diff --git a/cli-config.yaml.example b/cli-config.yaml.example
index acdc4ff2d..036efbc33 100644
--- a/cli-config.yaml.example
+++ b/cli-config.yaml.example
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 # =============================================================================
 model:
   # Default model to use (can be overridden with --model flag)
+  # Both "default" and "model" work as the key name here.
   default: "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
   
   # Inference provider selection:
diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 82abba2e6..8aaf1378b 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ class HermesCLI:
         # authoritative.  This avoids conflicts in multi-agent setups where
         # env vars would stomp each other.
         _model_config = CLI_CONFIG.get("model", {})
-        _config_model = _model_config.get("default", "") if isinstance(_model_config, dict) else (_model_config or "")
+        _config_model = (_model_config.get("default") or _model_config.get("model") or "") if isinstance(_model_config, dict) else (_model_config or "")
         _FALLBACK_MODEL = "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
         self.model = model or _config_model or _FALLBACK_MODEL
         # Auto-detect model from local server if still on fallback
diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index bd02d1e50..1cebf9760 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def _resolve_gateway_model(config: dict | None = None) -> str:
     if isinstance(model_cfg, str):
         model = model_cfg
     elif isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
-        model = model_cfg.get("default", model)
+        model = model_cfg.get("default") or model_cfg.get("model") or model
     return model
 
 
@@ -2093,7 +2093,7 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                     if isinstance(_model_cfg, str):
                         _hyg_model = _model_cfg
                     elif isinstance(_model_cfg, dict):
-                        _hyg_model = _model_cfg.get("default", _hyg_model)
+                        _hyg_model = _model_cfg.get("default") or _model_cfg.get("model") or _hyg_model
                         # Read explicit context_length override from model config
                         # (same as run_agent.py lines 995-1005)
                         _raw_ctx = _model_cfg.get("context_length")
diff --git a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
index 046e7d6d4..0c82805d5 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ def _get_model_config() -> Dict[str, Any]:
     model_cfg = config.get("model")
     if isinstance(model_cfg, dict):
         cfg = dict(model_cfg)
+        # Accept "model" as alias for "default" (users intuitively write model.model)
+        if not cfg.get("default") and cfg.get("model"):
+            cfg["default"] = cfg["model"]
         default = (cfg.get("default") or "").strip()
         base_url = (cfg.get("base_url") or "").strip()
         is_local = "localhost" in base_url or "127.0.0.1" in base_url
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md b/website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md
index 9c5f5d179..3ebe0f268 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ You need at least one way to connect to an LLM. Use `hermes model` to switch pro
 | **Hugging Face** | `HF_TOKEN` in `~/.hermes/.env` (provider: `huggingface`, aliases: `hf`) |
 | **Custom Endpoint** | `hermes model` (saved in `config.yaml`) or `OPENAI_BASE_URL` + `OPENAI_API_KEY` in `~/.hermes/.env` |
 
+:::tip Model key alias
+In the `model:` config section, you can use either `default:` or `model:` as the key name for your model ID. Both `model: { default: my-model }` and `model: { model: my-model }` work identically.
+:::
+
 :::info Codex Note
 The OpenAI Codex provider authenticates via device code (open a URL, enter a code). Hermes stores the resulting credentials in its own auth store under `~/.hermes/auth.json` and can import existing Codex CLI credentials from `~/.codex/auth.json` when present. No Codex CLI installation is required.
 :::