diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 019303a440..ba1871816e 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -216,6 +216,11 @@ ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-your-key-here
 # OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.aimlapi.com/v1
 # OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4o
 
+# For API Route, the dedicated key enables the OpenAI-compatible route:
+# API_ROUTE_API_KEY=your-api-route-key-here
+# OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://global.api-route.com/v1
+# OPENAI_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4-6
+
 # For LLMTR, prefer its dedicated key. Raw env setup must also set
 # OPENAI_BASE_URL and OPENAI_MODEL. OPENAI_API_KEY remains supported:
 # LLMTR_API_KEY=your-llmtr-key-here
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7c8c67c310..eb93f8c4bc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ Advanced and source-build guides:
 | LLMTR | `/provider` or OpenAI-compatible env vars | Multi-model gateway at `https://llmtr.com/v1`; `/provider` and `--provider llmtr` default to `deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash`, while raw env setup must set `OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://llmtr.com/v1` and `OPENAI_MODEL`; accepts `LLMTR_API_KEY` or `OPENAI_API_KEY` after the route is selected and discovers tool-capable Chat Completions models from the public catalog |
 | Command Code | `/provider` or OpenAI-compatible env vars | Hybrid OpenAI-compatible gateway at `https://api.commandcode.ai/provider/v1`; `/provider` and `--provider commandcode` default to `deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash`, while raw env setup must set `OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.commandcode.ai/provider/v1` and `OPENAI_MODEL`; requires `CMD_API_KEY`, `COMMANDCODE_API_KEY`, or the official `COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY` after the route is selected and discovers Chat Completions models from the public catalog. Claude models are unsupported by this Chat Completions integration |
 | ApiSmart | `/provider` or `APISMART_API_KEY` | Uses `https://gw.apismart.ai/v1`, defaults to `DEEPSEEK_V4_FLASH`, and supports optional `APISMART_MODEL` plus authenticated model discovery |
+| API Route | `/provider` or `API_ROUTE_API_KEY` | Uses `https://global.api-route.com/v1`, defaults to `claude-sonnet-4-6`, and supports optional `API_ROUTE_MODEL` plus authenticated model discovery |
 | Hicap | `/provider` or OpenAI-compatible env vars | Uses `api-key` auth, discovers models from unauthenticated `/models`, and supports Responses mode for `gpt-` models |
 | Fireworks AI | `/provider` or env vars | First-class provider with 276 curated models (DeepSeek, Qwen, Llama, Gemma, and more); uses `FIREWORKS_API_KEY` |
 | LongCat | `/provider` or env vars | Meituan LongCat OpenAI-compatible API at `https://api.longcat.chat/openai/v1`; uses `LONGCAT_API_KEY` and defaults to `LongCat-2.0` |
diff --git a/src/integrations/compatibility.test.ts b/src/integrations/compatibility.test.ts
index 9520a85e06..7ed084485e 100644
--- a/src/integrations/compatibility.test.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/compatibility.test.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ const EXPECTED_PRESETS = [
   'opencode',
   'opencode-go',
   'clinepass',
+  'api-route',
 ] as const satisfies readonly ProviderPreset[]
 
