diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7427ecb..0e8010a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -76,3 +76,6 @@ ai-models.json
 # local backups
 *.bak
 .gstack/
+
+# admin panel settings (contains secrets)
+data/
diff --git a/app/[lang]/admin/page.tsx b/app/[lang]/admin/page.tsx
index 6045be1..58c97ce 100644
--- a/app/[lang]/admin/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[lang]/admin/page.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,14 @@ interface AdminProvider {
     isDefault?: boolean
 }
 
+// Provider defined in AI_MODELS_CONFIG / ai-models.json — shown read-only
+interface EnvProvider {
+    name: string
+    provider: ProviderName
+    models: string[]
+    isDefault: boolean
+}
+
 async function adminFetch(path: string, pw: string, init?: RequestInit) {
     const res = await fetch(getApiEndpoint(path), {
         ...init,
@@ -726,11 +734,13 @@ function ProviderDetail({
 
 function ModelsSection({
     providers,
+    envProviders,
     disabled,
     password,
     onChange,
 }: {
     providers: AdminProvider[]
+    envProviders: EnvProvider[]
     disabled: boolean
     password: string
     onChange: (providers: AdminProvider[]) => void
@@ -739,6 +749,7 @@ function ModelsSection({
         providers[0]?.id ?? null,
     )
     const selected = providers.find((p) => p.id === selectedId)
+    const selectedEnv = envProviders.find((p) => `env:${p.name}` === selectedId)
 
     const addProvider = (provider: ProviderName) => {
         const newProvider: AdminProvider = {
@@ -774,12 +785,38 @@ function ModelsSection({
             {/* Provider list */}
             <div className="flex w-full shrink-0 flex-col border-b sm:w-52 sm:border-b-0 sm:border-r">
                 <div className="flex-1 space-y-1 p-2">
-                    {providers.length === 0 && (
+                    {providers.length === 0 && envProviders.length === 0 && (
                         <p className="px-2 py-6 text-center text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                             Add a provider to offer server-side models to all
                             users.
                         </p>
                     )}
+                    {envProviders.map((p) => (
+                        <button
+                            key={`env:${p.name}`}
+                            type="button"
+                            onClick={() => setSelectedId(`env:${p.name}`)}
+                            className={cn(
+                                "flex w-full items-center gap-2 rounded-md px-2.5 py-2 text-left text-sm hover:bg-muted/60 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring",
+                                selectedId === `env:${p.name}` &&
+                                    "bg-muted font-medium",
+                            )}
+                        >
+                            <ProviderLogo provider={p.provider} />
+                            <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">
+                                {p.name}
+                            </span>
+                            <span className="rounded bg-muted px-1 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-medium uppercase text-muted-foreground">
+                                Env
+                            </span>
+                            {p.isDefault && (
+                                <Star
+                                    className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 fill-amber-400 text-amber-400"
+                                    aria-label="Default provider"
+                                />
+                            )}
+                        </button>
+                    ))}
                     {providers.map((p) => (
                         <button
                             key={p.id}
@@ -842,6 +879,47 @@ function ModelsSection({
                         onUpdate={(patch) => updateProvider(selected.id, patch)}
                         onDelete={() => deleteProvider(selected.id)}
                     />
+                ) : selectedEnv ? (
+                    <div className="space-y-4">
+                        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+                            <div className="flex h-10 w-10 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-muted">
+                                <ProviderLogo
+                                    provider={selectedEnv.provider}
+                                    className="size-5"
+                                />
+                            </div>
+                            <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+                                <h3 className="font-semibold">
+                                    {selectedEnv.name}
+                                </h3>
+                                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                                    Defined in AI_MODELS_CONFIG / ai-models.json
+                                    — read-only here. Edit the environment
+                                    configuration to change it.
+                                </p>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                        <div className="overflow-hidden rounded-lg border">
+                            <ul className="divide-y">
+                                {selectedEnv.models.map((modelId, index) => (
+                                    <li
+                                        key={modelId}
+                                        className="flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-2"
+                                    >
+                                        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate font-mono text-xs">
+                                            {modelId}
+                                            {selectedEnv.isDefault &&
+                                                index === 0 && (
+                                                    <span className="ml-2 rounded bg-amber-500/10 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-medium uppercase text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400">
+                                                        Default Model
+                                                    </span>
+                                                )}
+                                        </span>
+                                    </li>
+                                ))}
+                            </ul>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
                 ) : (
                     <p className="py-12 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
                         Select or add a provider to configure its credentials
@@ -870,6 +948,7 @@ export default function AdminPage() {
 
