diff --git a/src/agents/model-auth-markers.ts b/src/agents/model-auth-markers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..29af3ca45f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/model-auth-markers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import type { SecretRefSource } from "../config/types.secrets.js";
+
+export const MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER = "minimax-oauth";
+export const QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER = "qwen-oauth";
+export const OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER = "ollama-local";
+export const NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER = "secretref-managed";
+
+const AWS_SDK_ENV_MARKERS = new Set([
+  "AWS_BEARER_TOKEN_BEDROCK",
+  "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID",
+  "AWS_PROFILE",
+]);
+
+export function isEnvVarNameMarker(value: string): boolean {
+  return /^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*$/.test(value.trim());
+}
+
+export function isAwsSdkAuthMarker(value: string): boolean {
+  return AWS_SDK_ENV_MARKERS.has(value.trim());
+}
+
+export function resolveNonEnvSecretRefApiKeyMarker(_source: SecretRefSource): string {
+  return NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER;
+}
+
+export function isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(
+  value: string,
+  opts?: { includeEnvVarName?: boolean },
+): boolean {
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const isKnownMarker =
+    trimmed === MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER ||
+    trimmed === QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER ||
+    trimmed === OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER ||
+    trimmed === NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER ||
+    isAwsSdkAuthMarker(trimmed);
+  if (isKnownMarker) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return opts?.includeEnvVarName === false ? false : isEnvVarNameMarker(trimmed);
+}
diff --git a/src/agents/model-auth.ts b/src/agents/model-auth.ts
index 68a117c96a9..257ee985c1c 100644
--- a/src/agents/model-auth.ts
+++ b/src/agents/model-auth.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   resolveAuthProfileOrder,
   resolveAuthStorePathForDisplay,
 } from "./auth-profiles.js";
+import { OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER } from "./model-auth-markers.js";
 import { normalizeProviderId } from "./model-selection.js";
 
 export { ensureAuthProfileStore, resolveAuthProfileOrder } from "./auth-profiles.js";
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ function resolveSyntheticLocalProviderAuth(params: {
   }
 
