fix: check for missing api_base field to avoid default value pollution

fix: remove default ModelList from default config. add it back only when necessary

cmd/picoclaw/cmd_onboard.go

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ func onboard() {
 	}
 
 	cfg := config.DefaultConfig()
+	cfg.ModelList = config.DefaultModelList() // Populate default model list
 	if err := config.SaveConfig(configPath, cfg); err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("Error saving config: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)

pkg/config/config.go

@@ -503,6 +503,19 @@ func LoadConfig(path string) (*Config, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	var raw map[string]json.RawMessage
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &raw); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if _, hasModelList := raw["model_list"]; !hasModelList {
+		// only set the default model list if the config file doesn't have the old providers config either
+		if _, hasProviders := raw["providers"]; !hasProviders {
+			cfg.ModelList = DefaultModelList()
+		}
+		// otherwise, ConvertProvidersToModelList(cfg) will handle the default model list based on the providers config
+	}
+
 	if err := env.Parse(cfg); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}

pkg/config/config_test.go

@@ -364,7 +364,11 @@ func TestDefaultConfig_OpenAIWebSearchEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 func TestLoadConfig_OpenAIWebSearchDefaultsTrueWhenUnset(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	configPath := filepath.Join(dir, "config.json")
-	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(`{"providers":{"openai":{"api_base":""}}}`), 0o600); err != nil {
+	if err := os.WriteFile(
+		configPath,
+		[]byte(`{"providers":{"openai":{"api_base":""}},"model_list":[{"model_name":"gpt-5","model":"openai/gpt-5"}]}`),
+		0o600,
+	); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteFile() error: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -380,7 +384,13 @@ func TestLoadConfig_OpenAIWebSearchDefaultsTrueWhenUnset(t *testing.T) {
 func TestLoadConfig_OpenAIWebSearchCanBeDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	configPath := filepath.Join(dir, "config.json")
-	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(`{"providers":{"openai":{"web_search":false}}}`), 0o600); err != nil {
+	if err := os.WriteFile(
+		configPath,
+		[]byte(
+			`{"providers":{"openai":{"web_search":false}},"model_list":[{"model_name":"gpt-5","model":"openai/gpt-5"}]}`,
+		),
+		0o600,
+	); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteFile() error: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -392,3 +402,56 @@ func TestLoadConfig_OpenAIWebSearchCanBeDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("OpenAI codex web search should be false when disabled in config file")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLoadConfig_NoErrorsWhenModelListMissing(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	configPath := filepath.Join(dir, "config.json")
+
+	data := `{
+		"providers": {
+			"zhipu": {
+				"api_key": "abc"
+			}
+		}
+	}`
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(data), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteFile() error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err := LoadConfig(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected LoadConfig to pass even when model_list is missing, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadConfig_AllowsModelListWithoutAPIBaseField(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	configPath := filepath.Join(dir, "config.json")
+
+	data := `{
+		"model_list": [
+			{
+				"model_name": "gpt-5.3-codex",
+				"model": "openai/gpt-5.3-codex",
+				"api_key": ""
+			}
+		]
+	}`
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(data), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteFile() error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	cfg, err := LoadConfig(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("LoadConfig() should allow model_list entries without explicit api_base field, got error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(cfg.ModelList) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected one model_list entry, got %d", len(cfg.ModelList))
+	}
+	if cfg.ModelList[0].APIBase != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected api_base to remain empty when omitted, got %q", cfg.ModelList[0].APIBase)
+	}
+}