     // Models section state
     const [providers, setProviders] = useState<AdminProvider[]>([])
+    const [envProviders, setEnvProviders] = useState<EnvProvider[]>([])
     const [savedProviders, setSavedProviders] = useState<string>("[]")
     const providersDirty = JSON.stringify(providers) !== savedProviders
 
@@ -912,9 +991,13 @@ export default function AdminPage() {
     )
 
     const applyProvidersResponse = useCallback(
-        (data: { providers: AdminProvider[] }) => {
+        (data: {
+            providers: AdminProvider[]
+            envProviders?: EnvProvider[]
+        }) => {
             setProviders(data.providers)
             setSavedProviders(JSON.stringify(data.providers))
+            setEnvProviders(data.envProviders ?? [])
         },
         [],
     )
@@ -1214,6 +1297,7 @@ export default function AdminPage() {
                         <div className="overflow-hidden rounded-lg border bg-card">
                             <ModelsSection
                                 providers={providers}
+                                envProviders={envProviders}
                                 disabled={!writable}
                                 password={authedPassword}
                                 onChange={(next) => {
diff --git a/app/api/admin/providers/route.ts b/app/api/admin/providers/route.ts
index d93e5cc..e2ec7f0 100644
--- a/app/api/admin/providers/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/admin/providers/route.ts
@@ -8,21 +8,32 @@ import {
     validateAdminProviders,
 } from "@/lib/admin/providers"
 import { isSettingsWritable, saveSettings } from "@/lib/admin/settings"
+import { loadEnvServerModelsConfig } from "@/lib/server-model-config"
 
 export const runtime = "nodejs"
 export const dynamic = "force-dynamic"
 
-function payload() {
+async function payload() {
+    // Env-based providers (AI_MODELS_CONFIG / ai-models.json) are shown
+    // read-only in the panel; their credentials live in the environment
+    const envConfig = await loadEnvServerModelsConfig()
     return {
         writable: isSettingsWritable(),
         providers: maskAdminProviders(loadAdminProviders()),
+        envProviders:
+            envConfig?.providers.map((p) => ({
+                name: p.name,
+                provider: p.provider,
+                models: p.models,
+                isDefault: !!p.default,
+            })) ?? [],
     }
 }
 
 export async function GET(req: Request) {
     const authError = checkAdminAuth(req)
     if (authError) return authError
-    return Response.json(payload())
+    return Response.json(await payload())
 }
 
 export async function PUT(req: Request) {
@@ -60,12 +71,14 @@ export async function PUT(req: Request) {
     const stored = loadAdminProviders()
     const merged = mergeSecrets(parsed.data, stored)
 
-    const validationError = validateAdminProviders(merged)
+    const envConfig = await loadEnvServerModelsConfig()
+    const envNames = envConfig?.providers.map((p) => p.name) ?? []
+    const validationError = validateAdminProviders(merged, envNames)
     if (validationError) {
         return Response.json({ error: validationError }, { status: 400 })
     }
 
     saveSettings(deriveEnvUpdates(merged, stored))
 
-    return Response.json(payload())
+    return Response.json(await payload())
 }
diff --git a/lib/admin/providers.ts b/lib/admin/providers.ts
index da3dc95..ca0f564 100644
--- a/lib/admin/providers.ts
+++ b/lib/admin/providers.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,14 @@ import { type MaskedSecret, maskSecret } from "./auth"
 import { loadSettings } from "./settings"
 
 // Admin-configured providers, mirroring the user ModelConfigDialog's data
-// model but stored server-side. The list itself is stored in settings.json
-// under ADMIN_PROVIDERS; on save we derive AI_MODELS_CONFIG plus the
-// credential env vars so the existing runtime picks everything up unchanged.
+// model but stored server-side (settings.json, ADMIN_PROVIDERS key).
+//
+// They COEXIST with an env-based AI_MODELS_CONFIG / ai-models.json:
+// loadRawServerModelsConfig() merges the env baseline with the panel's
+// providers at read time, so .env stays authoritative for its own entries.
+// Panel credentials are written to ADMIN_-prefixed env vars (wired up via
+// apiKeyEnv/baseUrlEnv) so they never shadow standard vars like
+// OPENAI_API_KEY that env-based entries may rely on.
 
