diff --git a/hermes_cli/auth.py b/hermes_cli/auth.py
index 23d0e51ea3e0..011cf817aebd 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/auth.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/auth.py
@@ -1671,7 +1671,7 @@ def is_provider_explicitly_configured(provider_id: str) -> bool:
     except Exception:
         pass
 
-    # 2. Check config.yaml model.provider
+    # 2. Check config.yaml model.provider and other explicit provider slots.
     try:
         from hermes_cli.config import load_config
         cfg = load_config()
@@ -1680,6 +1680,37 @@ def is_provider_explicitly_configured(provider_id: str) -> bool:
             cfg_provider = (model_cfg.get("provider") or "").strip().lower()
             if cfg_provider == normalized:
                 return True
+
+        # MoA presets are explicit model selections too.  A user who configured
+        # ``provider: anthropic`` as a MoA advisor/aggregator has opted Hermes
+        # into using Anthropic credentials for that slot even when the main
+        # session model is another provider.  Without this, Claude Code OAuth
+        # entries are pruned/ignored by credential_pool.load_pool("anthropic"),
+        # so MoA Anthropic advisors fail with "no ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" while the
+        # normal model picker says Anthropic is logged in.
+        def _slot_matches_provider(slot):
+            return (
+                isinstance(slot, dict)
+                and (slot.get("provider") or "").strip().lower() == normalized
+            )
+
+        moa_cfg = cfg.get("moa")
+        if isinstance(moa_cfg, dict):
+            for slot in moa_cfg.get("reference_models") or []:
+                if _slot_matches_provider(slot):
+                    return True
+            if _slot_matches_provider(moa_cfg.get("aggregator")):
+                return True
+            presets = moa_cfg.get("presets")
+            if isinstance(presets, dict):
+                for preset in presets.values():
+                    if not isinstance(preset, dict):
+                        continue
+                    for slot in preset.get("reference_models") or []:
+                        if _slot_matches_provider(slot):
+                            return True
+                    if _slot_matches_provider(preset.get("aggregator")):
+                        return True
     except Exception:
         pass
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_auth_provider_gate.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_auth_provider_gate.py
index ecb602f588b1..0b559dc14977 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_auth_provider_gate.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_auth_provider_gate.py
@@ -129,6 +129,29 @@ def test_explicit_pool_source_counts_as_explicit(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert is_provider_explicitly_configured("anthropic") is True
 
 
+def test_returns_true_when_moa_reference_slot_uses_provider(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """MoA advisor slots are explicit provider selections for auth gating."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "hermes"))
+    _write_config(tmp_path, {
+        "model": {"provider": "openai-codex", "default": "gpt-5.5"},
+        "moa": {
+            "presets": {
+                "default": {
+                    "reference_models": [
+                        {"provider": "anthropic", "model": "claude-opus-4-8"},
+                        {"provider": "opencode-go", "model": "glm-5.2"},
+                    ],
+                    "aggregator": {"provider": "openai-codex", "model": "gpt-5.5"},
+                }
+            }
+        },
+    })
+    _write_auth_store(tmp_path, {"version": 1, "providers": {}, "active_provider": "openai-codex"})
+
+    from hermes_cli.auth import is_provider_explicitly_configured
+    assert is_provider_explicitly_configured("anthropic") is True
+
+
 def test_stale_env_pool_entry_does_not_count_when_var_unset(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     """An env-seeded pool entry left in auth.json after the env var was removed
     must not mark the provider configured (#55790): the picker showed removed
@@ -190,3 +213,19 @@ def test_provider_not_in_registry_but_in_models_dev(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 
     from hermes_cli.auth import is_provider_explicitly_configured
     assert is_provider_explicitly_configured("openrouter") is True
+
+
+def test_returns_true_when_moa_aggregator_uses_provider(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """MoA aggregator slots are explicit provider selections for auth gating."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "hermes"))
+    _write_config(tmp_path, {
+        "model": {"provider": "openai-codex", "default": "gpt-5.5"},
+        "moa": {
+            "reference_models": [{"provider": "opencode-go", "model": "glm-5.2"}],
+            "aggregator": {"provider": "anthropic", "model": "claude-opus-4-8"},
+        },
+    })
+    _write_auth_store(tmp_path, {"version": 1, "providers": {}, "active_provider": "openai-codex"})
+
+    from hermes_cli.auth import is_provider_explicitly_configured
+    assert is_provider_explicitly_configured("anthropic") is True