 describe('compatibility mappings', () => {
diff --git a/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.test.ts b/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98b4824f50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+import { expect, test } from 'bun:test'
+
+import { routeForPreset } from '../compatibility.js'
+import { getProviderPresetUiMetadata } from '../providerUiMetadata.js'
+import {
+  resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv,
+  resolveRouteCredentialValue,
+  resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl,
+} from '../routeMetadata.js'
+import gateway, { mapApiRouteModel } from './api-route.js'
+
+test('API Route uses a dedicated hybrid OpenAI-compatible gateway contract', () => {
+  expect(gateway.defaultBaseUrl).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+  expect(gateway.defaultModel).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+  expect(gateway.setup.credentialEnvVars).toEqual(['API_ROUTE_API_KEY'])
+  expect(gateway.setup.dedicatedCredentialsOnly).toBe(false)
+  expect(gateway.preset?.apiKeyEnvVars).toEqual(['API_ROUTE_API_KEY'])
+  expect(gateway.validation).toMatchObject({
+    kind: 'credential-env',
+    routing: { matchDefaultBaseUrl: true },
+    credentialEnvVars: ['API_ROUTE_API_KEY', 'OPENAI_API_KEYS', 'OPENAI_API_KEY'],
+  })
+  expect(gateway.transportConfig).toEqual({
+    kind: 'openai-compatible',
+    openaiShim: {
+      supportsApiFormatSelection: false,
+      supportsAuthHeaders: false,
+      maxTokensField: 'max_tokens',
+    },
+  })
+  expect(gateway.catalog?.source).toBe('hybrid')
+  expect(gateway.catalog?.discovery?.requiresAuth).toBe(true)
+  expect(gateway.catalog?.models?.map(model => model.apiName)).toEqual([
+    'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  ])
+})
+
+test('API Route preset uses the existing generic profile path', () => {
+  expect(routeForPreset('api-route')).toEqual({
+    vendorId: 'openai',
+    gatewayId: 'api-route',
+    routeId: 'api-route',
+  })
+  expect(
+    getProviderPresetUiMetadata('api-route', {
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'test-api-route-key',
+    }),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    apiKey: 'test-api-route-key',
+    baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    provider: 'api-route',
+    routeId: 'api-route',
+  })
+  expect(
+    getProviderPresetUiMetadata('api-route', {
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'test-api-route-key',
+      API_ROUTE_MODEL: 'custom-api-route-model',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'custom-openai-model',
+    }),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    model: 'custom-api-route-model',
+  })
+  expect(
+    getProviderPresetUiMetadata('api-route', {
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'test-api-route-key',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'custom-openai-model',
+    }),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    model: 'custom-openai-model',
+  })
+})
+
+test('API Route profile credentials use the generic fallback only on the canonical inference URL', () => {
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      processEnv: { OPENAI_API_KEY: 'saved-profile-key' },
+    }),
+  ).toBe('saved-profile-key')
+
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'https://proxy.example.com/v1',
+      processEnv: { OPENAI_API_KEY: 'saved-profile-key' },
+    }),
+  ).toBeUndefined()
+
+  const env = { API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'secret-key' }
+
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      processEnv: env,
+    }),
+  ).toBe('secret-key')
+
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'http://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      processEnv: env,
+    }),
+  ).toBeUndefined()
+
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1?tenant=proxy',
+      processEnv: env,
+    }),
+  ).toBeUndefined()
+
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: 'https://proxy.example.com/v1',
+      processEnv: env,
+    }),
+  ).toBeUndefined()
+})
+
+test('API Route discovery maps chat models and drops non-chat IDs', () => {
+  expect(
+    mapApiRouteModel({
+      id: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+      name: 'Claude Sonnet 4.6',
+      context_length: 200000,
+    }),
+  ).toEqual({
+    id: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    apiName: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    label: 'Claude Sonnet 4.6',
+    contextWindow: 200000,
+  })
+
+  expect(
+    mapApiRouteModel({
+      id: 'gpt-4o-mini',
+      owned_by: 'openai',
+    }),
+  ).toEqual({
+    id: 'gpt-4o-mini',
+    apiName: 'gpt-4o-mini',
+    label: 'gpt-4o-mini (openai)',
+  })
+
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'text-embedding-3-small' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'whisper-1' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'dall-e-3' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'gpt-image-1' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'sora-turbo' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({ id: 'veo-2' })).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel(null)).toBeNull()
+  expect(mapApiRouteModel({})).toBeNull()
+})
+
+test('API Route route resolution detects endpoints and environment intent', () => {
+  expect(resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl('https://global.api-route.com/v1')).toBe(
+    'api-route',
+  )
+  expect(
+    resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl('https://global.api-route.com/v1/chat/completions'),
+  ).toBe('api-route')
+
+  expect(
+    resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv({
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'test-key',
+    }),
+  ).toBe('api-route')
+})
diff --git a/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.ts b/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5b65b773e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/integrations/gateways/api-route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import { defineCatalog, defineGateway } from '../define.js'
+
+const NON_CHAT_MODEL_PATTERN =
+  /(embedding|embed|dall-e|whisper|tts|rerank|moderation|omni-moderation|audio|^gpt-image-|^sora-|^veo-)/i
+
+
+function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null
+}
+
+function getTrimmedString(
+  record: Record<string, unknown>,
+  key: string,
+): string | undefined {
+  const value = record[key]
+  return typeof value === 'string' ? value.trim() : undefined
+}
+
+function getPositiveInteger(value: unknown): number | undefined {
+  if (
+    typeof value === 'number' &&
+    Number.isFinite(value) &&
+    Number.isInteger(value) &&
+    value > 0
+  ) {
+    return value
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
+export function mapApiRouteModel(raw: unknown) {
+  if (!isRecord(raw)) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const id = getTrimmedString(raw, 'id')
+  if (!id || NON_CHAT_MODEL_PATTERN.test(id)) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const name = getTrimmedString(raw, 'name')
+  const ownedBy =
+    getTrimmedString(raw, 'owned_by') || getTrimmedString(raw, 'ownedBy')
+  const label = name || (ownedBy ? `${id} (${ownedBy})` : id)
+  const contextWindow =
+    getPositiveInteger(raw.context_length) ??
+    getPositiveInteger(raw.context_window)
+
+  return {
+    id,
+    apiName: id,
+    label,
+    ...(contextWindow !== undefined ? { contextWindow } : {}),
+  }
+}
+
+const curatedModels = [
+  {
+    id: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    apiName: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    aliases: ['sonnet-4.6', 'claude-sonnet'],
+    modelDescriptorId: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    label: 'Claude Sonnet 4.6',
+    contextWindow: 200_000,
+    maxOutputTokens: 8_192,
+  },
+]
+
+const catalog = defineCatalog({
+  source: 'hybrid',
+  discovery: {
+    kind: 'openai-compatible',
+    requiresAuth: true,
+    mapModel: mapApiRouteModel,
+  },
+  discoveryCacheTtl: '1d',
+  discoveryRefreshMode: 'background-if-stale',
+  allowManualRefresh: true,
+  models: [...curatedModels],
+})
+
+export default defineGateway({
+  id: 'api-route',
+  label: 'API Route',
+  category: 'aggregating',
+  defaultBaseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+  defaultModel: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  supportsModelRouting: true,
+  setup: {
+    requiresAuth: true,
+    authMode: 'api-key',
+    credentialEnvVars: ['API_ROUTE_API_KEY'],
+    dedicatedCredentialsOnly: false,
+  },
+  startup: {
+    probeReadiness: 'openai-compatible-models',
+  },
+  transportConfig: {
+    kind: 'openai-compatible',
+    openaiShim: {
+      supportsApiFormatSelection: false,
+      supportsAuthHeaders: false,
+      maxTokensField: 'max_tokens',
+    },
+  },
+  preset: {
+    id: 'api-route',
+    description: 'API Route OpenAI-compatible multi-model gateway',
+    vendorId: 'openai',
+    apiKeyEnvVars: ['API_ROUTE_API_KEY'],
+    modelEnvVars: ['API_ROUTE_MODEL', 'OPENAI_MODEL'],
+  },
+  validation: {
+    kind: 'credential-env',
+    routing: {
+      matchDefaultBaseUrl: true,
+      matchBaseUrlHosts: ['global.api-route.com'],
+    },
+    credentialEnvVars: ['API_ROUTE_API_KEY', 'OPENAI_API_KEYS', 'OPENAI_API_KEY'],
+    missingCredentialMessage:
+      'API Route auth is required. Set API_ROUTE_API_KEY.',
+  },
+  catalog,
+  usage: { supported: false },
+})
diff --git a/src/integrations/generated/integrationArtifacts.generated.ts b/src/integrations/generated/integrationArtifacts.generated.ts
index 7878d15c42..ee24bd6065 100644
--- a/src/integrations/generated/integrationArtifacts.generated.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/generated/integrationArtifacts.generated.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import vendorXai from '../vendors/xai.js'
 import vendorXiaomiMimo from '../vendors/xiaomi-mimo.js'
 import vendorZai from '../vendors/zai.js'
 import gatewayAimlapi from '../gateways/aimlapi.js'
+import gatewayApiRoute from '../gateways/api-route.js'
 import gatewayApismart from '../gateways/apismart.js'
 import gatewayAtlasCloud from '../gateways/atlas-cloud.js'
 import gatewayAtomicChat from '../gateways/atomic-chat.js'
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ import modelXai from '../models/xai.js'
 import modelXiaomiMimo from '../models/xiaomi-mimo.js'
 