 export const ADMIN_PROVIDERS_KEY = "ADMIN_PROVIDERS"
 
@@ -60,30 +65,26 @@ const SECRET_FIELDS = [
     "vertexApiKey",
 ] as const
 
-// Default credential env vars per provider (first instance). Later
-// instances of the same provider get a _2/_3 suffix wired up via
-// apiKeyEnv/baseUrlEnv in the generated AI_MODELS_CONFIG.
-// bedrock/vertexai use fixed env vars the runtime reads directly,
-// so only one instance of each can carry server credentials.
-const CRED_ENV: Partial<Record<ProviderName, { key: string; url: string }>> = {
-    openai: { key: "OPENAI_API_KEY", url: "OPENAI_BASE_URL" },
-    anthropic: { key: "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", url: "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL" },
-    google: { key: "GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY", url: "GOOGLE_BASE_URL" },
-    azure: { key: "AZURE_API_KEY", url: "AZURE_BASE_URL" },
-    ollama: { key: "OLLAMA_API_KEY", url: "OLLAMA_BASE_URL" },
-    openrouter: { key: "OPENROUTER_API_KEY", url: "OPENROUTER_BASE_URL" },
-    deepseek: { key: "DEEPSEEK_API_KEY", url: "DEEPSEEK_BASE_URL" },
-    siliconflow: { key: "SILICONFLOW_API_KEY", url: "SILICONFLOW_BASE_URL" },
-    sglang: { key: "SGLANG_API_KEY", url: "SGLANG_BASE_URL" },
-    gateway: { key: "AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY", url: "AI_GATEWAY_BASE_URL" },
-    doubao: { key: "DOUBAO_API_KEY", url: "DOUBAO_BASE_URL" },
-    modelscope: { key: "MODELSCOPE_API_KEY", url: "MODELSCOPE_BASE_URL" },
-    glm: { key: "GLM_API_KEY", url: "GLM_BASE_URL" },
-    qwen: { key: "QWEN_API_KEY", url: "QWEN_BASE_URL" },
-    kimi: { key: "KIMI_API_KEY", url: "KIMI_BASE_URL" },
-    qiniu: { key: "QINIU_API_KEY", url: "QINIU_BASE_URL" },
-    minimax: { key: "MINIMAX_API_KEY", url: "MINIMAX_BASE_URL" },
-    novita: { key: "NOVITA_API_KEY", url: "NOVITA_BASE_URL" },
+// Providers whose credentials the runtime reads from fixed env vars
+// (no apiKeyEnv support), so the panel writes those vars directly and
+// only one instance of each is allowed. edgeone needs no credentials.
+const FIXED_CRED_PROVIDERS: ProviderName[] = ["bedrock", "vertexai", "ollama"]
+
+// ADMIN_-prefixed env var names for instance `index` (0-based) of a provider
+function credEnvNames(
+    provider: ProviderName,
+    index: number,
+): { key?: string; url?: string } {
+    if (FIXED_CRED_PROVIDERS.includes(provider) || provider === "edgeone") {
+        return {}
+    }
+    const prefix =
+        provider === "gateway" ? "AI_GATEWAY" : provider.toUpperCase()
+    const suffix = index === 0 ? "" : `_${index + 1}`
+    return {
+        key: `ADMIN_${prefix}_API_KEY${suffix}`,
+        url: `ADMIN_${prefix}_BASE_URL${suffix}`,
+    }
 }
 
 export function loadAdminProviders(): StoredAdminProvider[] {
@@ -144,10 +145,15 @@ export function mergeSecrets(
     })
 }
 
+function displayName(p: StoredAdminProvider): string {
+    return p.name?.trim() || PROVIDER_INFO[p.provider].label
+}
+
 export function validateAdminProviders(
     list: StoredAdminProvider[],
+    envProviderNames: string[] = [],
 ): string | null {
-    for (const single of ["bedrock", "vertexai"] as const) {
+    for (const single of FIXED_CRED_PROVIDERS) {
         if (list.filter((p) => p.provider === single).length > 1) {
             return `Only one ${PROVIDER_INFO[single].label} provider is supported (its credentials use fixed environment variables).`
         }
@@ -156,29 +162,43 @@ export function validateAdminProviders(
     if (new Set(names).size !== names.length) {
         return "Provider display names must be unique."
     }
+    const envNames = new Set(envProviderNames)
+    const clash = names.find((n) => envNames.has(n))
+    if (clash) {
+        return `"${clash}" is already defined in AI_MODELS_CONFIG / ai-models.json. Use a different display name.`
+    }
     if (list.filter((p) => p.isDefault).length > 1) {
         return "Only one provider can be the default."
     }
     return null
 }
 
