diff --git a/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider.go b/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider.go
index fb2abaa5c..cb43fa84a 100644
--- a/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider.go
+++ b/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider.go
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ func normalizeModel(model, apiBase string) string {
 	}
 
 	if strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(apiBase), "openrouter.ai") {
+		if strings.EqualFold(before, "openrouter") && strings.Contains(after, "/") {
+			return after
+		}
 		return model
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider_test.go b/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider_test.go
index ed9747f9d..39cfd5337 100644
--- a/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider_test.go
+++ b/pkg/providers/openai_compat/provider_test.go
@@ -567,6 +567,15 @@ func TestNormalizeModel_UsesAPIBase(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := normalizeModel("openrouter/auto", "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"); got != "openrouter/auto" {
 		t.Fatalf("normalizeModel(openrouter) = %q, want %q", got, "openrouter/auto")
 	}
+	if got := normalizeModel("openrouter/free", "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"); got != "openrouter/free" {
+		t.Fatalf("normalizeModel(openrouter free) = %q, want %q", got, "openrouter/free")
+	}
+	if got := normalizeModel("openrouter/openai/gpt-5.4", "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"); got != "openai/gpt-5.4" {
+		t.Fatalf("normalizeModel(openrouter nested openai) = %q, want %q", got, "openai/gpt-5.4")
+	}
+	if got := normalizeModel("openrouter/minimax/minimax-m2.5", "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"); got != "minimax/minimax-m2.5" {
+		t.Fatalf("normalizeModel(openrouter nested minimax) = %q, want %q", got, "minimax/minimax-m2.5")
+	}
 	if got := normalizeModel("vivgrid/managed", "https://api.vivgrid.com/v1"); got != "managed" {
 		t.Fatalf("normalizeModel(vivgrid) = %q, want %q", got, "managed")
 	}