 export const VENDOR_DESCRIPTORS = [vendorAnthropic, vendorBankr, vendorDeepseek, vendorFireworks, vendorGemini, vendorLongcat, vendorMinimax, vendorMoonshot, vendorNearai, vendorOpenai, vendorVenice, vendorXai, vendorXiaomiMimo, vendorZai] as const satisfies readonly VendorDescriptor[]
-export const GATEWAY_DESCRIPTORS = [gatewayAimlapi, gatewayApismart, gatewayAtlasCloud, gatewayAtomicChat, gatewayAzureOpenai, gatewayBedrock, gatewayClinepass, gatewayCloudflare, gatewayCommandcode, gatewayConcentrate, gatewayCustom, gatewayDashscopeCn, gatewayDashscopeIntl, gatewayGithubEnterprise, gatewayGithub, gatewayGitlawbOpengateway, gatewayGroq, gatewayHicap, gatewayKimiCode, gatewayLlmtr, gatewayLmstudio, gatewayMistral, gatewayNvidiaNim, gatewayOllama, gatewayOpencodeGo, gatewayOpencode, gatewayOpenrouter, gatewayTogether, gatewayVertex, gatewayXiaomiMimoToken] as const satisfies readonly GatewayDescriptor[]
+export const GATEWAY_DESCRIPTORS = [gatewayAimlapi, gatewayApiRoute, gatewayApismart, gatewayAtlasCloud, gatewayAtomicChat, gatewayAzureOpenai, gatewayBedrock, gatewayClinepass, gatewayCloudflare, gatewayCommandcode, gatewayConcentrate, gatewayCustom, gatewayDashscopeCn, gatewayDashscopeIntl, gatewayGithubEnterprise, gatewayGithub, gatewayGitlawbOpengateway, gatewayGroq, gatewayHicap, gatewayKimiCode, gatewayLlmtr, gatewayLmstudio, gatewayMistral, gatewayNvidiaNim, gatewayOllama, gatewayOpencodeGo, gatewayOpencode, gatewayOpenrouter, gatewayTogether, gatewayVertex, gatewayXiaomiMimoToken] as const satisfies readonly GatewayDescriptor[]
 export const ANTHROPIC_PROXY_DESCRIPTORS = [anthropicproxyCustom] as const satisfies readonly AnthropicProxyDescriptor[]
 export const BRAND_DESCRIPTORS = [brandClaude, brandDeepseek, brandFireworks, brandGemini, brandGlm, brandGpt, brandKimi, brandLing, brandLlama, brandLongcat, brandMacaron, brandMinimax, brandMistral, brandNearai, brandNemotron, brandOpenaiCompatibleAlias, brandQwen, brandTencent, brandXai, brandXiaomiMimo] as const satisfies readonly BrandDescriptor[]
 export const MODEL_DESCRIPTOR_GROUPS = [modelClaude, modelDeepseek, modelFireworksMerged, modelGemini, modelGlm, modelGpt, modelKimi, modelLing, modelLlama, modelLongcat, modelMacaron, modelMinimax, modelMistral, modelNearai, modelNemotron, modelOpenaiCompatibleAlias, modelOpencode, modelQwen, modelTencent, modelXai, modelXiaomiMimo] as const satisfies readonly (readonly ModelDescriptor[])[]
diff --git a/src/integrations/generated/integrationManifest.generated.ts b/src/integrations/generated/integrationManifest.generated.ts
index c1da980ccf..77b29a5b85 100644
--- a/src/integrations/generated/integrationManifest.generated.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/generated/integrationManifest.generated.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,21 @@ export const PROVIDER_PRESET_MANIFEST = [
       "DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
     ]
   },
+  {
+    "preset": "api-route",
+    "routeKind": "gateway",
+    "routeId": "api-route",
+    "vendorId": "openai",
+    "gatewayId": "api-route",
+    "description": "API Route OpenAI-compatible multi-model gateway",
+    "apiKeyEnvVars": [
+      "API_ROUTE_API_KEY"
+    ],
+    "modelEnvVars": [
+      "API_ROUTE_MODEL",
+      "OPENAI_MODEL"
+    ]
+  },
   {
     "preset": "apismart",
     "routeKind": "gateway",
@@ -591,6 +606,7 @@ export const ORDERED_PROVIDER_PRESETS = [
   "anthropic",
   "dashscope-cn",
   "dashscope-intl",
+  "api-route",
   "apismart",
   "atlas-cloud",
   "azure-openai",
diff --git a/src/integrations/providerUiMetadata.ts b/src/integrations/providerUiMetadata.ts
index bb2fd93935..2340f45293 100644
--- a/src/integrations/providerUiMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/providerUiMetadata.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ function hasUsableEnvValue(envVar: string, value: string | undefined): boolean {
     envVar === 'LLMTR_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'CMD_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY' ||
-    envVar === 'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY'
+    envVar === 'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY' ||
+    envVar === 'API_ROUTE_API_KEY'
   ) {
     return hasUsableOpenAICredential(value)
   }
diff --git a/src/integrations/routeMetadata.test.ts b/src/integrations/routeMetadata.test.ts
index e34ba35af0..08ec33ca8a 100644
--- a/src/integrations/routeMetadata.test.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/routeMetadata.test.ts
@@ -1223,6 +1223,15 @@ test('resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv honors an explicit OpenAI opt-out over Concent
   expect(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv({ CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI: '0', CONCENTRATE_API_KEY: 'concentrate-key' })).not.toBe('concentrate')
 })
 