-function displayName(p: StoredAdminProvider): string {
-    return p.name?.trim() || PROVIDER_INFO[p.provider].label
+// The panel's contribution to the server models config, derived at read
+// time and merged with the env baseline by loadRawServerModelsConfig().
+export function adminProvidersToConfig(
+    list: StoredAdminProvider[],
+): ServerModelsConfig {
+    const config: ServerModelsConfig = { providers: [] }
+    const indexByProvider = new Map<ProviderName, number>()
+    for (const p of list) {
+        const index = indexByProvider.get(p.provider) ?? 0
+        indexByProvider.set(p.provider, index + 1)
+        if (p.models.length === 0) continue
+        const env = credEnvNames(p.provider, index)
+        config.providers.push({
+            name: displayName(p),
+            provider: p.provider,
+            models: p.models,
+            ...(env.key && p.apiKey ? { apiKeyEnv: env.key } : {}),
+            ...(env.url && p.baseUrl ? { baseUrlEnv: env.url } : {}),
+            ...(p.isDefault ? { default: true } : {}),
+        })
+    }
+    return config
 }
 
-// Env var names for instance `index` (0-based) of a provider
-function credEnvNames(
-    provider: ProviderName,
-    index: number,
-): { key?: string; url?: string } {
-    const base = CRED_ENV[provider]
-    if (!base) return {}
-    if (index === 0) return base
-    return { key: `${base.key}_${index + 1}`, url: `${base.url}_${index + 1}` }
-}
-
-// All env updates derived from the provider list: credential vars,
-// AI_MODELS_CONFIG, and AI_PROVIDER/AI_MODEL for the default model.
+// Settings updates derived from the provider list: credential env vars,
+// the stored list itself, and AI_PROVIDER/AI_MODEL when a default is set.
 // Keys derived from `previous` but absent now are set to null (removed,
 // falling back to the environment).
 export function deriveEnvUpdates(
@@ -190,9 +210,7 @@ export function deriveEnvUpdates(
     // Clear everything the previous list owned, then overwrite below
     for (const key of derivedEnvKeys(previous)) updates[key] = null
 
-    const config: ServerModelsConfig = { providers: [] }
     const indexByProvider = new Map<ProviderName, number>()
-
     for (const p of list) {
         const index = indexByProvider.get(p.provider) ?? 0
         indexByProvider.set(p.provider, index + 1)
@@ -205,51 +223,32 @@ export function deriveEnvUpdates(
         } else if (p.provider === "vertexai") {
             if (p.vertexApiKey) updates.GOOGLE_VERTEX_API_KEY = p.vertexApiKey
             if (p.baseUrl) updates.GOOGLE_VERTEX_BASE_URL = p.baseUrl
-        }
-
-        const env = credEnvNames(p.provider, index)
-        if (env.key && p.apiKey) updates[env.key] = p.apiKey
-        if (env.url && p.baseUrl) updates[env.url] = p.baseUrl
-
-        if (p.models.length > 0) {
-            config.providers.push({
-                name: displayName(p),
-                provider: p.provider,
-                models: p.models,
-                // First instances use the default env vars the runtime
-                // already falls back to; only extras need explicit wiring
-                ...(index > 0 && env.key && p.apiKey
-                    ? { apiKeyEnv: env.key }
-                    : {}),
-                ...(index > 0 && env.url && p.baseUrl
-                    ? { baseUrlEnv: env.url }
-                    : {}),
-                ...(p.isDefault ? { default: true } : {}),
-            })
+        } else if (p.provider === "ollama") {
+            if (p.apiKey) updates.OLLAMA_API_KEY = p.apiKey
+            if (p.baseUrl) updates.OLLAMA_BASE_URL = p.baseUrl
+        } else {
+            const env = credEnvNames(p.provider, index)
+            if (env.key && p.apiKey) updates[env.key] = p.apiKey
+            if (env.url && p.baseUrl) updates[env.url] = p.baseUrl
         }
     }
 
