diff --git a/gateway/slash_commands.py b/gateway/slash_commands.py
index 7764f114fff..9f30b698fc9 100644
--- a/gateway/slash_commands.py
+++ b/gateway/slash_commands.py
@@ -1361,7 +1361,7 @@ class GatewaySlashCommandsMixin:
                                 if result.base_url:
                                     _persist_model_cfg["base_url"] = result.base_url
                                 if str(result.target_provider or "").strip().lower() != "custom":
-                                    clear_model_endpoint_credentials(_persist_model_cfg)
+                                    clear_model_endpoint_credentials(_persist_model_cfg, clear_base_url=True)
                                 from hermes_cli.config import save_config
                                 save_config(_persist_cfg)
                             except Exception as e:
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ class GatewaySlashCommandsMixin:
                     if result.base_url:
                         model_cfg["base_url"] = result.base_url
                     if str(result.target_provider or "").strip().lower() != "custom":
-                        clear_model_endpoint_credentials(model_cfg)
+                        clear_model_endpoint_credentials(model_cfg, clear_base_url=True)
                     from hermes_cli.config import save_config
                     save_config(cfg)
                 except Exception as e:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/config.py b/hermes_cli/config.py
index bee791543c5..0da399b5b87 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/config.py
@@ -4131,6 +4131,7 @@ def clear_model_endpoint_credentials(
     *,
     clear_api_key: bool = True,
     clear_api_mode: bool = True,
+    clear_base_url: bool = False,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Remove stale inline endpoint credentials from a model config.
 
@@ -4147,6 +4148,8 @@ def clear_model_endpoint_credentials(
         model_cfg.pop("api", None)
     if clear_api_mode:
         model_cfg.pop("api_mode", None)
+    if clear_base_url:
+        model_cfg.pop("base_url", None)
     return model_cfg
 
 
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_model_command_flat_string_config.py b/tests/gateway/test_model_command_flat_string_config.py
index 9934d9806b1..8de92e9e57d 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_model_command_flat_string_config.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_model_command_flat_string_config.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ async def test_model_global_persists_when_config_has_flat_string_model(tmp_path,
     )
     assert written["model"]["default"] == "gpt-5.5"
     assert written["model"]["provider"] == "openrouter"
-    assert written["model"]["base_url"] == "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
+    assert "base_url" not in written["model"]
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_model_picker_persist.py b/tests/gateway/test_model_picker_persist.py
index ca9498389b1..95654030d82 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_model_picker_persist.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_model_picker_persist.py
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ async def test_picker_tap_persists_by_default(tmp_path, monkeypatch, seed_model)
     )
     assert written["model"]["default"] == "gpt-5.5"
     assert written["model"]["provider"] == "openrouter"
-    assert written["model"]["base_url"] == "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
+    assert "base_url" not in written["model"]
     assert "api_key" not in written["model"]
     assert "api_mode" not in written["model"]