   return {
-    apiKey: "ollama-local", // pragma: allowlist secret
+    apiKey: OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER,
     source: "models.providers.ollama (synthetic local key)",
     mode: "api-key",
   };
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.file-mode.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.file-mode.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af5719082da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.file-mode.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { resolveOpenClawAgentDir } from "./agent-paths.js";
+import {
+  CUSTOM_PROXY_MODELS_CONFIG,
+  installModelsConfigTestHooks,
+  withModelsTempHome as withTempHome,
+} from "./models-config.e2e-harness.js";
+import { ensureOpenClawModelsJson } from "./models-config.js";
+
+installModelsConfigTestHooks();
+
+describe("models-config file mode", () => {
+  it("writes models.json with mode 0600", async () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(CUSTOM_PROXY_MODELS_CONFIG);
+      const modelsPath = path.join(resolveOpenClawAgentDir(), "models.json");
+      const stat = await fs.stat(modelsPath);
+      expect(stat.mode & 0o777).toBe(0o600);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("repairs models.json mode to 0600 on no-content-change paths", async () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(CUSTOM_PROXY_MODELS_CONFIG);
+      const modelsPath = path.join(resolveOpenClawAgentDir(), "models.json");
+      await fs.chmod(modelsPath, 0o644);
+
+      const result = await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(CUSTOM_PROXY_MODELS_CONFIG);
+      expect(result.wrote).toBe(false);
+
+      const stat = await fs.stat(modelsPath);
+      expect(stat.mode & 0o777).toBe(0o600);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.fills-missing-provider-apikey-from-env-var.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.fills-missing-provider-apikey-from-env-var.test.ts
index bb3ca7a7cbe..222de727cf9 100644
--- a/src/agents/models-config.fills-missing-provider-apikey-from-env-var.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.fills-missing-provider-apikey-from-env-var.test.ts
@@ -220,6 +220,85 @@ describe("models-config", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("replaces stale merged apiKey when provider is SecretRef-managed in current config", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      await writeAgentModelsJson({
+        providers: {
+          custom: {
+            baseUrl: "https://agent.example/v1",
+            apiKey: "STALE_AGENT_KEY",
+            api: "openai-responses",
+            models: [{ id: "agent-model", name: "Agent model", input: ["text"] }],
+          },
+        },
+      });
+      await ensureOpenClawModelsJson({
+        models: {
+          mode: "merge",
+          providers: {
+            custom: {
+              ...createMergeConfigProvider(),
+              apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "CUSTOM_PROVIDER_API_KEY" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      const parsed = await readGeneratedModelsJson<{
+        providers: Record<string, { apiKey?: string; baseUrl?: string }>;
+      }>();
+      expect(parsed.providers.custom?.apiKey).toBe("CUSTOM_PROVIDER_API_KEY");
+      expect(parsed.providers.custom?.baseUrl).toBe("https://agent.example/v1");
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("replaces stale merged apiKey when provider is SecretRef-managed via auth-profiles", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      const agentDir = resolveOpenClawAgentDir();
+      await fs.mkdir(agentDir, { recursive: true });
+      await fs.writeFile(
+        path.join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+        `${JSON.stringify(
+          {
+            version: 1,
+            profiles: {
+              "minimax:default": {
+                type: "api_key",
+                provider: "minimax",
+                keyRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "MINIMAX_API_KEY" },
+              },
+            },
+          },
+          null,
+          2,
+        )}\n`,
+        "utf8",
+      );
+      await writeAgentModelsJson({
+        providers: {
+          minimax: {
+            baseUrl: "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic",
+            apiKey: "STALE_AGENT_KEY",
+            api: "anthropic-messages",
+            models: [{ id: "MiniMax-M2.5", name: "MiniMax M2.5", input: ["text"] }],
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      await ensureOpenClawModelsJson({
+        models: {
+          mode: "merge",
+          providers: {},
+        },
+      });
+
+      const parsed = await readGeneratedModelsJson<{
+        providers: Record<string, { apiKey?: string }>;
+      }>();
+      expect(parsed.providers.minimax?.apiKey).toBe("MINIMAX_API_KEY");
+    });
+  });
+
   it("uses config apiKey/baseUrl when existing agent values are empty", async () => {
     await withTempHome(async () => {
       const parsed = await runCustomProviderMergeTest({
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.auth-provenance.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.auth-provenance.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0a606762d66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.auth-provenance.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import { mkdtempSync } from "node:fs";
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { captureEnv } from "../test-utils/env.js";
+import {
+  MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER,
+  NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER,
+  QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER,
+} from "./model-auth-markers.js";
+import { resolveImplicitProviders } from "./models-config.providers.js";
+
+describe("models-config provider auth provenance", () => {
+  it("persists env keyRef and tokenRef auth profiles as env var markers", async () => {
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    const envSnapshot = captureEnv(["VOLCANO_ENGINE_API_KEY", "TOGETHER_API_KEY"]);
+    delete process.env.VOLCANO_ENGINE_API_KEY;
+    delete process.env.TOGETHER_API_KEY;
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "volcengine:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "volcengine",
+              keyRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "VOLCANO_ENGINE_API_KEY" },
+            },
+            "together:default": {
+              type: "token",
+              provider: "together",
+              tokenRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "TOGETHER_API_KEY" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+    try {
+      const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+      expect(providers?.volcengine?.apiKey).toBe("VOLCANO_ENGINE_API_KEY");
+      expect(providers?.["volcengine-plan"]?.apiKey).toBe("VOLCANO_ENGINE_API_KEY");
+      expect(providers?.together?.apiKey).toBe("TOGETHER_API_KEY");
+    } finally {
+      envSnapshot.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("uses non-env marker for ref-managed profiles even when runtime plaintext is present", async () => {
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "byteplus:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "byteplus",
+              key: "sk-runtime-resolved-byteplus",
+              keyRef: { source: "file", provider: "vault", id: "/byteplus/apiKey" },
+            },
+            "together:default": {
+              type: "token",
+              provider: "together",
+              token: "tok-runtime-resolved-together",
+              tokenRef: { source: "exec", provider: "vault", id: "providers/together/token" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+    expect(providers?.byteplus?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+    expect(providers?.["byteplus-plan"]?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+    expect(providers?.together?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps oauth compatibility markers for minimax-portal and qwen-portal", async () => {
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "minimax-portal:default": {
+              type: "oauth",
+              provider: "minimax-portal",
+              access: "access-token",
+              refresh: "refresh-token",
+              expires: Date.now() + 60_000,
+            },
+            "qwen-portal:default": {
+              type: "oauth",
+              provider: "qwen-portal",
+              access: "access-token",
+              refresh: "refresh-token",
+              expires: Date.now() + 60_000,
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+    expect(providers?.["minimax-portal"]?.apiKey).toBe(MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER);
+    expect(providers?.["qwen-portal"]?.apiKey).toBe(QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.cloudflare-ai-gateway.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.cloudflare-ai-gateway.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..82a16dbcbee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.cloudflare-ai-gateway.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { mkdtempSync } from "node:fs";
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { captureEnv } from "../test-utils/env.js";
+import { NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER } from "./model-auth-markers.js";
+import { resolveImplicitProviders } from "./models-config.providers.js";
+
+describe("cloudflare-ai-gateway profile provenance", () => {
+  it("prefers env keyRef marker over runtime plaintext for persistence", async () => {
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    const envSnapshot = captureEnv(["CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY"]);
+    delete process.env.CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY;
+
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "cloudflare-ai-gateway:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "cloudflare-ai-gateway",
+              key: "sk-runtime-cloudflare",
+              keyRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY" },
+              metadata: {
+                accountId: "acct_123",
+                gatewayId: "gateway_456",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+    try {
+      const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+      expect(providers?.["cloudflare-ai-gateway"]?.apiKey).toBe("CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY");
+    } finally {
+      envSnapshot.restore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("uses non-env marker for non-env keyRef cloudflare profiles", async () => {
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "cloudflare-ai-gateway:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "cloudflare-ai-gateway",
+              key: "sk-runtime-cloudflare",
+              keyRef: { source: "file", provider: "vault", id: "/cloudflare/apiKey" },
+              metadata: {
+                accountId: "acct_123",
+                gatewayId: "gateway_456",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+    expect(providers?.["cloudflare-ai-gateway"]?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.discovery-auth.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.discovery-auth.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3f81f33abe1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.discovery-auth.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import { mkdtempSync } from "node:fs";
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER } from "./model-auth-markers.js";
+import { resolveImplicitProviders } from "./models-config.providers.js";
+
+describe("provider discovery auth marker guardrails", () => {
+  let originalVitest: string | undefined;
+  let originalNodeEnv: string | undefined;
+  let originalFetch: typeof globalThis.fetch | undefined;
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    if (originalVitest !== undefined) {
+      process.env.VITEST = originalVitest;
+    } else {
+      delete process.env.VITEST;
+    }
+    if (originalNodeEnv !== undefined) {
+      process.env.NODE_ENV = originalNodeEnv;
+    } else {
+      delete process.env.NODE_ENV;
+    }
+    if (originalFetch) {
+      globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+    }
+  });
+
+  function enableDiscovery() {
+    originalVitest = process.env.VITEST;
+    originalNodeEnv = process.env.NODE_ENV;
+    originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+    delete process.env.VITEST;
+    delete process.env.NODE_ENV;
+  }
+
+  it("does not send marker value as vLLM bearer token during discovery", async () => {
+    enableDiscovery();
+    const fetchMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: true,
+      json: async () => ({ data: [] }),
+    });
+    globalThis.fetch = fetchMock as unknown as typeof fetch;
+
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "vllm:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "vllm",
+              keyRef: { source: "file", provider: "vault", id: "/vllm/apiKey" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+    expect(providers?.vllm?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+    const request = fetchMock.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as
+      | { headers?: Record<string, string> }
+      | undefined;
+    expect(request?.headers?.Authorization).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("does not call Hugging Face discovery with marker-backed credentials", async () => {
+    enableDiscovery();
+    const fetchMock = vi.fn();
+    globalThis.fetch = fetchMock as unknown as typeof fetch;
+
+    const agentDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "openclaw-test-"));
+    await writeFile(
+      join(agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
+      JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          version: 1,
+          profiles: {
+            "huggingface:default": {
+              type: "api_key",
+              provider: "huggingface",
+              keyRef: { source: "exec", provider: "vault", id: "providers/hf/token" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      ),
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    const providers = await resolveImplicitProviders({ agentDir });
+    expect(providers?.huggingface?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+    const huggingfaceCalls = fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(([url]) =>
+      String(url).includes("router.huggingface.co"),
+    );
+    expect(huggingfaceCalls).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
index 5c4907bc279..5bee4f5293a 100644
--- a/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.providers.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import type { ModelDefinitionConfig } from "../config/types.models.js";
-import { coerceSecretRef } from "../config/types.secrets.js";
+import { coerceSecretRef, resolveSecretInputRef } from "../config/types.secrets.js";
 import { createSubsystemLogger } from "../logging/subsystem.js";
 import {
   DEFAULT_COPILOT_API_BASE_URL,
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ import {
   HUGGINGFACE_MODEL_CATALOG,
   buildHuggingfaceModelDefinition,
 } from "./huggingface-models.js";
+import {
+  MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER,
+  OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER,
+  QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER,
+  isNonSecretApiKeyMarker,
+  resolveNonEnvSecretRefApiKeyMarker,
+} from "./model-auth-markers.js";
 import { resolveAwsSdkEnvVarName, resolveEnvApiKey } from "./model-auth.js";
 import { OLLAMA_NATIVE_BASE_URL } from "./ollama-stream.js";
 import {
@@ -62,7 +69,6 @@ const MINIMAX_DEFAULT_MODEL_ID = "MiniMax-M2.5";
 const MINIMAX_DEFAULT_VISION_MODEL_ID = "MiniMax-VL-01";
 const MINIMAX_DEFAULT_CONTEXT_WINDOW = 200000;
 const MINIMAX_DEFAULT_MAX_TOKENS = 8192;
-const MINIMAX_OAUTH_PLACEHOLDER = "minimax-oauth";
 // Pricing per 1M tokens (USD) — https://platform.minimaxi.com/document/Price
 const MINIMAX_API_COST = {
   input: 0.3,
@@ -132,7 +138,6 @@ const KIMI_CODING_DEFAULT_COST = {
 };
 
 const QWEN_PORTAL_BASE_URL = "https://portal.qwen.ai/v1";
-const QWEN_PORTAL_OAUTH_PLACEHOLDER = "qwen-oauth";
 const QWEN_PORTAL_DEFAULT_CONTEXT_WINDOW = 128000;
 const QWEN_PORTAL_DEFAULT_MAX_TOKENS = 8192;
 const QWEN_PORTAL_DEFAULT_COST = {
@@ -403,35 +408,88 @@ function resolveAwsSdkApiKeyVarName(): string {
   return resolveAwsSdkEnvVarName() ?? "AWS_PROFILE";
 }
 