pkg/config/defaults.go

@@ -5,122 +5,15 @@
 
 package config
 
-// DefaultConfig returns the default configuration for PicoClaw.
+func DefaultModelList() []ModelConfig {
-func DefaultConfig() *Config {
+	return []ModelConfig{
-	return &Config{
+		// OpenAI - https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
-		Agents: AgentsConfig{
+		{
-			Defaults: AgentDefaults{
+			ModelName: "gpt-5.2",
-				Workspace:           "~/.picoclaw/workspace",
+			Model:     "openai/gpt-5.2",
-				RestrictToWorkspace: true,
+			APIBase:   "https://api.openai.com/v1",
-				Provider:            "",
+			APIKey:    "",
-				Model:               "glm-4.7",
-				MaxTokens:           8192,
-				Temperature:         nil, // nil means use provider default
-				MaxToolIterations:   20,
 		},
-		},
-		Bindings: []AgentBinding{},
-		Session: SessionConfig{
-			DMScope: "main",
-		},
-		Channels: ChannelsConfig{
-			WhatsApp: WhatsAppConfig{
-				Enabled:   false,
-				BridgeURL: "ws://localhost:3001",
-				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			Telegram: TelegramConfig{
-				Enabled:   false,
-				Token:     "",
-				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			Feishu: FeishuConfig{
-				Enabled:           false,
-				AppID:             "",
-				AppSecret:         "",
-				EncryptKey:        "",
-				VerificationToken: "",
-				AllowFrom:         FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			Discord: DiscordConfig{
-				Enabled:     false,
-				Token:       "",
-				AllowFrom:   FlexibleStringSlice{},
-				MentionOnly: false,
-			},
-			MaixCam: MaixCamConfig{
-				Enabled:   false,
-				Host:      "0.0.0.0",
-				Port:      18790,
-				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			QQ: QQConfig{
-				Enabled:   false,
-				AppID:     "",
-				AppSecret: "",
-				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			DingTalk: DingTalkConfig{
-				Enabled:      false,
-				ClientID:     "",
-				ClientSecret: "",
-				AllowFrom:    FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			Slack: SlackConfig{
-				Enabled:   false,
-				BotToken:  "",
-				AppToken:  "",
-				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			LINE: LINEConfig{
-				Enabled:            false,
-				ChannelSecret:      "",
-				ChannelAccessToken: "",
-				WebhookHost:        "0.0.0.0",
-				WebhookPort:        18791,
-				WebhookPath:        "/webhook/line",
-				AllowFrom:          FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			OneBot: OneBotConfig{
-				Enabled:            false,
-				WSUrl:              "ws://127.0.0.1:3001",
-				AccessToken:        "",
-				ReconnectInterval:  5,
-				GroupTriggerPrefix: []string{},
-				AllowFrom:          FlexibleStringSlice{},
-			},
-			WeCom: WeComConfig{
-				Enabled:        false,
-				Token:          "",
-				EncodingAESKey: "",
-				WebhookURL:     "",
-				WebhookHost:    "0.0.0.0",
-				WebhookPort:    18793,
-				WebhookPath:    "/webhook/wecom",
-				AllowFrom:      FlexibleStringSlice{},
-				ReplyTimeout:   5,
-			},
-			WeComApp: WeComAppConfig{
-				Enabled:        false,
-				CorpID:         "",
-				CorpSecret:     "",
-				AgentID:        0,
-				Token:          "",
-				EncodingAESKey: "",
-				WebhookHost:    "0.0.0.0",
-				WebhookPort:    18792,
-				WebhookPath:    "/webhook/wecom-app",
-				AllowFrom:      FlexibleStringSlice{},
-				ReplyTimeout:   5,
-			},
-		},
-		Providers: ProvidersConfig{
-			OpenAI: OpenAIProviderConfig{WebSearch: true},
-		},
-		ModelList: []ModelConfig{
-			// ============================================
-			// Add your API key to the model you want to use
-			// ============================================
 
 		// Zhipu AI (智谱) - https://open.bigmodel.cn/usercenter/apikeys
 		{
@@ -130,14 +23,6 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			APIKey:    "",
 		},
 
