diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 1fddbcacd04..7acf94517f6 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -8339,8 +8339,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin, CLIBillingMixin):
         if persist_global:
             HermesCLI._clear_persisted_context_for_model_switch(self, result)
             save_config_value("model.default", result.new_model)
-            if result.provider_changed:
-                save_config_value("model.provider", result.target_provider)
+            save_config_value("model.provider", result.target_provider)
             # base_url/api_mode were previously never persisted here, so a
             # global switch left the OLD provider's endpoint/wire-protocol in
             # config.yaml. result.base_url/api_mode are always freshly
@@ -8694,8 +8693,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin, CLIBillingMixin):
         if persist_global:
             HermesCLI._clear_persisted_context_for_model_switch(self, result)
             save_config_value("model.default", result.new_model)
-            if result.provider_changed:
-                save_config_value("model.provider", result.target_provider)
+            save_config_value("model.provider", result.target_provider)
             # See _apply_model_switch_result above for why base_url/api_mode
             # must be synced on every global switch (#25106).
             save_config_value("model.base_url", result.base_url or None)
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_25106_global_switch_persists_base_url_api_mode.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_25106_global_switch_persists_base_url_api_mode.py
index 35b316a677b..f3cd79413a6 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_25106_global_switch_persists_base_url_api_mode.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_25106_global_switch_persists_base_url_api_mode.py
@@ -90,6 +90,12 @@ def test_global_switch_persists_base_url_and_api_mode(monkeypatch):
     assert saved["model.api_mode"] == "chat_completions"
 
 
+def test_global_switch_persists_provider_when_runtime_provider_is_unchanged(monkeypatch):
+    saved = _run_switch(monkeypatch, _make_result(provider_changed=False))
+
+    assert saved["model.provider"] == "custom:minimax"
+
+
 def test_global_switch_clears_base_url_and_api_mode_when_unresolved(monkeypatch):
     """When the resolver returns no base_url/api_mode for the new provider
     (e.g. a named provider needing neither), any previous value must be
@@ -151,6 +157,12 @@ def test_picker_global_switch_persists_base_url_and_api_mode(monkeypatch):
     assert saved["model.api_mode"] == "chat_completions"
 
 
+def test_picker_global_switch_persists_provider_when_runtime_provider_is_unchanged(monkeypatch):
+    saved = _run_apply(monkeypatch, _make_result(provider_changed=False))
+
+    assert saved["model.provider"] == "custom:minimax"
+
+
 def test_picker_global_switch_clears_base_url_and_api_mode_when_unresolved(monkeypatch):
     """Picker-path counterpart of `test_global_switch_clears_base_url_and_api_mode_when_unresolved`."""
     result = _make_result(base_url="", api_mode="")