+type ProfileApiKeyResolution = {
+  apiKey: string;
+  source: "plaintext" | "env-ref" | "non-env-ref";
+  /** Optional secret value that may be used for provider discovery only. */
+  discoveryApiKey?: string;
+};
+
+function toDiscoveryApiKey(value: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const trimmed = value?.trim();
+  if (!trimmed || isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(trimmed)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return trimmed;
+}
+
+function resolveApiKeyFromCredential(
+  cred: ReturnType<typeof ensureAuthProfileStore>["profiles"][string] | undefined,
+): ProfileApiKeyResolution | undefined {
+  if (!cred) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (cred.type === "api_key") {
+    const keyRef = coerceSecretRef(cred.keyRef);
+    if (keyRef && keyRef.id.trim()) {
+      if (keyRef.source === "env") {
+        const envVar = keyRef.id.trim();
+        return {
+          apiKey: envVar,
+          source: "env-ref",
+          discoveryApiKey: toDiscoveryApiKey(process.env[envVar]),
+        };
+      }
+      return {
+        apiKey: resolveNonEnvSecretRefApiKeyMarker(keyRef.source),
+        source: "non-env-ref",
+      };
+    }
+    if (cred.key?.trim()) {
+      return {
+        apiKey: cred.key,
+        source: "plaintext",
+        discoveryApiKey: toDiscoveryApiKey(cred.key),
+      };
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (cred.type === "token") {
+    const tokenRef = coerceSecretRef(cred.tokenRef);
+    if (tokenRef && tokenRef.id.trim()) {
+      if (tokenRef.source === "env") {
+        const envVar = tokenRef.id.trim();
+        return {
+          apiKey: envVar,
+          source: "env-ref",
+          discoveryApiKey: toDiscoveryApiKey(process.env[envVar]),
+        };
+      }
+      return {
+        apiKey: resolveNonEnvSecretRefApiKeyMarker(tokenRef.source),
+        source: "non-env-ref",
+      };
+    }
+    if (cred.token?.trim()) {
+      return {
+        apiKey: cred.token,
+        source: "plaintext",
+        discoveryApiKey: toDiscoveryApiKey(cred.token),
+      };
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 function resolveApiKeyFromProfiles(params: {
   provider: string;
   store: ReturnType<typeof ensureAuthProfileStore>;
-}): string | undefined {
+}): ProfileApiKeyResolution | undefined {
   const ids = listProfilesForProvider(params.store, params.provider);
   for (const id of ids) {
-    const cred = params.store.profiles[id];
-    if (!cred) {
-      continue;
-    }
-    if (cred.type === "api_key") {
-      if (cred.key?.trim()) {
-        return cred.key;
-      }
-      const keyRef = coerceSecretRef(cred.keyRef);
-      if (keyRef?.source === "env" && keyRef.id.trim()) {
-        return keyRef.id.trim();
-      }
-      continue;
-    }
-    if (cred.type === "token") {
-      if (cred.token?.trim()) {
-        return cred.token;
-      }
-      const tokenRef = coerceSecretRef(cred.tokenRef);
-      if (tokenRef?.source === "env" && tokenRef.id.trim()) {
-        return tokenRef.id.trim();
-      }
-      continue;
+    const resolved = resolveApiKeyFromCredential(params.store.profiles[id]);
+    if (resolved) {
+      return resolved;
     }
   }
   return undefined;
@@ -483,6 +541,12 @@ function normalizeAntigravityProvider(provider: ProviderConfig): ProviderConfig
 export function normalizeProviders(params: {
   providers: ModelsConfig["providers"];
   agentDir: string;
+  secretDefaults?: {
+    env?: string;
+    file?: string;
+    exec?: string;
+  };
+  secretRefManagedProviders?: Set<string>;
 }): ModelsConfig["providers"] {
   const { providers } = params;
   if (!providers) {
@@ -505,17 +569,42 @@ export function normalizeProviders(params: {
     }
     let normalizedProvider = provider;
     const configuredApiKey = normalizedProvider.apiKey;
+    const configuredApiKeyRef = resolveSecretInputRef({
+      value: configuredApiKey,
+      defaults: params.secretDefaults,
+    }).ref;
+    const profileApiKey = resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({
+      provider: normalizedKey,
+      store: authStore,
+    });
 
-    // Fix common misconfig: apiKey set to "${ENV_VAR}" instead of "ENV_VAR".
-    if (
-      typeof configuredApiKey === "string" &&
-      normalizeApiKeyConfig(configuredApiKey) !== configuredApiKey
-    ) {
-      mutated = true;
-      normalizedProvider = {
-        ...normalizedProvider,
-        apiKey: normalizeApiKeyConfig(configuredApiKey),
-      };
+    if (configuredApiKeyRef && configuredApiKeyRef.id.trim()) {
+      const marker =
+        configuredApiKeyRef.source === "env"
+          ? configuredApiKeyRef.id.trim()
+          : resolveNonEnvSecretRefApiKeyMarker(configuredApiKeyRef.source);
+      if (normalizedProvider.apiKey !== marker) {
+        mutated = true;
+        normalizedProvider = { ...normalizedProvider, apiKey: marker };
+      }
+      params.secretRefManagedProviders?.add(normalizedKey);
+    } else if (typeof configuredApiKey === "string") {
+      // Fix common misconfig: apiKey set to "${ENV_VAR}" instead of "ENV_VAR".
+      const normalizedConfiguredApiKey = normalizeApiKeyConfig(configuredApiKey);
+      if (normalizedConfiguredApiKey !== configuredApiKey) {
+        mutated = true;
+        normalizedProvider = {
+          ...normalizedProvider,
+          apiKey: normalizedConfiguredApiKey,
+        };
+      }
+      if (
+        profileApiKey &&
+        profileApiKey.source !== "plaintext" &&
+        normalizedConfiguredApiKey === profileApiKey.apiKey
+      ) {
+        params.secretRefManagedProviders?.add(normalizedKey);
+      }
     }
 
     // If a provider defines models, pi's ModelRegistry requires apiKey to be set.
@@ -533,12 +622,11 @@ export function normalizeProviders(params: {
         normalizedProvider = { ...normalizedProvider, apiKey };
       } else {
         const fromEnv = resolveEnvApiKeyVarName(normalizedKey);
-        const fromProfiles = resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({
-          provider: normalizedKey,
-          store: authStore,
-        });
-        const apiKey = fromEnv ?? fromProfiles;
+        const apiKey = fromEnv ?? profileApiKey?.apiKey;
         if (apiKey?.trim()) {
+          if (profileApiKey && profileApiKey.source !== "plaintext") {
+            params.secretRefManagedProviders?.add(normalizedKey);
+          }
           mutated = true;
           normalizedProvider = { ...normalizedProvider, apiKey };
         }
@@ -777,14 +865,8 @@ async function buildOllamaProvider(
   };
 }
 
-async function buildHuggingfaceProvider(apiKey?: string): Promise<ProviderConfig> {
-  // Resolve env var name to value for discovery (GET /v1/models requires Bearer token).
-  const resolvedSecret =
-    apiKey?.trim() !== ""
-      ? /^[A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*$/.test(apiKey!.trim())
-        ? (process.env[apiKey!.trim()] ?? "").trim()
-        : apiKey!.trim()
-      : "";
+async function buildHuggingfaceProvider(discoveryApiKey?: string): Promise<ProviderConfig> {
+  const resolvedSecret = toDiscoveryApiKey(discoveryApiKey) ?? "";
   const models =
     resolvedSecret !== ""
       ? await discoverHuggingfaceModels(resolvedSecret)
@@ -928,10 +1010,24 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
   const authStore = ensureAuthProfileStore(params.agentDir, {
     allowKeychainPrompt: false,
   });
+  const resolveProviderApiKey = (
+    provider: string,
+  ): { apiKey: string | undefined; discoveryApiKey?: string } => {
+    const envVar = resolveEnvApiKeyVarName(provider);
+    if (envVar) {
+      return {
+        apiKey: envVar,
+        discoveryApiKey: toDiscoveryApiKey(process.env[envVar]),
+      };
+    }
+    const fromProfiles = resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider, store: authStore });
+    return {
+      apiKey: fromProfiles?.apiKey,
+      discoveryApiKey: fromProfiles?.discoveryApiKey,
+    };
+  };
 
