diff --git a/hermes_cli/model_switch.py b/hermes_cli/model_switch.py
index dcdd81df4a7..b6cf63442a3 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/model_switch.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/model_switch.py
@@ -889,10 +889,9 @@ def switch_model(
             # "ollama-launch" that resolve_runtime_provider doesn't know), keep existing
             # credentials. Otherwise use the resolved values (picks up credential rotation,
             # base_url adjustments for OpenCode, etc.).
-            if runtime.get("provider") != "custom":
-                api_key = runtime.get("api_key", "")
-                base_url = runtime.get("base_url", "")
-                api_mode = runtime.get("api_mode", "")
+            api_key = runtime.get("api_key", "")
+            base_url = runtime.get("base_url", "")
+            api_mode = runtime.get("api_mode", "")
         except Exception:
             pass
 
diff --git a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
index 68c59509f71..fe996d1e399 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
@@ -492,6 +492,13 @@ def _resolve_named_custom_runtime(
     requested_norm = (requested_provider or "").strip().lower()
     if requested_norm == "custom" and explicit_base_url:
         base_url = explicit_base_url.strip().rstrip("/")
+        # Check credential pool first — mirrors the named-custom-provider path
+        # so bare `provider: custom` with a configured custom_providers entry
+        # also gets its api_key from the pool instead of env var fallbacks.
+        pool_result = _try_resolve_from_custom_pool(base_url, "custom", None)
+        if pool_result:
+            pool_result["source"] = "direct-alias"
+            return pool_result
         api_key_candidates = [
             (explicit_api_key or "").strip(),
             os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "").strip(),