diff --git a/hermes_cli/config.py b/hermes_cli/config.py
index 30427bd25..91232dc0d 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/config.py
@@ -2055,6 +2055,14 @@ def _normalize_custom_provider_entry(
     models = entry.get("models")
     if isinstance(models, dict) and models:
         normalized["models"] = models
+    elif isinstance(models, list) and models:
+        # Hand-edited configs (and older Hermes versions) write ``models`` as
+        # a plain list of model ids. Preserve them by converting to the dict
+        # shape downstream code expects; otherwise normalize silently drops
+        # the list and /model shows the provider with (0) models.
+        normalized["models"] = {
+            str(m): {} for m in models if isinstance(m, str) and m.strip()
+        }
 
     context_length = entry.get("context_length")
     if isinstance(context_length, int) and context_length > 0:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_provider_config_validation.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_provider_config_validation.py
index 775e3284c..ffc036b31 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_provider_config_validation.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_provider_config_validation.py
@@ -135,3 +135,48 @@ class TestNormalizeCustomProviderEntry:
         }
         result = _normalize_custom_provider_entry(entry, provider_key="")
         assert result is None
+
+    def test_models_list_converted_to_dict(self):
+        """List-format models should be preserved as an empty-value dict so
+        /model picks them up instead of showing the provider with (0) models."""
+        entry = {
+            "name": "tencent-coding-plan",
+            "base_url": "https://api.lkeap.cloud.tencent.com/coding/v3",
+            "models": ["glm-5", "kimi-k2.5", "minimax-m2.5"],
+        }
+        result = _normalize_custom_provider_entry(entry)
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result["models"] == {"glm-5": {}, "kimi-k2.5": {}, "minimax-m2.5": {}}
+
+    def test_models_dict_preserved(self):
+        """Dict-format models should pass through unchanged."""
+        entry = {
+            "name": "acme",
+            "base_url": "https://api.example.com/v1",
+            "models": {"gpt-foo": {"context_length": 32000}},
+        }
+        result = _normalize_custom_provider_entry(entry)
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result["models"] == {"gpt-foo": {"context_length": 32000}}
+
+    def test_models_list_filters_empty_and_non_string(self):
+        """List entries that are empty strings or non-strings are skipped."""
+        entry = {
+            "name": "acme",
+            "base_url": "https://api.example.com/v1",
+            "models": ["valid", "", None, 42, "  ", "also-valid"],
+        }
+        result = _normalize_custom_provider_entry(entry)
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result["models"] == {"valid": {}, "also-valid": {}}
+
+    def test_models_empty_list_omitted(self):
+        """Empty list (falsy) should not produce a models key."""
+        entry = {
+            "name": "acme",
+            "base_url": "https://api.example.com/v1",
+            "models": [],
+        }
+        result = _normalize_custom_provider_entry(entry)
+        assert result is not None
+        assert "models" not in result