-  const minimaxKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("minimax") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "minimax", store: authStore });
+  const minimaxKey = resolveProviderApiKey("minimax").apiKey;
   if (minimaxKey) {
     providers.minimax = { ...buildMinimaxProvider(), apiKey: minimaxKey };
   }
@@ -940,34 +1036,26 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
   if (minimaxOauthProfile.length > 0) {
     providers["minimax-portal"] = {
       ...buildMinimaxPortalProvider(),
-      apiKey: MINIMAX_OAUTH_PLACEHOLDER,
+      apiKey: MINIMAX_OAUTH_MARKER,
     };
   }
 
-  const moonshotKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("moonshot") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "moonshot", store: authStore });
+  const moonshotKey = resolveProviderApiKey("moonshot").apiKey;
   if (moonshotKey) {
     providers.moonshot = { ...buildMoonshotProvider(), apiKey: moonshotKey };
   }
 
-  const kimiCodingKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("kimi-coding") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "kimi-coding", store: authStore });
+  const kimiCodingKey = resolveProviderApiKey("kimi-coding").apiKey;
   if (kimiCodingKey) {
     providers["kimi-coding"] = { ...buildKimiCodingProvider(), apiKey: kimiCodingKey };
   }
 
-  const syntheticKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("synthetic") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "synthetic", store: authStore });
+  const syntheticKey = resolveProviderApiKey("synthetic").apiKey;
   if (syntheticKey) {
     providers.synthetic = { ...buildSyntheticProvider(), apiKey: syntheticKey };
   }
 
-  const veniceKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("venice") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "venice", store: authStore });
+  const veniceKey = resolveProviderApiKey("venice").apiKey;
   if (veniceKey) {
     providers.venice = { ...(await buildVeniceProvider()), apiKey: veniceKey };
   }
@@ -976,13 +1064,11 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
   if (qwenProfiles.length > 0) {
     providers["qwen-portal"] = {
       ...buildQwenPortalProvider(),
-      apiKey: QWEN_PORTAL_OAUTH_PLACEHOLDER,
+      apiKey: QWEN_OAUTH_MARKER,
     };
   }
 
-  const volcengineKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("volcengine") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "volcengine", store: authStore });
+  const volcengineKey = resolveProviderApiKey("volcengine").apiKey;
   if (volcengineKey) {
     providers.volcengine = { ...buildDoubaoProvider(), apiKey: volcengineKey };
     providers["volcengine-plan"] = {
@@ -991,9 +1077,7 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     };
   }
 
-  const byteplusKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("byteplus") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "byteplus", store: authStore });
+  const byteplusKey = resolveProviderApiKey("byteplus").apiKey;
   if (byteplusKey) {
     providers.byteplus = { ...buildBytePlusProvider(), apiKey: byteplusKey };
     providers["byteplus-plan"] = {
@@ -1002,9 +1086,7 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     };
   }
 
-  const xiaomiKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("xiaomi") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "xiaomi", store: authStore });
+  const xiaomiKey = resolveProviderApiKey("xiaomi").apiKey;
   if (xiaomiKey) {
     providers.xiaomi = { ...buildXiaomiProvider(), apiKey: xiaomiKey };
   }
@@ -1024,7 +1106,9 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     if (!baseUrl) {
       continue;
     }
-    const apiKey = resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("cloudflare-ai-gateway") ?? cred.key?.trim() ?? "";
+    const envVarApiKey = resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("cloudflare-ai-gateway");
+    const profileApiKey = resolveApiKeyFromCredential(cred)?.apiKey;
+    const apiKey = envVarApiKey ?? profileApiKey ?? "";
     if (!apiKey) {
       continue;
     }
@@ -1041,9 +1125,7 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
   // Use the user's configured baseUrl (from explicit providers) for model
   // discovery so that remote / non-default Ollama instances are reachable.
   // Skip discovery when explicit models are already defined.
-  const ollamaKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("ollama") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "ollama", store: authStore });
+  const ollamaKey = resolveProviderApiKey("ollama").apiKey;
   const explicitOllama = params.explicitProviders?.ollama;
   const hasExplicitModels =
     Array.isArray(explicitOllama?.models) && explicitOllama.models.length > 0;
@@ -1052,7 +1134,7 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
       ...explicitOllama,
       baseUrl: resolveOllamaApiBase(explicitOllama.baseUrl),
       api: explicitOllama.api ?? "ollama",
-      apiKey: ollamaKey ?? explicitOllama.apiKey ?? "ollama-local",
+      apiKey: ollamaKey ?? explicitOllama.apiKey ?? OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER,
     };
   } else {
     const ollamaBaseUrl = explicitOllama?.baseUrl;
@@ -1065,7 +1147,7 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     if (ollamaProvider.models.length > 0 || ollamaKey || explicitOllama?.apiKey) {
       providers.ollama = {
         ...ollamaProvider,
-        apiKey: ollamaKey ?? explicitOllama?.apiKey ?? "ollama-local",
+        apiKey: ollamaKey ?? explicitOllama?.apiKey ?? OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER,
       };
     }
   }
@@ -1073,23 +1155,16 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
   // vLLM provider - OpenAI-compatible local server (opt-in via env/profile).
   // If explicitly configured, keep user-defined models/settings as-is.
   if (!params.explicitProviders?.vllm) {
-    const vllmEnvVar = resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("vllm");
-    const vllmProfileKey = resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "vllm", store: authStore });
-    const vllmKey = vllmEnvVar ?? vllmProfileKey;
+    const { apiKey: vllmKey, discoveryApiKey } = resolveProviderApiKey("vllm");
     if (vllmKey) {
-      const discoveryApiKey = vllmEnvVar
-        ? (process.env[vllmEnvVar]?.trim() ?? "")
-        : (vllmProfileKey ?? "");
       providers.vllm = {
-        ...(await buildVllmProvider({ apiKey: discoveryApiKey || undefined })),
+        ...(await buildVllmProvider({ apiKey: discoveryApiKey })),
         apiKey: vllmKey,
       };
     }
   }
 
-  const togetherKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("together") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "together", store: authStore });
+  const togetherKey = resolveProviderApiKey("together").apiKey;
   if (togetherKey) {
     providers.together = {
       ...buildTogetherProvider(),
@@ -1097,41 +1172,32 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(params: {
     };
   }
 
-  const huggingfaceKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("huggingface") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "huggingface", store: authStore });
+  const { apiKey: huggingfaceKey, discoveryApiKey: huggingfaceDiscoveryApiKey } =
+    resolveProviderApiKey("huggingface");
   if (huggingfaceKey) {
-    const hfProvider = await buildHuggingfaceProvider(huggingfaceKey);
+    const hfProvider = await buildHuggingfaceProvider(huggingfaceDiscoveryApiKey);
     providers.huggingface = {
       ...hfProvider,
       apiKey: huggingfaceKey,
     };
   }
 
-  const qianfanKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("qianfan") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "qianfan", store: authStore });
+  const qianfanKey = resolveProviderApiKey("qianfan").apiKey;
   if (qianfanKey) {
     providers.qianfan = { ...buildQianfanProvider(), apiKey: qianfanKey };
   }
 
-  const openrouterKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("openrouter") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "openrouter", store: authStore });
+  const openrouterKey = resolveProviderApiKey("openrouter").apiKey;
   if (openrouterKey) {
     providers.openrouter = { ...buildOpenrouterProvider(), apiKey: openrouterKey };
   }
 