+test('resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv honors an explicit OpenAI opt-out over API Route', () => {
+  expect(
+    resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv({
+      CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI: '0',
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'api-route-key',
+    }),
+  ).not.toBe('api-route')
+})
+
 test('resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv refines generic OpenAI profile by Concentrate base URL', () => {
   expect(
     resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv({
diff --git a/src/integrations/routeMetadata.ts b/src/integrations/routeMetadata.ts
index c5fa861cda..d7e520a229 100644
--- a/src/integrations/routeMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/integrations/routeMetadata.ts
@@ -246,7 +246,8 @@ function hasUsableEnvCredentialValue(
     envVar === 'LLMTR_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'CMD_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY' ||
-    envVar === 'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY'
+    envVar === 'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY' ||
+    envVar === 'API_ROUTE_API_KEY'
   ) {
     return hasUsableOpenAICredential(value)
   }
@@ -539,6 +540,54 @@ export function isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(
   }
 }
 
+const API_ROUTE_CANONICAL_INFERENCE_BASE_URL =
+  'https://global.api-route.com/v1'
+
+export function isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(
+  value: string | undefined,
+): boolean {
+  const trimmed = value?.trim()
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const canonical = new URL(API_ROUTE_CANONICAL_INFERENCE_BASE_URL)
+    const candidate = new URL(trimmed)
+    const normalizePath = (pathname: string): string =>
+      pathname.replace(/\/+$/, '') || '/'
+    return (
+      candidate.protocol === 'https:' &&
+      !candidate.port &&
+      !candidate.search &&
+      !candidate.hash &&
+      candidate.hostname.toLowerCase() === canonical.hostname.toLowerCase() &&
+      normalizePath(candidate.pathname) === normalizePath(canonical.pathname)
+    )
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+export function isApiRouteBaseUrl(value: string | undefined): boolean {
+  const trimmed = value?.trim()
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const parsed = new URL(trimmed)
+    return (
+      parsed.protocol === 'https:' &&
+      !parsed.port &&
+      (parsed.hostname.toLowerCase() === 'global.api-route.com' ||
+        parsed.hostname.toLowerCase() === 'api-route.com')
+    )
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
 export function getConcentrateBaseUrlOverride(
   processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
 ): string | undefined {
@@ -1039,6 +1088,18 @@ export function hasConcentrateEnvOnlyProviderIntent(
   )
 }
 
+export function hasApiRouteEnvOnlyProviderIntent(
+  processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    hasUsableOpenAICredential(processEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY) &&
+    !hasConflictingOpenAIBaseUrlForRoute(processEnv, isApiRouteBaseUrl) &&
+    !(processEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI !== undefined &&
+      !isEnvTruthy(processEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI)) &&
+    hasNoExplicitNonOpenAIProvider(processEnv)
+  )
+}
+
 export function resolveEnvOnlyProviderRouteId(
   processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
 ):
@@ -1053,6 +1114,7 @@ export function resolveEnvOnlyProviderRouteId(
   | 'clinepass'
   | 'apismart'
   | 'concentrate'
+  | 'api-route'
   | null {
   if (
     hasMiniMaxRouteIntent(processEnv) &&
@@ -1105,6 +1167,10 @@ export function resolveEnvOnlyProviderRouteId(
     return 'concentrate'
   }
 
+  if (hasApiRouteEnvOnlyProviderIntent(processEnv)) {
+    return 'api-route'
+  }
+
   return null
 }
 
@@ -1203,6 +1269,13 @@ export function resolveRouteCredentialValue(
   ) {
     return undefined
   }
+  if (
+    routeId === 'api-route' &&
+    options?.baseUrl !== undefined &&
+    !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(options.baseUrl)
+  ) {
+    return undefined
+  }
 
   return getRouteCredentialValue(routeId, processEnv)
 }
@@ -1327,6 +1400,12 @@ export function resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl(
       ) {
         continue
       }
+      if (
+        route.id === 'api-route' &&
+        !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
+      ) {
+        continue
+      }
       return route.id
     }
   }
@@ -1347,7 +1426,9 @@ export function resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl(
           (route.id === 'llmtr' &&
             !isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)) ||
           (route.id === 'commandcode' &&
-            !isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl))
+            !isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)) ||
+          (route.id === 'api-route' &&
+            !isApiRouteBaseUrl(baseUrl))
         ) {
           continue
         }
@@ -1393,6 +1474,9 @@ function profileRouteHonorsBaseUrlBoundary(
   if (routeId === 'commandcode') {
     return isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
   }
+  if (routeId === 'api-route') {
+    return isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
+  }
   if (routeId === 'zai') {
     return !baseUrl || isCanonicalZaiCodingPlanBaseUrl(baseUrl)
   }
diff --git a/src/services/api/client.test.ts b/src/services/api/client.test.ts
index 13696df80e..64ce699100 100644
--- a/src/services/api/client.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/api/client.test.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ const originalEnv = {
   LONGCAT_API_KEY: process.env.LONGCAT_API_KEY,
   AIMLAPI_API_KEY: process.env.AIMLAPI_API_KEY,
   APISMART_API_KEY: process.env.APISMART_API_KEY,
+  API_ROUTE_API_KEY: process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY,
+  API_ROUTE_MODEL: process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL,
   CONCENTRATE_API_KEY: process.env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY,
   CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL: process.env.CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL,
   CONCENTRATE_MODEL: process.env.CONCENTRATE_MODEL,
@@ -204,6 +206,8 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
   delete process.env.LONGCAT_API_KEY
   delete process.env.AIMLAPI_API_KEY
   delete process.env.APISMART_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_MODEL
@@ -267,6 +271,8 @@ afterEach(() => {
     restoreEnv('LONGCAT_API_KEY', originalEnv.LONGCAT_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('AIMLAPI_API_KEY', originalEnv.AIMLAPI_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('APISMART_API_KEY', originalEnv.APISMART_API_KEY)
+    restoreEnv('API_ROUTE_API_KEY', originalEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY)
+    restoreEnv('API_ROUTE_MODEL', originalEnv.API_ROUTE_MODEL)
     restoreEnv('CONCENTRATE_API_KEY', originalEnv.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL', originalEnv.CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL)
     restoreEnv('CONCENTRATE_MODEL', originalEnv.CONCENTRATE_MODEL)
@@ -850,6 +856,206 @@ test('env-only ApiSmart setup withholds its key from a noncanonical same-host UR
   expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
 })
 
