diff --git a/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts b/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
index 5d81afc4970..4c789215e4a 100644
--- a/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/model-selection.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   resolveConfiguredModelRef,
   resolveThinkingDefault,
   resolveModelRefFromString,
+  resolveSubagentConfiguredModelSelection,
 } from "./model-selection.js";
 
 const EXPLICIT_ALLOWLIST_CONFIG = {
@@ -835,3 +836,21 @@ describe("normalizeModelSelection", () => {
     expect(normalizeModelSelection(42)).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe("resolveSubagentConfiguredModelSelection", () => {
+  it("prefers the target agent subagents.model over global defaults.subagents.model and agent.primary", () => {
+    const cfg = {
+      agents: {
+        defaults: {
+          subagents: { model: "minimax/MiniMax-M2.5" },
+          model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.4" },
+        },
+        list: [{ id: "research", model: { primary: "opencode/claude" } }],
+      },
+    } as OpenClawConfig;
+
+    expect(resolveSubagentConfiguredModelSelection({ cfg, agentId: "research" })).toBe(
+      "minimax/MiniMax-M2.5",
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/agents/openclaw-tools.subagents.sessions-spawn.model.test.ts b/src/agents/openclaw-tools.subagents.sessions-spawn.model.test.ts
index a8d8c8b2d58..b2886cce91c 100644
--- a/src/agents/openclaw-tools.subagents.sessions-spawn.model.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/openclaw-tools.subagents.sessions-spawn.model.test.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,24 @@ describe("openclaw-tools: subagents (sessions_spawn model + thinking)", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("sessions_spawn prefers target agent primary model over global subagent default", async () => {
+    await expectSpawnUsesConfiguredModel({
+      config: {
+        session: { mainKey: "main", scope: "per-sender" },
+        agents: {
+          defaults: {
+            subagents: { model: "minimax/MiniMax-M2.5" },
+            model: { primary: "openai/gpt-5.4" },
+          },
+          list: [{ id: "research", model: { primary: "opencode/claude" } }],
+        },
+      },
+      runId: "run-agent-primary-over-subagent-default",
+      callId: "call-agent-primary-over-subagent-default",
+      expectedModel: "minimax/MiniMax-M2.5",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("sessions_spawn prefers target agent primary model over global default", async () => {
     await expectSpawnUsesConfiguredModel({
       config: {