diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 038dd6af3..d7a5bcaa1 100755
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -2132,7 +2132,20 @@ class HermesCLI:
                         print(f"  Warning: {message}")
             else:
                 from hermes_cli.models import curated_models_for_provider, normalize_provider, _PROVIDER_LABELS
-                display_provider = normalize_provider(self.provider)
+                from hermes_cli.auth import resolve_provider as _resolve_provider
+                # Resolve "auto" to the actual provider using credential detection
+                raw_provider = normalize_provider(self.provider)
+                if raw_provider == "auto":
+                    try:
+                        display_provider = _resolve_provider(
+                            self.requested_provider,
+                            explicit_api_key=self._explicit_api_key,
+                            explicit_base_url=self._explicit_base_url,
+                        )
+                    except Exception:
+                        display_provider = "openrouter"
+                else:
+                    display_provider = raw_provider
                 provider_label = _PROVIDER_LABELS.get(display_provider, display_provider)
                 print(f"\n  Current model:    {self.model}")
                 print(f"  Current provider: {provider_label}")
diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index c7219de90..d1dcd8976 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -1344,7 +1344,14 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         except Exception:
             pass
 
+        # Resolve "auto" to the actual provider using credential detection
         current_provider = normalize_provider(current_provider)
+        if current_provider == "auto":
+            try:
+                from hermes_cli.auth import resolve_provider as _resolve_provider
+                current_provider = _resolve_provider(current_provider)
+            except Exception:
+                current_provider = "openrouter"
 
         if not args:
             provider_label = _PROVIDER_LABELS.get(current_provider, current_provider)
diff --git a/hermes_cli/models.py b/hermes_cli/models.py
index 823904fa4..80e09fea1 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/models.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/models.py
@@ -124,10 +124,13 @@ def curated_models_for_provider(provider: Optional[str]) -> list[tuple[str, str]
 
 
 def normalize_provider(provider: Optional[str]) -> str:
-    """Normalize provider aliases to Hermes' canonical provider ids."""
+    """Normalize provider aliases to Hermes' canonical provider ids.
+
+    Note: ``"auto"`` passes through unchanged — use
+    ``hermes_cli.auth.resolve_provider()`` to resolve it to a concrete
+    provider based on credentials and environment.
+    """
     normalized = (provider or "openrouter").strip().lower()
-    if normalized == "auto":
-        return "openrouter"
     return _PROVIDER_ALIASES.get(normalized, normalized)