+test('routes env-only API Route requests through the OpenAI-compatible shim', async () => {
+  let capturedUrl: string | undefined
+  let capturedHeaders: Headers | undefined
+  let capturedBody: Record<string, unknown> | undefined
+
+  delete process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_GEMINI
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_MODEL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_BASE_URL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_AUTH_MODE
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-test-key'
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'claude-sonnet-4-6'
+  process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS = 'X-Proxy-Auth: ambient-proxy-secret'
+
+  globalThis.fetch = (async (input, init) => {
+    capturedUrl =
+      typeof input === 'string'
+        ? input
+        : input instanceof URL
+          ? input.toString()
+          : input.url
+    capturedHeaders = new Headers(init?.headers)
+    capturedBody = JSON.parse(String(init?.body)) as Record<string, unknown>
+
+    return new Response(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        id: 'chatcmpl-api-route',
+        model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+        choices: [
+          {
+            message: {
+              role: 'assistant',
+              content: 'api-route ok',
+            },
+            finish_reason: 'stop',
+          },
+        ],
+        usage: {
+          prompt_tokens: 8,
+          completion_tokens: 3,
+          total_tokens: 11,
+        },
+      }),
+      {
+        headers: {
+          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        },
+      },
+    )
+  }) as typeof fetch
+
+  const client = await getAnthropicClient({
+    maxRetries: 0,
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+  const response = await client.messages.create({
+    max_tokens: 64,
+    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'hello' }],
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+
+  expect(response.content[0]).toEqual({
+    type: 'text',
+    text: 'api-route ok',
+  })
+  expect(capturedUrl).toBe(
+    'https://global.api-route.com/v1/chat/completions',
+  )
+  expect(capturedHeaders?.get('authorization')).toBe(
+    'Bearer api-route-test-key',
+  )
+  expect(capturedHeaders?.get('x-proxy-auth')).toBeNull()
+  expect(capturedBody?.model).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+  expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI).toBe('1')
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-test-key')
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+})
+
+test('env-only API Route setup prefers API_ROUTE_API_KEY over stale OPENAI_API_KEYS pool', async () => {
+  let capturedHeaders: Headers | undefined
+
+  delete process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_GEMINI
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_MODEL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_BASE_URL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_AUTH_MODE
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-correct-key'
+  process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS = 'stale-key-1,stale-key-2'
+  process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://global.api-route.com/v1'
+
+  globalThis.fetch = (async (_input, init) => {
+    capturedHeaders = new Headers(init?.headers)
+
+    return new Response(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        id: 'chatcmpl-api-route-precedence',
+        model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+        choices: [
+          {
+            message: {
+              role: 'assistant',
+              content: 'api-route ok',
+            },
+            finish_reason: 'stop',
+          },
+        ],
+        usage: {
+          prompt_tokens: 8,
+          completion_tokens: 3,
+          total_tokens: 11,
+        },
+      }),
+      {
+        headers: {
+          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        },
+      },
+    )
+  }) as typeof fetch
+
+  const client = await getAnthropicClient({
+    maxRetries: 0,
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+  await client.messages.create({
+    max_tokens: 64,
+    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'hello' }],
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+
+  expect(capturedHeaders?.get('authorization')).toBe(
+    'Bearer api-route-correct-key',
+  )
+  expect(capturedHeaders?.get('authorization')).not.toContain('stale-key')
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS).toBeUndefined()
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-correct-key')
+})
+
+test('env-only API Route setup withholds its key from a noncanonical URL', async () => {
+  let capturedHeaders: Headers | undefined
+
+  delete process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_GEMINI
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_MODEL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_BASE_URL
+  delete process.env.GEMINI_AUTH_MODE
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-test-key'
+  process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://global.api-route.com/v1/models'
+  process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS = 'ambient-key-pool-1,ambient-key-pool-2'
+
+  globalThis.fetch = (async (_input, init) => {
+    capturedHeaders = new Headers(init?.headers)
+
+    return new Response(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        id: 'chatcmpl-api-route-noncanonical',
+        model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+        choices: [
+          {
+            message: {
+              role: 'assistant',
+              content: 'api-route noncanonical ok',
+            },
+            finish_reason: 'stop',
+          },
+        ],
+        usage: {
+          prompt_tokens: 8,
+          completion_tokens: 3,
+          total_tokens: 11,
+        },
+      }),
+      {
+        headers: {
+          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        },
+      },
+    )
+  }) as typeof fetch
+
+  const client = await getAnthropicClient({
+    maxRetries: 0,
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+  await client.messages.create({
+    max_tokens: 64,
+    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'hello' }],
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+  })
+
+  expect(capturedHeaders?.get('authorization')).toBeNull()
+  expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI).toBe('1')
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe(
+    'https://global.api-route.com/v1/models',
+  )
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS).toBeUndefined()
+})
+
 test('routes env-only Concentrate requests through the OpenAI-compatible shim', async () => {
   let capturedUrl: string | undefined
   let capturedHeaders: Headers | undefined
diff --git a/src/services/api/client.ts b/src/services/api/client.ts
index ba3e585c31..10bcaef36f 100644
--- a/src/services/api/client.ts
+++ b/src/services/api/client.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   getLongcatBaseUrlOverride,
   getMiniMaxBaseUrlOverride,
   getNearaiBaseUrlOverride,
+  isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl,
   getRouteDefaultBaseUrl,
@@ -449,6 +450,39 @@ function applyConcentrateEnvOnlyDefaults(): void {
   delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS
 }
 