-  const nvidiaKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("nvidia") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "nvidia", store: authStore });
+  const nvidiaKey = resolveProviderApiKey("nvidia").apiKey;
   if (nvidiaKey) {
     providers.nvidia = { ...buildNvidiaProvider(), apiKey: nvidiaKey };
   }
 
-  const kilocodeKey =
-    resolveEnvApiKeyVarName("kilocode") ??
-    resolveApiKeyFromProfiles({ provider: "kilocode", store: authStore });
+  const kilocodeKey = resolveProviderApiKey("kilocode").apiKey;
   if (kilocodeKey) {
     providers.kilocode = { ...buildKilocodeProvider(), apiKey: kilocodeKey };
   }
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.runtime-source-snapshot.test.ts b/src/agents/models-config.runtime-source-snapshot.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec6aefc6330
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.runtime-source-snapshot.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import {
+  clearConfigCache,
+  clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+  loadConfig,
+  setRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+} from "../config/config.js";
+import { NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER } from "./model-auth-markers.js";
+import {
+  installModelsConfigTestHooks,
+  withModelsTempHome as withTempHome,
+} from "./models-config.e2e-harness.js";
+import { ensureOpenClawModelsJson } from "./models-config.js";
+import { readGeneratedModelsJson } from "./models-config.test-utils.js";
+
+installModelsConfigTestHooks();
+
+describe("models-config runtime source snapshot", () => {
+  it("uses runtime source snapshot markers when passed the active runtime config", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      const sourceConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "OPENAI_API_KEY" },
+              api: "openai-completions" as const,
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      const runtimeConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              apiKey: "sk-runtime-resolved",
+              api: "openai-completions" as const,
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      try {
+        setRuntimeConfigSnapshot(runtimeConfig, sourceConfig);
+        await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(loadConfig());
+
+        const parsed = await readGeneratedModelsJson<{
+          providers: Record<string, { apiKey?: string }>;
+        }>();
+        expect(parsed.providers.openai?.apiKey).toBe("OPENAI_API_KEY");
+      } finally {
+        clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
+        clearConfigCache();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("uses non-env marker from runtime source snapshot for file refs", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async () => {
+      const sourceConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            moonshot: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.moonshot.ai/v1",
+              apiKey: { source: "file", provider: "vault", id: "/moonshot/apiKey" },
+              api: "openai-completions" as const,
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      const runtimeConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            moonshot: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.moonshot.ai/v1",
+              apiKey: "sk-runtime-moonshot",
+              api: "openai-completions" as const,
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      try {
+        setRuntimeConfigSnapshot(runtimeConfig, sourceConfig);
+        await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(loadConfig());
+
+        const parsed = await readGeneratedModelsJson<{
+          providers: Record<string, { apiKey?: string }>;
+        }>();
+        expect(parsed.providers.moonshot?.apiKey).toBe(NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER);
+      } finally {
+        clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
+        clearConfigCache();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/models-config.ts b/src/agents/models-config.ts
index e31d61044c3..78e15aafbb5 100644
--- a/src/agents/models-config.ts
+++ b/src/agents/models-config.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { type OpenClawConfig, loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import {
+  getRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+  getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot,
+  type OpenClawConfig,
+  loadConfig,
+} from "../config/config.js";
 import { applyConfigEnvVars } from "../config/env-vars.js";
 import { isRecord } from "../utils.js";
 import { resolveOpenClawAgentDir } from "./agent-paths.js";
@@ -141,8 +146,9 @@ async function resolveProvidersForModelsJson(params: {
 function mergeWithExistingProviderSecrets(params: {
   nextProviders: Record<string, ProviderConfig>;
   existingProviders: Record<string, NonNullable<ModelsConfig["providers"]>[string]>;
+  secretRefManagedProviders: ReadonlySet<string>;
 }): Record<string, ProviderConfig> {
-  const { nextProviders, existingProviders } = params;
+  const { nextProviders, existingProviders, secretRefManagedProviders } = params;
   const mergedProviders: Record<string, ProviderConfig> = {};
   for (const [key, entry] of Object.entries(existingProviders)) {
     mergedProviders[key] = entry;
@@ -159,7 +165,11 @@ function mergeWithExistingProviderSecrets(params: {
       continue;
     }
     const preserved: Record<string, unknown> = {};
-    if (typeof existing.apiKey === "string" && existing.apiKey) {
+    if (
+      !secretRefManagedProviders.has(key) &&
+      typeof existing.apiKey === "string" &&
+      existing.apiKey
+    ) {
       preserved.apiKey = existing.apiKey;
     }
     if (typeof existing.baseUrl === "string" && existing.baseUrl) {
@@ -174,6 +184,7 @@ async function resolveProvidersForMode(params: {
   mode: NonNullable<ModelsConfig["mode"]>;
   targetPath: string;
   providers: Record<string, ProviderConfig>;
+  secretRefManagedProviders: ReadonlySet<string>;
 }): Promise<Record<string, ProviderConfig>> {
   if (params.mode !== "merge") {
     return params.providers;
@@ -189,6 +200,7 @@ async function resolveProvidersForMode(params: {
   return mergeWithExistingProviderSecrets({
     nextProviders: params.providers,
     existingProviders,
+    secretRefManagedProviders: params.secretRefManagedProviders,
   });
 }
 
@@ -200,11 +212,32 @@ async function readRawFile(pathname: string): Promise<string> {
   }
 }
 
+async function ensureModelsFileMode(pathname: string): Promise<void> {
+  await fs.chmod(pathname, 0o600).catch(() => {
+    // best-effort
+  });
+}
+
+function resolveModelsConfigInput(config?: OpenClawConfig): OpenClawConfig {
+  const runtimeSource = getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot();
+  if (!runtimeSource) {
+    return config ?? loadConfig();
+  }
+  if (!config) {
+    return runtimeSource;
+  }
+  const runtimeResolved = getRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
+  if (runtimeResolved && config === runtimeResolved) {
+    return runtimeSource;
+  }
+  return config;
+}
+
 export async function ensureOpenClawModelsJson(
   config?: OpenClawConfig,
   agentDirOverride?: string,
 ): Promise<{ agentDir: string; wrote: boolean }> {
-  const cfg = config ?? loadConfig();
+  const cfg = resolveModelsConfigInput(config);
   const agentDir = agentDirOverride?.trim() ? agentDirOverride.trim() : resolveOpenClawAgentDir();
 
   // Ensure config env vars (e.g. AWS_PROFILE, AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID) are
@@ -221,24 +254,31 @@ export async function ensureOpenClawModelsJson(
 
   const mode = cfg.models?.mode ?? DEFAULT_MODE;
   const targetPath = path.join(agentDir, "models.json");
+  const secretRefManagedProviders = new Set<string>();
+
+  const normalizedProviders =
+    normalizeProviders({
+      providers,
+      agentDir,
+      secretDefaults: cfg.secrets?.defaults,
+      secretRefManagedProviders,
+    }) ?? providers;
   const mergedProviders = await resolveProvidersForMode({
     mode,
     targetPath,
-    providers,
+    providers: normalizedProviders,
+    secretRefManagedProviders,
   });
-
-  const normalizedProviders = normalizeProviders({
-    providers: mergedProviders,
-    agentDir,
-  });
-  const next = `${JSON.stringify({ providers: normalizedProviders }, null, 2)}\n`;
+  const next = `${JSON.stringify({ providers: mergedProviders }, null, 2)}\n`;
   const existingRaw = await readRawFile(targetPath);
 
   if (existingRaw === next) {
+    await ensureModelsFileMode(targetPath);
     return { agentDir, wrote: false };
   }
 
   await fs.mkdir(agentDir, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
   await fs.writeFile(targetPath, next, { mode: 0o600 });
+  await ensureModelsFileMode(targetPath);
   return { agentDir, wrote: true };
 }
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.test.ts b/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.test.ts
index bc23ff9351c..55817e28301 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER } from "../../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { resolveProviderAuthOverview } from "./list.auth-overview.js";
 
