OpenRouter / AI Coding Tools
OpenRouter Provider Ignores Selected Model — Silently Falls Back to Default
Fix OpenRouter provider ignoring the user-selected model and falling back to the default Anthropic model Includes evidence for OpenRouter troubleshooting demand.
- Category
- AI Coding Tools
- Error signature
OpenRouter provider ignores selected model and falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6- Quick fix
- Compare the failing environment with a known working setup, then change one configuration value at a time.
- Updated
What this error means
OpenRouter provider ignores selected model and falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6 is a OpenRouter failure pattern reported for developers trying to fix openrouter provider ignoring the user-selected model and falling back to the default anthropic model. Based on the imported evidence, treat this as a tool-specific troubleshooting page rather than a generic API error.
Why this happens
OpenRouter provider fails to preserve selected model parameter. Silently uses default Anthropic model instead. Users are charged for OpenRouter credits but receive responses from a different model.
Common causes
- When using OpenRouter provider, the selected model (e.g. openai/gpt-4o) is not preserved. The plugin silently falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6 without warning. Users pay for OpenRouter credits but get wrong model.
- OpenRouter provider fails to preserve selected model parameter. Silently uses default Anthropic model instead. Users are charged for OpenRouter credits but receive responses from a different model.
Quick fixes
- Confirm the exact error signature matches
OpenRouter provider ignores selected model and falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6. - Check the OpenRouter account, local tool state, and provider configuration involved in the failing workflow.
- Compare the failing environment with a known working setup, then change one configuration value at a time.
Platform/tool-specific checks
- Verify the command, editor, extension, or API client that produced the error.
- Compare local settings with CI, deployment, or editor-level settings when the error appears in only one environment.
- Avoid deleting credentials, local model data, or project settings until the failing scope is clear.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
- Capture the exact error message and the command, editor action, or request that triggered it.
- Check whether the failure is account/auth, quota/rate, model/provider, local runtime, or deployment configuration.
- Review the source evidence below and compare it with your environment.
- Apply one change at a time and rerun the smallest failing action.
- Keep the working fix documented for the team or deployment environment.
How to prevent it
- Keep provider/tool configuration documented.
- Record non-secret diagnostics such as tool version, provider name, model name, and command path.
- Add a lightweight check before CI or production workflows depend on the tool.
Sources checked
Evidence note: OpenRouter provider fails to preserve selected model parameter. Silently uses default Anthropic model instead. Users are charged for OpenRouter credits but receive responses from a different model.
Related errors
- OpenRouter model routing bug
- OpenRouter wrong model used
- OpenRouter silent fallback to default
FAQ
What should I check first?
Start with the exact OpenRouter provider ignores selected model and falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6 text and the smallest action that reproduces it.
Can I ignore this error?
No. Treat it as a failed OpenRouter workflow until the root cause is understood.
Is this guaranteed to have one fix?
No. The imported evidence supports the troubleshooting path above, but tool behavior can vary by account, plan, version, provider, and local configuration.
How do I know the fix worked?
Rerun the same command, editor action, or request. The fix is working when that action completes without OpenRouter provider ignores selected model and falls back to claude-sonnet-4-6.