+function applyApiRouteEnvOnlyDefaults(): void {
+  const baseUrlOverride =
+    usableProviderConfigEnvValue(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL) ||
+    usableProviderConfigEnvValue(process.env.OPENAI_API_BASE) ||
+    undefined
+  const modelOverride =
+    usableProviderConfigEnvValue(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL) ||
+    usableProviderConfigEnvValue(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL) ||
+    undefined
+  const apiKey = process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+
+  process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
+  process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL =
+    baseUrlOverride ?? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('api-route')
+  process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = modelOverride ?? getRouteDefaultModel('api-route')
+  if (
+    hasUsableOpenAICredential(apiKey) &&
+    isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL)
+  ) {
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = apiKey
+    delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
+  } else {
+    delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY
+    delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
+  }
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_API_FORMAT
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_AZURE_STYLE
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_SCHEME
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER_VALUE
+  delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS
+}
+
 function usableProviderConfigEnvValue(
   value: string | undefined,
 ): string | undefined {
@@ -573,6 +607,8 @@ export async function getAnthropicClient({
     envOnlyProviderRouteId === 'apismart' && !useMiniMaxEnvOnlyProvider
   const useConcentrateEnvOnlyProvider =
     envOnlyProviderRouteId === 'concentrate' && !useMiniMaxEnvOnlyProvider
+  const useApiRouteEnvOnlyProvider =
+    envOnlyProviderRouteId === 'api-route' && !useMiniMaxEnvOnlyProvider
   if (useMiniMaxEnvOnlyProvider) applyMiniMaxEnvOnlyDefaults(model)
   if (useXiaomiMimoEnvOnlyProvider) applyXiaomiMimoEnvOnlyDefaults()
   if (useXaiEnvOnlyProvider) applyXaiEnvOnlyDefaults()
@@ -582,6 +618,7 @@ export async function getAnthropicClient({
   if (useAimlapiEnvOnlyProvider) applyAimlapiEnvOnlyDefaults()
   if (useApismartEnvOnlyProvider) applyApismartEnvOnlyDefaults()
   if (useConcentrateEnvOnlyProvider) applyConcentrateEnvOnlyDefaults()
+  if (useApiRouteEnvOnlyProvider) applyApiRouteEnvOnlyDefaults()
 
   const containerId = process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_CONTAINER_ID
   const remoteSessionId = process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_SESSION_ID
diff --git a/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.test.ts b/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.test.ts
index 9d3e05918e..52b962d86e 100644
--- a/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ const originalEnv = {
   OPENAI_API_KEY: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
   OPENAI_API_KEYS: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS,
   LLMTR_API_KEY: process.env.LLMTR_API_KEY,
+  API_ROUTE_API_KEY: process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY,
   CMD_API_KEY: process.env.CMD_API_KEY,
   COMMANDCODE_API_KEY: process.env.COMMANDCODE_API_KEY,
   COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY: process.env.COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY,
@@ -455,6 +456,7 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
   process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'test-key'
   delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
   delete process.env.LLMTR_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
   delete process.env.CMD_API_KEY
   delete process.env.COMMANDCODE_API_KEY
   delete process.env.COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY
@@ -508,6 +510,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
     restoreEnv('OPENAI_API_KEY', originalEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('OPENAI_API_KEYS', originalEnv.OPENAI_API_KEYS)
     restoreEnv('LLMTR_API_KEY', originalEnv.LLMTR_API_KEY)
+    restoreEnv('API_ROUTE_API_KEY', originalEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('CMD_API_KEY', originalEnv.CMD_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('COMMANDCODE_API_KEY', originalEnv.COMMANDCODE_API_KEY)
     restoreEnv('COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY', originalEnv.COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY)
@@ -588,6 +591,22 @@ test('Concentrate selection prefers its dedicated key over a generic OPENAI_API_
   expect(captured.authorization).toBe('Bearer concentrate-key')
 })
 