 describe("resolveProviderAuthOverview", () => {
@@ -21,4 +22,52 @@ describe("resolveProviderAuthOverview", () => {
 
     expect(overview.profiles.labels[0]).toContain("token:ref(env:GITHUB_TOKEN)");
   });
+
+  it("renders marker-backed models.json auth as marker detail", () => {
+    const overview = resolveProviderAuthOverview({
+      provider: "openai",
+      cfg: {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              api: "openai-completions",
+              apiKey: NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER,
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      } as never,
+      store: { version: 1, profiles: {} } as never,
+      modelsPath: "/tmp/models.json",
+    });
+
+    expect(overview.effective.kind).toBe("models.json");
+    expect(overview.effective.detail).toContain(`marker(${NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER})`);
+    expect(overview.modelsJson?.value).toContain(`marker(${NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER})`);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps env-var-shaped models.json values masked to avoid accidental plaintext exposure", () => {
+    const overview = resolveProviderAuthOverview({
+      provider: "openai",
+      cfg: {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              api: "openai-completions",
+              apiKey: "OPENAI_API_KEY",
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      } as never,
+      store: { version: 1, profiles: {} } as never,
+      modelsPath: "/tmp/models.json",
+    });
+
+    expect(overview.effective.kind).toBe("models.json");
+    expect(overview.effective.detail).not.toContain("marker(");
+    expect(overview.effective.detail).not.toContain("OPENAI_API_KEY");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.ts b/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.ts
index 0fc2f9828c5..28880415eeb 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.auth-overview.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,19 @@ import {
   resolveAuthStorePathForDisplay,
   resolveProfileUnusableUntilForDisplay,
 } from "../../agents/auth-profiles.js";
+import { isNonSecretApiKeyMarker } from "../../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { getCustomProviderApiKey, resolveEnvApiKey } from "../../agents/model-auth.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import { shortenHomePath } from "../../utils.js";
 import { maskApiKey } from "./list.format.js";
 import type { ProviderAuthOverview } from "./list.types.js";
 
+function formatMarkerOrSecret(value: string): string {
+  return isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(value, { includeEnvVarName: false })
+    ? `marker(${value.trim()})`
+    : maskApiKey(value);
+}
+
 function formatProfileSecretLabel(params: {
   value: string | undefined;
   ref: { source: string; id: string } | undefined;
@@ -19,7 +26,8 @@ function formatProfileSecretLabel(params: {
 }): string {
   const value = typeof params.value === "string" ? params.value.trim() : "";
   if (value) {
-    return params.kind === "token" ? `token:${maskApiKey(value)}` : maskApiKey(value);
+    const display = formatMarkerOrSecret(value);
+    return params.kind === "token" ? `token:${display}` : display;
   }
   if (params.ref) {
     const refLabel = `ref(${params.ref.source}:${params.ref.id})`;
@@ -108,7 +116,7 @@ export function resolveProviderAuthOverview(params: {
       };
     }
     if (customKey) {
-      return { kind: "models.json", detail: maskApiKey(customKey) };
+      return { kind: "models.json", detail: formatMarkerOrSecret(customKey) };
     }
     return { kind: "missing", detail: "missing" };
   })();
@@ -137,7 +145,7 @@ export function resolveProviderAuthOverview(params: {
     ...(customKey
       ? {
           modelsJson: {
-            value: maskApiKey(customKey),
+            value: formatMarkerOrSecret(customKey),
             source: `models.json: ${shortenHomePath(params.modelsPath)}`,
           },
         }
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.probe.targets.test.ts b/src/commands/models/list.probe.targets.test.ts
index c3e754199a2..6b2abe138b2 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.probe.targets.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.probe.targets.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { AuthProfileStore } from "../../agents/auth-profiles.js";
+import { OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER } from "../../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 
 let mockStore: AuthProfileStore;
@@ -163,4 +164,53 @@ describe("buildProbeTargets reason codes", () => {
     expect(plan.results[0]?.error).toContain("[unresolved_ref]");
     expect(plan.results[0]?.error).toContain("env:default:MISSING_ANTHROPIC_TOKEN");
   });
+
+  it("skips marker-only models.json credentials when building probe targets", async () => {
+    const previousAnthropic = process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
+    const previousAnthropicOauth = process.env.ANTHROPIC_OAUTH_TOKEN;
+    delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
+    delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_OAUTH_TOKEN;
+    mockStore = {
+      version: 1,
+      profiles: {},
+      order: {},
+    };
+    try {
+      const plan = await buildProbeTargets({
+        cfg: {
+          models: {
+            providers: {
+              anthropic: {
+                baseUrl: "https://api.anthropic.com/v1",
+                api: "anthropic-messages",
+                apiKey: OLLAMA_LOCAL_AUTH_MARKER,
+                models: [],
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        } as OpenClawConfig,
+        providers: ["anthropic"],
+        modelCandidates: ["anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"],
+        options: {
+          timeoutMs: 5_000,
+          concurrency: 1,
+          maxTokens: 16,
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(plan.targets).toEqual([]);
+      expect(plan.results).toEqual([]);
+    } finally {
+      if (previousAnthropic === undefined) {
+        delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
+      } else {
+        process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = previousAnthropic;
+      }
+      if (previousAnthropicOauth === undefined) {
+        delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_OAUTH_TOKEN;
+      } else {
+        process.env.ANTHROPIC_OAUTH_TOKEN = previousAnthropicOauth;
+      }
+    }
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.probe.ts b/src/commands/models/list.probe.ts
index 8a2ec87adcc..40eb6b99b9b 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.probe.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.probe.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   resolveAuthProfileOrder,
 } from "../../agents/auth-profiles.js";
 import { describeFailoverError } from "../../agents/failover-error.js";
+import { isNonSecretApiKeyMarker } from "../../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { getCustomProviderApiKey, resolveEnvApiKey } from "../../agents/model-auth.js";
 import { loadModelCatalog } from "../../agents/model-catalog.js";
 import {
@@ -373,7 +374,8 @@ export async function buildProbeTargets(params: {
 
     const envKey = resolveEnvApiKey(providerKey);
     const customKey = getCustomProviderApiKey(cfg, providerKey);
-    if (!envKey && !customKey) {
+    const hasUsableModelsJsonKey = Boolean(customKey && !isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(customKey));
+    if (!envKey && !hasUsableModelsJsonKey) {
       continue;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/config/config.ts b/src/config/config.ts
index dfe47d82f87..35fe656c666 100644
--- a/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/src/config/config.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export {
   clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
   createConfigIO,
   getRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+  getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot,
   loadConfig,
   parseConfigJson5,
   readConfigFileSnapshot,
diff --git a/src/config/io.runtime-snapshot-write.test.ts b/src/config/io.runtime-snapshot-write.test.ts
index 0a37de08aaa..cca75174500 100644
--- a/src/config/io.runtime-snapshot-write.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.runtime-snapshot-write.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { withTempHome } from "./home-env.test-harness.js";
 import {
   clearConfigCache,
   clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+  getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot,
   loadConfig,
   setRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
   writeConfigFile,
@@ -12,6 +13,70 @@ import {
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "./types.js";
 