-    if (config.providers.length > 0) {
-        updates[ADMIN_PROVIDERS_KEY] = JSON.stringify(list)
-        updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG = JSON.stringify(config)
-        const defaultEntry =
-            list.find((p) => p.isDefault && p.models.length > 0) ??
-            list.find((p) => p.models.length > 0)
-        if (defaultEntry) {
-            updates.AI_PROVIDER = defaultEntry.provider
-            updates.AI_MODEL = defaultEntry.models[0]
-        }
-    } else if (list.length > 0) {
-        // Providers configured but no models yet — keep the list only
-        updates[ADMIN_PROVIDERS_KEY] = JSON.stringify(list)
-    } else {
-        updates[ADMIN_PROVIDERS_KEY] = null
+    updates[ADMIN_PROVIDERS_KEY] = list.length > 0 ? JSON.stringify(list) : null
+
+    // The panel's default also becomes the server-wide default model;
+    // without one, the env-configured default applies.
+    const defaultEntry = list.find((p) => p.isDefault && p.models.length > 0)
+    if (defaultEntry) {
+        updates.AI_PROVIDER = defaultEntry.provider
+        updates.AI_MODEL = defaultEntry.models[0]
     }
 
     return updates
 }
 
-// Every settings key the panel may have written for a given list
+// Every settings key the panel may have written for a given list.
+// AI_MODELS_CONFIG is included to clean up values written by older
+// versions of the panel (it is no longer written).
 function derivedEnvKeys(list: StoredAdminProvider[]): string[] {
     const keys = new Set<string>([
         "AI_MODELS_CONFIG",
@@ -267,10 +266,14 @@ function derivedEnvKeys(list: StoredAdminProvider[]): string[] {
         } else if (p.provider === "vertexai") {
             keys.add("GOOGLE_VERTEX_API_KEY")
             keys.add("GOOGLE_VERTEX_BASE_URL")
+        } else if (p.provider === "ollama") {
+            keys.add("OLLAMA_API_KEY")
+            keys.add("OLLAMA_BASE_URL")
+        } else {
+            const env = credEnvNames(p.provider, index)
+            if (env.key) keys.add(env.key)
+            if (env.url) keys.add(env.url)
         }
-        const env = credEnvNames(p.provider, index)
-        if (env.key) keys.add(env.key)
-        if (env.url) keys.add(env.url)
     }
     return [...keys]
 }
diff --git a/lib/server-model-config.ts b/lib/server-model-config.ts
index a2800d4..65ff0cc 100644
--- a/lib/server-model-config.ts
+++ b/lib/server-model-config.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function getConfigPath(): string {
     return path.join(process.cwd(), "ai-models.json")
 }
 
-export async function loadRawServerModelsConfig(): Promise<ServerModelsConfig | null> {
+export async function loadEnvServerModelsConfig(): Promise<ServerModelsConfig | null> {
     // Priority 1: AI_MODELS_CONFIG env var (JSON string) - for cloud deployments
     const envConfig = process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG
     if (envConfig && envConfig.trim().length > 0) {
@@ -96,6 +96,40 @@ export async function loadRawServerModelsConfig(): Promise<ServerModelsConfig |
     }
 }
 
+export async function loadRawServerModelsConfig(): Promise<ServerModelsConfig | null> {
+    const envConfig = await loadEnvServerModelsConfig()
+
+    // Merge in providers managed via the admin panel (settings.json).
+    // Dynamic import to avoid a module-init cycle with lib/admin/providers.
+    let adminConfig: ServerModelsConfig | null = null
+    try {
+        const { adminProvidersToConfig, loadAdminProviders } = await import(
+            "./admin/providers"
+        )
+        const adminProviders = loadAdminProviders()
+        if (adminProviders.length > 0) {
+            adminConfig = adminProvidersToConfig(adminProviders)
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error(
+            "[server-model-config] Failed to load admin providers:",
+            err,
+        )
+    }
+
+    if (!adminConfig || adminConfig.providers.length === 0) return envConfig
+    if (!envConfig) return adminConfig
+
+    // A panel default overrides an env default
+    const adminHasDefault = adminConfig.providers.some((p) => p.default)
+    const envProviders = adminHasDefault
+        ? envConfig.providers.map((p) =>
+              p.default ? { ...p, default: undefined } : p,
+          )
+        : envConfig.providers
+    return { providers: [...envProviders, ...adminConfig.providers] }
+}
+
 export async function loadFlattenedServerModels(): Promise<
     FlattenedServerModel[]
 > {
diff --git a/tests/unit/admin-providers.test.ts b/tests/unit/admin-providers.test.ts
index 509159b..7b2cb01 100644
--- a/tests/unit/admin-providers.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/admin-providers.test.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import os from "os"
 import path from "path"
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
 import {
+    adminProvidersToConfig,
     deriveEnvUpdates,
     mergeSecrets,
     type StoredAdminProvider,
     validateAdminProviders,
 } from "@/lib/admin/providers"
-import { _resetForTests } from "@/lib/admin/settings"
+import { _resetForTests, saveSettings } from "@/lib/admin/settings"
+import { loadRawServerModelsConfig } from "@/lib/server-model-config"
 