+test('API Route selection prefers its dedicated key over a generic OPENAI_API_KEYS pool', async () => {
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-key'
+  process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS = 'generic-openai-key-a,generic-openai-key-b'
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL
+  delete process.env.OPENAI_MODEL
+
+  const result = applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+  expect(result.error).toBeUndefined()
+
+  const captured = await captureChatCompletionRequest('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+
+  expect(captured.url).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1/chat/completions')
+  expect(captured.authorization).toBe('Bearer api-route-key')
+})
+
 test('selected LLMTR route sends LLMTR_API_KEY through the generic route credential resolver', async () => {
   process.env.LLMTR_API_KEY = 'llmtr-key'
   delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
diff --git a/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.ts b/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.ts
index 373c70b54c..9203533ef5 100644
--- a/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.ts
+++ b/src/services/api/openaiShim/requestExecutor.ts
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ export async function executeOpenAIRequest(
       requestProcessEnv.ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY,
       requestProcessEnv.APISMART_API_KEY,
       requestProcessEnv.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY,
+      requestProcessEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY,
       requestProcessEnv.NEARAI_API_KEY,
       requestProcessEnv.FIREWORKS_API_KEY,
       requestProcessEnv.LONGCAT_API_KEY,
diff --git a/src/utils/envFile.test.ts b/src/utils/envFile.test.ts
index 741b427616..fffd5e99f8 100644
--- a/src/utils/envFile.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/envFile.test.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ const TEST_ENV_KEYS = [
   'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'OPENAI_API_KEYS',
   'OPENAI_API_KEY',
   'OPENAI_AZURE_STYLE',
@@ -296,6 +298,49 @@ describe('loadEnvFile', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('loads documented API Route env-only provider setup values', () => {
+    const filePath = writeTempEnvFile([
+      'API_ROUTE_API_KEY=api-route-key',
+      'API_ROUTE_MODEL=claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    ].join('\n'))
+
+    const loaded = loadEnvFile(filePath)
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+    expect(loaded).toEqual({
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'api-route-key',
+      API_ROUTE_MODEL: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('preserves existing API Route env values over provider env-file values', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'shell-api-route-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'shell-api-route-model'
+    const filePath = writeTempEnvFile([
+      'API_ROUTE_API_KEY=file-api-route-key',
+      'API_ROUTE_MODEL=file-api-route-model',
+    ].join('\n'))
+
+    const loaded = loadEnvFile(filePath)
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBe('shell-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBe('shell-api-route-model')
+    expect(loaded).toEqual({})
+  })
+
+  it('rejects API Route env files atomically when any variable is unsupported', () => {
+    const filePath = writeTempEnvFile([
+      'API_ROUTE_API_KEY=api-route-key',
+      'UNSAFE_API_ROUTE_SETTING=blocked',
+    ].join('\n'))
+
+    expect(() => loadEnvFile(filePath)).toThrow(
+      'Unsupported variable UNSAFE_API_ROUTE_SETTING in --provider-env-file',
+    )
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
   it('loads the dedicated LLMTR credential without selecting a route', () => {
     const filePath = writeTempEnvFile('LLMTR_API_KEY=llmtr-key')
 
diff --git a/src/utils/envFile.ts b/src/utils/envFile.ts
index 664dd46748..abccb28338 100644
--- a/src/utils/envFile.ts
+++ b/src/utils/envFile.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ const ALLOWED_ENV_FILE_KEYS = new Set([
   'ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'AWS_BEARER_TOKEN_BEDROCK',
   'AWS_DEFAULT_REGION',
   'AWS_PROFILE',
diff --git a/src/utils/managedEnv.test.ts b/src/utils/managedEnv.test.ts
index f1a3013c08..2663b00a98 100644
--- a/src/utils/managedEnv.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/managedEnv.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ import {
   loadEnvFile,
   rememberLoadedEnvFileValues,
 } from './envFile.js'
-import { applyConfigEnvironmentVariables } from './managedEnv.js'
+import {
+  applyConfigEnvironmentVariables,
+  applySafeConfigEnvironmentVariables,
+} from './managedEnv.js'
 
 const ENV_KEYS = [
   'CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_MANAGED_BY_HOST',
@@ -28,6 +31,8 @@ const ENV_KEYS = [
   'CMD_API_KEY',
   'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY',
   'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'OPENAI_API_KEY',
   'OPENAI_AZURE_STYLE',
   'OPENAI_BASE_URL',
@@ -95,6 +100,36 @@ function writeTempEnvFile(content: string): string {
   return filePath
 }
 
+describe('host-managed API Route settings boundary', () => {
+  for (const [name, applySettings] of [
+    ['pre-trust', applySafeConfigEnvironmentVariables],
+    ['post-trust', applyConfigEnvironmentVariables],
+  ] as const) {
+    it(`preserves host routing against API Route settings during ${name} merge`, () => {
+      process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_MANAGED_BY_HOST = '1'
+      process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
+      process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://api.openai.com/v1'
+      process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = 'host-model'
+      process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'host-key'
+      saveGlobalConfig(current => ({
+        ...current,
+        env: {
+          API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'settings-api-route-key',
+          API_ROUTE_MODEL: 'settings-api-route-model',
+        },
+      }))
+
+      applySettings()
+
+      expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+      expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBeUndefined()
+      expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://api.openai.com/v1')
+      expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('host-model')
+      expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('host-key')
+    })
+  }
+})
+
 describe('applyConfigEnvironmentVariables', () => {
   it('preserves the complete host-managed Command Code route against settings env', () => {
     process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_MANAGED_BY_HOST = '1'
diff --git a/src/utils/managedEnvConstants.ts b/src/utils/managedEnvConstants.ts
index d0008343fd..629293b00b 100644
--- a/src/utils/managedEnvConstants.ts
+++ b/src/utils/managedEnvConstants.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const PROVIDER_MANAGED_ENV_VARS = new Set([
   'CMD_API_KEY',
   'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY',
   'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
   'OPENAI_API_KEY',
   'OPENAI_API_KEYS',
   'CLAUDE_CODE_SKIP_BEDROCK_AUTH',
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ const PROVIDER_MANAGED_ENV_VARS = new Set([
   'ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL',
   'ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL_AWS_REGION',
   'CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'OPENAI_MODEL',
 ])
 
diff --git a/src/utils/model/model.openai-shim-providers.test.ts b/src/utils/model/model.openai-shim-providers.test.ts
index 9ce00d8423..4809c11272 100644
--- a/src/utils/model/model.openai-shim-providers.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/model/model.openai-shim-providers.test.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ const SAVED_ENV = {
   CONCENTRATE_API_KEY: process.env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY,
   CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL: process.env.CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL,
   CONCENTRATE_MODEL: process.env.CONCENTRATE_MODEL,
+  API_ROUTE_API_KEY: process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY,
+  API_ROUTE_MODEL: process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL,
   OPENAI_MODEL: process.env.OPENAI_MODEL,
   OPENAI_BASE_URL: process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL,
   CODEX_API_KEY: process.env.CODEX_API_KEY,
@@ -142,6 +144,8 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL
   delete process.env.CONCENTRATE_MODEL
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL
   delete process.env.OPENAI_MODEL
   delete process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL
   delete process.env.CODEX_API_KEY
@@ -434,6 +438,39 @@ test.each(['null', 'undefined', '   '])(
   },
 )
 