-			// OpenAI - https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
-			{
-				ModelName: "gpt-5.2",
-				Model:     "openai/gpt-5.2",
-				APIBase:   "https://api.openai.com/v1",
-				APIKey:    "",
-			},
-
 		// Anthropic Claude - https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys
 		{
 			ModelName: "claude-sonnet-4.6",
@@ -270,7 +155,122 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			APIBase:   "http://localhost:8000/v1",
 			APIKey:    "",
 		},
+	}
+}
+
+// DefaultConfig returns the default configuration for PicoClaw.
+func DefaultConfig() *Config {
+	return &Config{
+		Agents: AgentsConfig{
+			Defaults: AgentDefaults{
+				Workspace:           "~/.picoclaw/workspace",
+				RestrictToWorkspace: true,
+				Provider:            "",
+				Model:               "glm-4.7",
+				MaxTokens:           8192,
+				Temperature:         nil, // nil means use provider default
+				MaxToolIterations:   20,
 			},
+		},
+		Bindings: []AgentBinding{},
+		Session: SessionConfig{
+			DMScope: "main",
+		},
+		Channels: ChannelsConfig{
+			WhatsApp: WhatsAppConfig{
+				Enabled:   false,
+				BridgeURL: "ws://localhost:3001",
+				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			Telegram: TelegramConfig{
+				Enabled:   false,
+				Token:     "",
+				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			Feishu: FeishuConfig{
+				Enabled:           false,
+				AppID:             "",
+				AppSecret:         "",
+				EncryptKey:        "",
+				VerificationToken: "",
+				AllowFrom:         FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			Discord: DiscordConfig{
+				Enabled:     false,
+				Token:       "",
+				AllowFrom:   FlexibleStringSlice{},
+				MentionOnly: false,
+			},
+			MaixCam: MaixCamConfig{
+				Enabled:   false,
+				Host:      "0.0.0.0",
+				Port:      18790,
+				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			QQ: QQConfig{
+				Enabled:   false,
+				AppID:     "",
+				AppSecret: "",
+				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			DingTalk: DingTalkConfig{
+				Enabled:      false,
+				ClientID:     "",
+				ClientSecret: "",
+				AllowFrom:    FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			Slack: SlackConfig{
+				Enabled:   false,
+				BotToken:  "",
+				AppToken:  "",
+				AllowFrom: FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			LINE: LINEConfig{
+				Enabled:            false,
+				ChannelSecret:      "",
+				ChannelAccessToken: "",
+				WebhookHost:        "0.0.0.0",
+				WebhookPort:        18791,
+				WebhookPath:        "/webhook/line",
+				AllowFrom:          FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			OneBot: OneBotConfig{
+				Enabled:            false,
+				WSUrl:              "ws://127.0.0.1:3001",
+				AccessToken:        "",
+				ReconnectInterval:  5,
+				GroupTriggerPrefix: []string{},
+				AllowFrom:          FlexibleStringSlice{},
+			},
+			WeCom: WeComConfig{
+				Enabled:        false,
+				Token:          "",
+				EncodingAESKey: "",
+				WebhookURL:     "",
+				WebhookHost:    "0.0.0.0",
+				WebhookPort:    18793,
+				WebhookPath:    "/webhook/wecom",
+				AllowFrom:      FlexibleStringSlice{},
+				ReplyTimeout:   5,
+			},
+			WeComApp: WeComAppConfig{
+				Enabled:        false,
+				CorpID:         "",
+				CorpSecret:     "",
+				AgentID:        0,
+				Token:          "",
+				EncodingAESKey: "",
+				WebhookHost:    "0.0.0.0",
+				WebhookPort:    18792,
+				WebhookPath:    "/webhook/wecom-app",
+				AllowFrom:      FlexibleStringSlice{},
+				ReplyTimeout:   5,
+			},
+		},
+		Providers: ProvidersConfig{
+			OpenAI: OpenAIProviderConfig{WebSearch: true},
+		},
+		ModelList: []ModelConfig{},
 		Gateway: GatewayConfig{
 			Host: "127.0.0.1",
 			Port: 18790,