 let tmpDir: string
 
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 afterEach(() => {
     _resetForTests()
     delete process.env.SETTINGS_FILE
+    delete process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG
     fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
 })
 
@@ -37,14 +40,13 @@ function provider(
 }
 
 describe("deriveEnvUpdates", () => {
-    it("writes credential env vars and AI_MODELS_CONFIG", () => {
+    it("writes credentials to ADMIN_-prefixed env vars (never shadows standard vars)", () => {
         const updates = deriveEnvUpdates([provider()], [])
-        expect(updates.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe("sk-test")
-        const config = JSON.parse(updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG as string)
-        expect(config.providers).toHaveLength(1)
-        expect(config.providers[0].models).toEqual(["gpt-5.2"])
-        expect(updates.AI_PROVIDER).toBe("openai")
-        expect(updates.AI_MODEL).toBe("gpt-5.2")
+        expect(updates.ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe("sk-test")
+        expect(updates.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+        expect(JSON.parse(updates.ADMIN_PROVIDERS as string)).toHaveLength(1)
+        // AI_MODELS_CONFIG is no longer written (merged at read time)
+        expect(updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG).toBeNull()
     })
 
     it("suffixes env vars for a second instance of the same provider", () => {
@@ -60,10 +62,8 @@ describe("deriveEnvUpdates", () => {
             ],
             [],
         )
-        expect(updates.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe("sk-test")
-        expect(updates.OPENAI_API_KEY_2).toBe("sk-second")
-        const config = JSON.parse(updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG as string)
-        expect(config.providers[1].apiKeyEnv).toBe("OPENAI_API_KEY_2")
+        expect(updates.ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe("sk-test")
+        expect(updates.ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY_2).toBe("sk-second")
     })
 
     it("maps bedrock credentials to AWS env vars", () => {
@@ -88,12 +88,16 @@ describe("deriveEnvUpdates", () => {
     it("clears keys owned by the previous list when providers are removed", () => {
         const prev = [provider()]
         const updates = deriveEnvUpdates([], prev)
-        expect(updates.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeNull()
+        expect(updates.ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeNull()
         expect(updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG).toBeNull()
         expect(updates.ADMIN_PROVIDERS).toBeNull()
     })
 
-    it("respects the default flag for AI_PROVIDER/AI_MODEL", () => {
+    it("sets AI_PROVIDER/AI_MODEL only when a default is flagged", () => {
+        const noDefault = deriveEnvUpdates([provider()], [])
+        expect(noDefault.AI_PROVIDER).toBeNull()
+        expect(noDefault.AI_MODEL).toBeNull()
+
         const updates = deriveEnvUpdates(
             [
                 provider({ id: "p1" }),
@@ -108,8 +112,37 @@ describe("deriveEnvUpdates", () => {
         )
         expect(updates.AI_PROVIDER).toBe("deepseek")
         expect(updates.AI_MODEL).toBe("deepseek-chat")
-        const config = JSON.parse(updates.AI_MODELS_CONFIG as string)
-        expect(config.providers[1].default).toBe(true)
+    })
+})
+
+describe("adminProvidersToConfig", () => {
+    it("builds a config with ADMIN_-prefixed apiKeyEnv wiring", () => {
+        const config = adminProvidersToConfig([provider()])
+        expect(config.providers).toHaveLength(1)
+        expect(config.providers[0].models).toEqual(["gpt-5.2"])
+        expect(config.providers[0].apiKeyEnv).toBe("ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY")
+    })
+
+    it("wires suffixed env vars for a second instance", () => {
+        const config = adminProvidersToConfig([
+            provider({ id: "p1", name: "First" }),
+            provider({
+                id: "p2",
+                name: "Second",
+                apiKey: "sk-second",
+                models: ["gpt-5-mini"],
+            }),
+        ])
+        expect(config.providers[1].apiKeyEnv).toBe("ADMIN_OPENAI_API_KEY_2")
+    })
+
+    it("skips providers without models and carries the default flag", () => {
+        const config = adminProvidersToConfig([
+            provider({ id: "p1", models: [] }),
+            provider({ id: "p2", name: "D", isDefault: true }),
+        ])
+        expect(config.providers).toHaveLength(1)
+        expect(config.providers[0].default).toBe(true)
     })
 })
 
