expect(res.entry.modelOverride).toBe("claude-sonnet-4-6");
-  });
-
-  test("accepts provider-prefixed refs with slash-containing model ids in strict sessions.patch parsing", async () => {
-    const store: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {};
-    const cfg = {
-      agents: {
-        defaults: {
-          model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.2" },
-          models: {
-            "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-4.6": { alias: "gateway-opus" },
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    } as OpenClawConfig;
-
-    const res = await applySessionsPatchToStore({
-      cfg,
-      store,
-      storeKey: "agent:main:main",
-      patch: { key: "agent:main:main", model: "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-4.6" },
-      loadGatewayModelCatalog: async () => [
-        {
-          provider: "vercel-ai-gateway",
-          id: "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
-          name: "Gateway Claude Opus 4.6",
-        },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
-    if (!res.ok) {
-      return;
-    }
-    expect(res.entry.providerOverride).toBe("vercel-ai-gateway");
-    expect(res.entry.modelOverride).toBe("anthropic/claude-opus-4.6");
-  });
-
   test("accepts explicit allowlisted refs absent from bundled catalog", async () => {
     const store: Record<string, SessionEntry> = {};
     const cfg = {
diff --git a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
index d6b5cd8848b..d55cf2cf1a4 100644
--- a/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts
@@ -304,7 +304,6 @@ export async function applySessionsPatchToStore(params: {
         raw: trimmed,
         defaultProvider: resolvedDefault.provider,
         defaultModel: subagentModelHint ?? resolvedDefault.model,
-        requireProviderOrAlias: true,
       });
       if ("error" in resolved) {
         return invalid(resolved.error);
diff --git a/src/tui/gateway-chat.ts b/src/tui/gateway-chat.ts
index c6777a699ee..f55bbf5f354 100644
--- a/src/tui/gateway-chat.ts
+++ b/src/tui/gateway-chat.ts
@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@ export type GatewaySessionList = {
       updatedAt?: number | null;
       sendPolicy?: string;
       responseUsage?: ResponseUsageMode;
-      providerOverride?: string;
-      modelOverride?: string;
       label?: string;
       provider?: string;
       groupChannel?: string;
diff --git a/src/tui/tui-session-actions.test.ts b/src/tui/tui-session-actions.test.ts
index 2bed6c9e92e..067222811be 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-session-actions.test.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-session-actions.test.ts
@@ -111,92 +111,4 @@ describe("tui session actions", () => {
     expect(updateFooter).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     expect(requestRender).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
-
-  it("keeps selected model visible across refresh when runtime model still lags", async () => {
-    const listSessions = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
-      ts: Date.now(),
-      path: "/tmp/sessions.json",
-      count: 1,
-      defaults: {
-        modelProvider: "anthropic",
-        model: "claude-opus-4-6",
-      },
-      sessions: [
-        {
-          key: "agent:main:main",
-          updatedAt: 10,
-          modelProvider: "anthropic",
-          model: "claude-opus-4-6",
-          providerOverride: "anthropic",
-          modelOverride: "claude-sonnet-4-5",
-        },
-      ],
-    });
-
-    const state: TuiStateAccess = {
-      agentDefaultId: "main",
-      sessionMainKey: "agent:main:main",
-      sessionScope: "global",
-      agents: [],
-      currentAgentId: "main",
-      currentSessionKey: "agent:main:main",
-      currentSessionId: null,
-      activeChatRunId: null,
-      historyLoaded: false,
-      sessionInfo: {},
-      initialSessionApplied: true,
-      isConnected: true,
-      autoMessageSent: false,
-      toolsExpanded: false,
-      showThinking: false,
-      connectionStatus: "connected",