 describe("runtime config snapshot writes", () => {
+  it("returns the source snapshot when runtime snapshot is active", async () => {
+    await withTempHome("openclaw-config-runtime-source-", async () => {
+      const sourceConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "OPENAI_API_KEY" },
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      const runtimeConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+        models: {
+          providers: {
+            openai: {
+              baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+              apiKey: "sk-runtime-resolved",
+              models: [],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      try {
+        setRuntimeConfigSnapshot(runtimeConfig, sourceConfig);
+        expect(getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot()).toEqual(sourceConfig);
+      } finally {
+        clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
+        clearConfigCache();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("clears runtime source snapshot when runtime snapshot is cleared", async () => {
+    const sourceConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+      models: {
+        providers: {
+          openai: {
+            baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+            apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "OPENAI_API_KEY" },
+            models: [],
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    };
+    const runtimeConfig: OpenClawConfig = {
+      models: {
+        providers: {
+          openai: {
+            baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+            apiKey: "sk-runtime-resolved",
+            models: [],
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    };
+
+    setRuntimeConfigSnapshot(runtimeConfig, sourceConfig);
+    clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
+    clearConfigCache();
+    expect(getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot()).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   it("preserves source secret refs when writeConfigFile receives runtime-resolved config", async () => {
     await withTempHome("openclaw-config-runtime-write-", async (home) => {
       const configPath = path.join(home, ".openclaw", "openclaw.json");
diff --git a/src/config/io.ts b/src/config/io.ts
index a2a2af5d1b5..d8b90646d12 100644
--- a/src/config/io.ts
+++ b/src/config/io.ts
@@ -1345,6 +1345,10 @@ export function getRuntimeConfigSnapshot(): OpenClawConfig | null {
   return runtimeConfigSnapshot;
 }
 
+export function getRuntimeConfigSourceSnapshot(): OpenClawConfig | null {
+  return runtimeConfigSourceSnapshot;
+}
+
 export function loadConfig(): OpenClawConfig {
   if (runtimeConfigSnapshot) {
     return runtimeConfigSnapshot;
diff --git a/src/config/schema.help.quality.test.ts b/src/config/schema.help.quality.test.ts
index 2ef7d8aae3a..96b0f1c2754 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.help.quality.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/schema.help.quality.test.ts
@@ -774,6 +774,9 @@ describe("config help copy quality", () => {
   it("documents auth/model root semantics and provider secret handling", () => {
     const providerKey = FIELD_HELP["models.providers.*.apiKey"];
     expect(/secret|env|credential/i.test(providerKey)).toBe(true);
+    const modelsMode = FIELD_HELP["models.mode"];
+    expect(modelsMode.includes("SecretRef-managed")).toBe(true);
+    expect(modelsMode.includes("preserve")).toBe(true);
 
     const bedrockRefresh = FIELD_HELP["models.bedrockDiscovery.refreshInterval"];
     expect(/refresh|seconds|interval/i.test(bedrockRefresh)).toBe(true);
diff --git a/src/config/schema.help.ts b/src/config/schema.help.ts
index c97aa0408a4..0885aa0ea81 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.help.ts
+++ b/src/config/schema.help.ts
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ export const FIELD_HELP: Record<string, string> = {
   models:
     "Model catalog root for provider definitions, merge/replace behavior, and optional Bedrock discovery integration. Keep provider definitions explicit and validated before relying on production failover paths.",
   "models.mode":
-    'Controls provider catalog behavior: "merge" keeps built-ins and overlays your custom providers, while "replace" uses only your configured providers. In "merge", matching provider IDs preserve non-empty agent models.json apiKey/baseUrl values and fall back to config when agent values are empty or missing; matching model contextWindow/maxTokens use the higher value between explicit and implicit entries.',
+    'Controls provider catalog behavior: "merge" keeps built-ins and overlays your custom providers, while "replace" uses only your configured providers. In "merge", matching provider IDs preserve non-empty agent models.json apiKey/baseUrl values only when the provider is not SecretRef-managed in current config/auth-profile context; SecretRef-managed providers refresh apiKey from current source markers while matching model contextWindow/maxTokens use the higher value between explicit and implicit entries.',
   "models.providers":
     "Provider map keyed by provider ID containing connection/auth settings and concrete model definitions. Use stable provider keys so references from agents and tooling remain portable across environments.",
   "models.providers.*.baseUrl":
diff --git a/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.normalizes-keys.test.ts b/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.normalizes-keys.test.ts
index bae5ae5a7d9..6a27ee7835a 100644
--- a/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.normalizes-keys.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.normalizes-keys.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER } from "../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { resolveProviderAuths } from "./provider-usage.auth.js";
 
 describe("resolveProviderAuths key normalization", () => {
@@ -403,4 +404,40 @@ describe("resolveProviderAuths key normalization", () => {
       expect(auths).toEqual([{ provider: "anthropic", token: "token-1" }]);
     }, {});
   });
+
+  it("ignores marker-backed config keys for provider usage auth resolution", async () => {
+    await withSuiteHome(
+      async (home) => {
+        const modelDef = {
+          id: "test-model",
+          name: "Test Model",
+          reasoning: false,
+          input: ["text"],
+          cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
+          contextWindow: 1024,
+          maxTokens: 256,
+        };
+        await writeConfig(home, {
+          models: {
+            providers: {
+              minimax: {
+                baseUrl: "https://api.minimaxi.com",
+                models: [modelDef],
+                apiKey: NON_ENV_SECRETREF_MARKER,
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        });
+
+        const auths = await resolveProviderAuths({
+          providers: ["minimax"],
+        });
+        expect(auths).toEqual([]);
+      },
+      {
+        MINIMAX_API_KEY: undefined,
+        MINIMAX_CODE_PLAN_KEY: undefined,
+      },
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.ts b/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.ts
index ff63c1570f1..6afa4bebaad 100644
--- a/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.ts
+++ b/src/infra/provider-usage.auth.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   resolveApiKeyForProfile,
   resolveAuthProfileOrder,
 } from "../agents/auth-profiles.js";
+import { isNonSecretApiKeyMarker } from "../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { getCustomProviderApiKey } from "../agents/model-auth.js";
 import { normalizeProviderId } from "../agents/model-selection.js";
 import { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ function resolveProviderApiKeyFromConfigAndStore(params: {
 
   const cfg = loadConfig();
   const key = getCustomProviderApiKey(cfg, params.providerId);
-  if (key) {
+  if (key && !isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(key)) {
     return key;
   }
 
@@ -122,9 +123,17 @@ function resolveProviderApiKeyFromConfigAndStore(params: {
     return undefined;
   }
   if (cred.type === "api_key") {
-    return normalizeSecretInput(cred.key);
+    const key = normalizeSecretInput(cred.key);
+    if (key && !isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(key)) {
+      return key;
+    }
+    return undefined;
   }
-  return normalizeSecretInput(cred.token);
+  const token = normalizeSecretInput(cred.token);
+  if (token && !isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(token)) {
+    return token;
+  }
+  return undefined;
 }
 
 async function resolveOAuthToken(params: {
diff --git a/src/secrets/audit.test.ts b/src/secrets/audit.test.ts
index cd85d84d3d8..effb5ed9298 100644
--- a/src/secrets/audit.test.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/audit.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ type AuditFixture = {
   configPath: string;
   authStorePath: string;
   authJsonPath: string;
+  modelsPath: string;
   envPath: string;
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
 };
@@ -27,9 +28,11 @@ function resolveRuntimePathEnv(): string {
 
 function hasFinding(
   report: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof runSecretsAudit>>,
-  predicate: (entry: { code: string; file: string }) => boolean,
+  predicate: (entry: { code: string; file: string; jsonPath?: string }) => boolean,
 ): boolean {
-  return report.findings.some((entry) => predicate(entry as { code: string; file: string }));
+  return report.findings.some((entry) =>
+    predicate(entry as { code: string; file: string; jsonPath?: string }),
+  );
 }
 
 async function createAuditFixture(): Promise<AuditFixture> {
@@ -38,6 +41,7 @@ async function createAuditFixture(): Promise<AuditFixture> {
   const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "openclaw.json");
   const authStorePath = path.join(stateDir, "agents", "main", "agent", "auth-profiles.json");
   const authJsonPath = path.join(stateDir, "agents", "main", "agent", "auth.json");
+  const modelsPath = path.join(stateDir, "agents", "main", "agent", "models.json");
   const envPath = path.join(stateDir, ".env");
 
   await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), { recursive: true });
@@ -49,6 +53,7 @@ async function createAuditFixture(): Promise<AuditFixture> {
     configPath,
     authStorePath,
     authJsonPath,
+    modelsPath,
     envPath,
     env: {
       OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR: stateDir,
@@ -85,6 +90,16 @@ async function seedAuditFixture(fixture: AuditFixture): Promise<void> {
     version: 1,
     profiles: Object.fromEntries(seededProfiles),
   });
+  await writeJsonFile(fixture.modelsPath, {
+    providers: {
+      openai: {
+        baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+        api: "openai-completions",
+        apiKey: "OPENAI_API_KEY",
+        models: [{ id: "gpt-5", name: "gpt-5" }],
+      },
+    },
+  });
   await fs.writeFile(fixture.envPath, "OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-openai-plaintext\n", "utf8");
 }
 
