diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index 88d81c24f..56ff878f5 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "462836+jplew@users.noreply.github.com": "jplew",
     "nish3451@users.noreply.github.com": "nish3451",
     "Mibayy@users.noreply.github.com": "Mibayy",
+    "mibayy@users.noreply.github.com": "Mibayy",
     "135070653+sgaofen@users.noreply.github.com": "sgaofen",
     "nocoo@users.noreply.github.com": "nocoo",
     "30841158+n-WN@users.noreply.github.com": "n-WN",
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_transcription.py b/tests/tools/test_transcription.py
index 5f42272a5..9983f9031 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_transcription.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_transcription.py
@@ -245,3 +245,67 @@ class TestTranscribeAudio:
         result = transcribe_audio("/nonexistent/file.ogg")
         assert result["success"] is False
         assert "not found" in result["error"]
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Model name normalisation for local providers
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestNormalizeLocalModel:
+    """_normalize_local_model() maps cloud-only names to the local default."""
+
+    def test_openai_model_name_maps_to_default(self):
+        from tools.transcription_tools import _normalize_local_model, DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+        assert _normalize_local_model("whisper-1") == DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+
+    def test_groq_model_name_maps_to_default(self):
+        from tools.transcription_tools import _normalize_local_model, DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+        assert _normalize_local_model("whisper-large-v3-turbo") == DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+
+    def test_valid_local_model_preserved(self):
+        from tools.transcription_tools import _normalize_local_model
+        for size in ("tiny", "base", "small", "medium", "large-v3"):
+            assert _normalize_local_model(size) == size
+
+    def test_none_maps_to_default(self):
+        from tools.transcription_tools import _normalize_local_model, DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+        assert _normalize_local_model(None) == DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
+
+    def test_warning_emitted_for_cloud_model(self, caplog):
+        import logging
+        from tools.transcription_tools import _normalize_local_model
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="tools.transcription_tools"):
+            _normalize_local_model("whisper-1")
+        assert any("whisper-1" in r.message for r in caplog.records)
+
+    def test_local_transcribe_normalises_model(self):
+        """transcribe_audio with local provider must not pass 'whisper-1' to WhisperModel."""
+        import tempfile, os
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=".ogg", delete=False) as f:
+            f.write(b"x")
+            audio_file = f.name
+        try:
+            mock_model = MagicMock()
+            mock_model.transcribe.return_value = (iter([]), MagicMock(language="en", duration=1.0))
+            with patch("tools.transcription_tools._HAS_FASTER_WHISPER", True), \
+                 patch("tools.transcription_tools._load_stt_config", return_value={
+                     "enabled": True,
+                     "provider": "local",
+                     "local": {"model": "whisper-1"},
+                 }), \
+                 patch("tools.transcription_tools._local_model", None), \
+                 patch("tools.transcription_tools._local_model_name", None), \
+                 patch("faster_whisper.WhisperModel", return_value=mock_model) as mock_cls:
+                from tools.transcription_tools import transcribe_audio
+                transcribe_audio(audio_file)
+                # WhisperModel must NOT have been called with "whisper-1"
+                call_args = mock_cls.call_args
+                assert call_args is not None
+                assert call_args[0][0] != "whisper-1", (
+                    "WhisperModel was called with the cloud-only name 'whisper-1'"
+                )
+        finally:
+            os.unlink(audio_file)
diff --git a/tools/transcription_tools.py b/tools/transcription_tools.py
index 3fdf0cc04..0cd79733e 100644
--- a/tools/transcription_tools.py
+++ b/tools/transcription_tools.py
@@ -154,12 +154,31 @@ def _has_local_command() -> bool:
     return _get_local_command_template() is not None
 
 
-def _normalize_local_command_model(model_name: Optional[str]) -> str:
+def _normalize_local_model(model_name: Optional[str]) -> str:
+    """Return a valid faster-whisper model size, mapping cloud-only names to the default.
+
+    Cloud providers like OpenAI use names such as ``whisper-1`` which are not
+    valid for faster-whisper (which expects ``tiny``, ``base``, ``small``,
+    ``medium``, or ``large-v*``).  When such a name is detected we fall back to
+    the default local model and emit a warning so the user knows what happened.
+    """
     if not model_name or model_name in OPENAI_MODELS or model_name in GROQ_MODELS:
+        if model_name and (model_name in OPENAI_MODELS or model_name in GROQ_MODELS):
+            logger.warning(
+                "STT model '%s' is a cloud-only name and cannot be used with the local "
+                "provider. Falling back to '%s'. Set stt.local.model to a valid "
+                "faster-whisper size (tiny, base, small, medium, large-v3).",
+                model_name,
+                DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL,
+            )
         return DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL
     return model_name
 
 
+def _normalize_local_command_model(model_name: Optional[str]) -> str:
+    return _normalize_local_model(model_name)
+
+
 def _get_provider(stt_config: dict) -> str:
     """Determine which STT provider to use.
 
@@ -596,7 +615,9 @@ def transcribe_audio(file_path: str, model: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict[str, A
 
     if provider == "local":
         local_cfg = stt_config.get("local", {})
-        model_name = model or local_cfg.get("model", DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL)
+        model_name = _normalize_local_model(
+            model or local_cfg.get("model", DEFAULT_LOCAL_MODEL)
+        )
         return _transcribe_local(file_path, model_name)
 
     if provider == "local_command":