@@ -147,7 +180,77 @@ describe("mergeSecrets", () => {
     })
 })
 
+describe("loadRawServerModelsConfig merge", () => {
+    it("combines env AI_MODELS_CONFIG with panel providers", async () => {
+        process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG = JSON.stringify({
+            providers: [
+                {
+                    name: "Env OpenAI",
+                    provider: "openai",
+                    models: ["gpt-from-env"],
+                    default: true,
+                },
+            ],
+        })
+        saveSettings(deriveEnvUpdates([provider({ name: "Panel" })], []))
+
+        const merged = await loadRawServerModelsConfig()
+        expect(merged?.providers.map((p) => p.name)).toEqual([
+            "Env OpenAI",
+            "Panel",
+        ])
+        // Env default kept because panel set none
+        expect(merged?.providers[0].default).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it("panel default overrides the env default", async () => {
+        process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG = JSON.stringify({
+            providers: [
+                {
+                    name: "Env OpenAI",
+                    provider: "openai",
+                    models: ["gpt-from-env"],
+                    default: true,
+                },
+            ],
+        })
+        saveSettings(
+            deriveEnvUpdates(
+                [provider({ name: "Panel", isDefault: true })],
+                [],
+            ),
+        )
+
+        const merged = await loadRawServerModelsConfig()
+        expect(merged?.providers[0].default).toBeFalsy()
+        expect(merged?.providers[1].default).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it("returns only env config when the panel has no providers", async () => {
+        process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG = JSON.stringify({
+            providers: [
+                {
+                    name: "Env Only",
+                    provider: "openai",
+                    models: ["gpt-from-env"],
+                },
+            ],
+        })
+        const merged = await loadRawServerModelsConfig()
+        expect(merged?.providers.map((p) => p.name)).toEqual(["Env Only"])
+    })
+})
+
 describe("validateAdminProviders", () => {
+    it("rejects names clashing with env-configured providers", () => {
+        expect(
+            validateAdminProviders(
+                [provider({ name: "Env OpenAI" })],
+                ["Env OpenAI"],
+            ),
+        ).toMatch(/already defined/)
+    })
+
     it("rejects two bedrock instances", () => {
         const list = [
             provider({ id: "p1", provider: "bedrock" }),
diff --git a/tests/unit/server-model-config.test.ts b/tests/unit/server-model-config.test.ts
index 1d17d31..febdd20 100644
--- a/tests/unit/server-model-config.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/server-model-config.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest"
+import { _resetForTests } from "@/lib/admin/settings"
 import {
     loadFlattenedServerModels,
     type ServerModelsConfig,
@@ -7,11 +8,20 @@ import {
 
 const ORIGINAL_ENV = { ...process.env }
 
+beforeEach(() => {
+    // Isolate from any local data/settings.json (admin panel providers
+    // are merged into the server models config)
+    process.env.SETTINGS_FILE = "/nonexistent/settings.json"
+    _resetForTests()
+})
+
 afterEach(() => {
+    _resetForTests()
     process.env.AI_PROVIDER = ORIGINAL_ENV.AI_PROVIDER
     process.env.AI_MODEL = ORIGINAL_ENV.AI_MODEL
     process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG_PATH = ORIGINAL_ENV.AI_MODELS_CONFIG_PATH
     process.env.AI_MODELS_CONFIG = ORIGINAL_ENV.AI_MODELS_CONFIG
+    delete process.env.SETTINGS_FILE
 })
 
 describe("ServerModelsConfigSchema", () => {