@@ -254,4 +269,64 @@ describe("secrets audit", () => {
     const callCount = callLog.split("\n").filter((line) => line.trim().length > 0).length;
     expect(callCount).toBe(1);
   });
+
+  it("scans agent models.json files for plaintext provider apiKey values", async () => {
+    await writeJsonFile(fixture.modelsPath, {
+      providers: {
+        openai: {
+          baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+          api: "openai-completions",
+          apiKey: "sk-models-plaintext",
+          models: [{ id: "gpt-5", name: "gpt-5" }],
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const report = await runSecretsAudit({ env: fixture.env });
+    expect(
+      hasFinding(
+        report,
+        (entry) =>
+          entry.code === "PLAINTEXT_FOUND" &&
+          entry.file === fixture.modelsPath &&
+          entry.jsonPath === "providers.openai.apiKey",
+      ),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(report.filesScanned).toContain(fixture.modelsPath);
+  });
+
+  it("does not flag models.json marker values as plaintext", async () => {
+    await writeJsonFile(fixture.modelsPath, {
+      providers: {
+        openai: {
+          baseUrl: "https://api.openai.com/v1",
+          api: "openai-completions",
+          apiKey: "OPENAI_API_KEY",
+          models: [{ id: "gpt-5", name: "gpt-5" }],
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const report = await runSecretsAudit({ env: fixture.env });
+    expect(
+      hasFinding(
+        report,
+        (entry) =>
+          entry.code === "PLAINTEXT_FOUND" &&
+          entry.file === fixture.modelsPath &&
+          entry.jsonPath === "providers.openai.apiKey",
+      ),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("reports malformed models.json as unresolved findings", async () => {
+    await fs.writeFile(fixture.modelsPath, "{bad-json", "utf8");
+    const report = await runSecretsAudit({ env: fixture.env });
+    expect(
+      hasFinding(
+        report,
+        (entry) => entry.code === "REF_UNRESOLVED" && entry.file === fixture.modelsPath,
+      ),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/secrets/audit.ts b/src/secrets/audit.ts
index 132ea4ac431..170c4fedd4f 100644
--- a/src/secrets/audit.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/audit.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
+import { isNonSecretApiKeyMarker } from "../agents/model-auth-markers.js";
 import { normalizeProviderId } from "../agents/model-selection.js";
 import { resolveStateDir, type OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import { coerceSecretRef } from "../config/types.secrets.js";
 import { resolveSecretInputRef, type SecretRef } from "../config/types.secrets.js";
 import { resolveConfigDir, resolveUserPath } from "../utils.js";
 import { runTasksWithConcurrency } from "../utils/run-with-concurrency.js";
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ import {
 import { isNonEmptyString, isRecord } from "./shared.js";
 import { describeUnknownError } from "./shared.js";
 import {
+  listAgentModelsJsonPaths,
   listAuthProfileStorePaths,
   listLegacyAuthJsonPaths,
   parseEnvAssignmentValue,
@@ -315,6 +318,62 @@ function collectAuthJsonResidue(params: { stateDir: string; collector: AuditColl
   }
 }
 
+function collectModelsJsonSecrets(params: {
+  modelsJsonPath: string;
+  collector: AuditCollector;
+}): void {
+  if (!fs.existsSync(params.modelsJsonPath)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  params.collector.filesScanned.add(params.modelsJsonPath);
+  const parsedResult = readJsonObjectIfExists(params.modelsJsonPath);
+  if (parsedResult.error) {
+    addFinding(params.collector, {
+      code: "REF_UNRESOLVED",
+      severity: "error",
+      file: params.modelsJsonPath,
+      jsonPath: "<root>",
+      message: `Invalid JSON in models.json: ${parsedResult.error}`,
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+  const parsed = parsedResult.value;
+  if (!parsed || !isRecord(parsed.providers)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  for (const [providerId, providerValue] of Object.entries(parsed.providers)) {
+    if (!isRecord(providerValue)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const apiKey = providerValue.apiKey;
+    if (coerceSecretRef(apiKey)) {
+      addFinding(params.collector, {
+        code: "REF_UNRESOLVED",
+        severity: "error",
+        file: params.modelsJsonPath,
+        jsonPath: `providers.${providerId}.apiKey`,
+        message: "models.json contains an unresolved SecretRef object; regenerate models.json.",
+        provider: providerId,
+      });
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (!isNonEmptyString(apiKey)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (isNonSecretApiKeyMarker(apiKey)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    addFinding(params.collector, {
+      code: "PLAINTEXT_FOUND",
+      severity: "warn",
+      file: params.modelsJsonPath,
+      jsonPath: `providers.${providerId}.apiKey`,
+      message: "models.json provider apiKey is stored as plaintext.",
+      provider: providerId,
+    });
+  }
+}
+
 async function collectUnresolvedRefFindings(params: {
   collector: AuditCollector;
   config: OpenClawConfig;
@@ -497,6 +556,12 @@ export async function runSecretsAudit(
         defaults,
       });
     }
+    for (const modelsJsonPath of listAgentModelsJsonPaths(config, stateDir)) {
+      collectModelsJsonSecrets({
+        modelsJsonPath,
+        collector,
+      });
+    }
     await collectUnresolvedRefFindings({
       collector,
       config,
diff --git a/src/secrets/storage-scan.ts b/src/secrets/storage-scan.ts
index ccbfc544f6d..a868e9e898a 100644
--- a/src/secrets/storage-scan.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/storage-scan.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,32 @@ export function listLegacyAuthJsonPaths(stateDir: string): string[] {
   return out;
 }
 
+export function listAgentModelsJsonPaths(config: OpenClawConfig, stateDir: string): string[] {
+  const paths = new Set<string>();
+  paths.add(path.join(resolveUserPath(stateDir), "agents", "main", "agent", "models.json"));
+
+  const agentsRoot = path.join(resolveUserPath(stateDir), "agents");
+  if (fs.existsSync(agentsRoot)) {
+    for (const entry of fs.readdirSync(agentsRoot, { withFileTypes: true })) {
+      if (!entry.isDirectory()) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      paths.add(path.join(agentsRoot, entry.name, "agent", "models.json"));
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (const agentId of listAgentIds(config)) {
+    if (agentId === "main") {
+      paths.add(path.join(resolveUserPath(stateDir), "agents", "main", "agent", "models.json"));
+      continue;
+    }
+    const agentDir = resolveAgentDir(config, agentId);
+    paths.add(path.join(resolveUserPath(agentDir), "models.json"));
+  }
+
+  return [...paths];
+}
+
 export function readJsonObjectIfExists(filePath: string): {
   value: Record<string, unknown> | null;
   error?: string;