-      activityStatus: "idle",
-      statusTimeout: null,
-      lastCtrlCAt: 0,
-    };
-
-    const { applySessionInfoFromPatch, refreshSessionInfo } = createSessionActions({
-      client: { listSessions } as unknown as GatewayChatClient,
-      chatLog: { addSystem: vi.fn() } as unknown as import("./components/chat-log.js").ChatLog,
-      tui: { requestRender: vi.fn() } as unknown as import("@mariozechner/pi-tui").TUI,
-      opts: {},
-      state,
-      agentNames: new Map(),
-      initialSessionInput: "",
-      initialSessionAgentId: null,
-      resolveSessionKey: vi.fn(),
-      updateHeader: vi.fn(),
-      updateFooter: vi.fn(),
-      updateAutocompleteProvider: vi.fn(),
-      setActivityStatus: vi.fn(),
-    });
-
-    applySessionInfoFromPatch({
-      ok: true,
-      path: "/tmp/sessions.json",
-      key: "agent:main:main",
-      entry: {
-        sessionId: "sess-main",
-        updatedAt: 10,
-        modelProvider: "anthropic",
-        model: "claude-opus-4-6",
-        providerOverride: "anthropic",
-        modelOverride: "claude-sonnet-4-5",
-      },
-      resolved: {
-        modelProvider: "anthropic",
-        model: "claude-opus-4-6",
-        selectedModelProvider: "anthropic",
-        selectedModel: "claude-sonnet-4-5",
-        activeModelProvider: "anthropic",
-        activeModel: "claude-opus-4-6",
-      },
-    });
-    expect(state.sessionInfo.modelProvider).toBe("anthropic");
-    expect(state.sessionInfo.model).toBe("claude-sonnet-4-5");
-
-    await refreshSessionInfo();
-    expect(state.sessionInfo.modelProvider).toBe("anthropic");
-    expect(state.sessionInfo.model).toBe("claude-sonnet-4-5");
-  });
 });
diff --git a/src/tui/tui-session-actions.ts b/src/tui/tui-session-actions.ts
index c04bc1ba5bc..7255b712936 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui-session-actions.ts
+++ b/src/tui/tui-session-actions.ts
@@ -115,18 +115,17 @@ export function createSessionActions(context: SessionActionContext) {
   };
 
   const resolveModelSelection = (entry?: SessionInfoEntry) => {
-    const overrideModel = entry?.modelOverride?.trim();
-    if (overrideModel) {
-      const overrideProvider =
-        entry?.providerOverride?.trim() || entry?.modelProvider || state.sessionInfo.modelProvider;
-      return { modelProvider: overrideProvider, model: overrideModel };
-    }
     if (entry?.modelProvider || entry?.model) {
       return {
         modelProvider: entry.modelProvider ?? state.sessionInfo.modelProvider,
         model: entry.model ?? state.sessionInfo.model,
       };
     }
+    const overrideModel = entry?.modelOverride?.trim();
+    if (overrideModel) {
+      const overrideProvider = entry?.providerOverride?.trim() || state.sessionInfo.modelProvider;
+      return { modelProvider: overrideProvider, model: overrideModel };
+    }
     return {
       modelProvider: state.sessionInfo.modelProvider,
       model: state.sessionInfo.model,
@@ -271,21 +270,14 @@ export function createSessionActions(context: SessionActionContext) {
       updateHeader();
     }
     const resolved = result.resolved;
-    const hasSelected = Boolean(resolved?.selectedModelProvider || resolved?.selectedModel);
-    const entry: SessionInfoEntry = {
-      ...result.entry,
-      ...(hasSelected
+    const entry =
+      resolved && (resolved.modelProvider || resolved.model)
         ? {
-            modelProvider:
-              resolved?.selectedModelProvider ??
-              result.entry.providerOverride ??
-              result.entry.modelProvider,
-            model: resolved?.selectedModel ?? result.entry.modelOverride ?? result.entry.model,
-            providerOverride: resolved?.selectedModelProvider ?? result.entry.providerOverride,
-            modelOverride: resolved?.selectedModel ?? result.entry.modelOverride,
+            ...result.entry,
+            modelProvider: resolved.modelProvider ?? result.entry.modelProvider,
+            model: resolved.model ?? result.entry.model,
           }
-        : {}),
-    };
+        : result.entry;
     applySessionInfo({ entry, force: true });
   };