+test('API Route selects its dedicated model before client normalization', async () => {
+  saveGlobalConfig(current => ({ ...current, model: 'stale-other-provider-model' }))
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-test'
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'custom-api-route-model'
+
+  const {
+    getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting,
+    getMainLoopModel,
+    getUserSpecifiedModelSetting,
+  } = await importFreshModelModule()
+  expect(getUserSpecifiedModelSetting()).toBe('custom-api-route-model')
+  expect(getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting()).toBe('custom-api-route-model')
+  expect(getMainLoopModel()).toBe('custom-api-route-model')
+})
+
+test('API Route honors its legacy OpenAI model fallback before client normalization', async () => {
+  saveGlobalConfig(current => ({ ...current, model: 'stale-other-provider-model' }))
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-test'
+  process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = 'legacy-api-route-model'
+
+  const { getMainLoopModel, getUserSpecifiedModelSetting } =
+    await importFreshModelModule()
+  expect(getUserSpecifiedModelSetting()).toBe('legacy-api-route-model')
+  expect(getMainLoopModel()).toBe('legacy-api-route-model')
+})
+
+test('API Route uses its descriptor default before client normalization', async () => {
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-test'
+
+  const { getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting } = await importFreshModelModule()
+  expect(getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting()).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+})
+
 test('getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting uses the NVIDIA NIM route model', async () => {
   process.env.NVIDIA_NIM = '1'
   process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
diff --git a/src/utils/model/model.ts b/src/utils/model/model.ts
index 84119809e6..a3138ed254 100644
--- a/src/utils/model/model.ts
+++ b/src/utils/model/model.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,17 @@ function getAllowedConcentrateConfigModel(): string | undefined {
   return undefined
 }
 
+function getAllowedApiRouteConfigModel(): string | undefined {
+  for (const value of [
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL,
+    process.env.OPENAI_MODEL,
+  ]) {
+    const model = getUsableProviderConfigModel(value)
+    if (model && isModelAllowed(model)) return model
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
 export function getSmallFastModel(): ModelName {
   if (process.env.ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL) return process.env.ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL
   if (isCustomAnthropicProvider()) {
@@ -173,7 +184,9 @@ export function getUserSpecifiedModelSetting(): ModelSetting | undefined {
       // consume its dedicated setting here rather than falling through to a
       // saved model from an unrelated provider.
       ? getAllowedConcentrateConfigModel()
-      : (provider === 'gemini' ? process.env.GEMINI_MODEL : undefined) ||
+      : activeRouteId === 'api-route'
+        ? getAllowedApiRouteConfigModel()
+        : (provider === 'gemini' ? process.env.GEMINI_MODEL : undefined) ||
         (provider === 'mistral' ? process.env.MISTRAL_MODEL : undefined) ||
         (provider === 'minimax' ? getMiniMaxModelEnv() : undefined) ||
         (isOpenAIShimProvider ? process.env.OPENAI_MODEL : undefined) ||
@@ -404,6 +417,13 @@ export function getDefaultMainLoopModelSetting(): ModelName | ModelAlias {
       'deepseek-v4-flash'
     )
   }
+  if (resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(process.env) === 'api-route') {
+    return (
+      getAllowedApiRouteConfigModel() ||
+      getRouteDefaultModel('api-route') ||
+      'claude-sonnet-4-6'
+    )
+  }
   // Custom Anthropic-compatible endpoints intentionally retain the legacy
   // firstParty provider category, so prefer their explicitly configured model
   // before the subscription and PAYG defaults below.
diff --git a/src/utils/providerFlag.test.ts b/src/utils/providerFlag.test.ts
index 8605b4c0b2..55932ab12c 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerFlag.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerFlag.test.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ const ENV_KEYS = [
   'ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'CONCENTRATE_API_KEY',
   'CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL',
   'CONCENTRATE_MODEL',
@@ -101,6 +103,8 @@ const RESET_KEYS = [
   'ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'CONCENTRATE_API_KEY',
   'CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL',
   'CONCENTRATE_MODEL',
@@ -1848,3 +1852,150 @@ describe('applyProviderFlag - concentrate', () => {
     expect(process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS).toBeUndefined()
   })
 })
+
+describe('applyProviderFlag - api-route', () => {
+  test('sets API Route OpenAI-compatible defaults and mirrors API_ROUTE_API_KEY', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+
+    const result = applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(result.error).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI).toBe('1')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-secret-key')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+  })
+
+  test('uses API_ROUTE_MODEL from env when --model is not provided', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'custom-api-route-model'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('custom-api-route-model')
+  })
+
+  test('explicit --model overrides API_ROUTE_MODEL', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'custom-api-route-model'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', ['--model', 'flag-model'])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('flag-model')
+  })
+
+  test.each(['', '   ', 'null', 'undefined', ' NULL '])(
+    'does not contaminate OPENAI_MODEL with unusable API_ROUTE_MODEL %j',
+    placeholder => {
+      process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+      process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = placeholder
+
+      applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+      expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('claude-sonnet-4-6')
+    },
+  )
+
+  test('does not forward the dedicated key to a preserved custom base URL', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://custom-proxy.example.com/v1'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe(
+      'https://custom-proxy.example.com/v1',
+    )
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test('dedicated key overrides a lingering OPENAI_API_KEY from another provider', () => {
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'existing-openai-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-secret-key')
+  })
+
+  test('clears OPENAI_API_KEYS when dedicated API Route key is set on canonical endpoint', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS = 'stale-key-1,stale-key-2'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-secret-key')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test('clears a stale OPENAI_API_KEY when no API Route key is set', () => {
+    delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'existing-openai-key'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test.each(['SUA_CHAVE', 'sua_chave', 'null', 'undefined', ' NULL '])(
+    'does not mirror placeholder API Route credential %s',
+    placeholder => {
+      process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = placeholder
+
+      applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+      expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    },
+  )
+
+  test('clears unsupported OpenAI shim settings from a previous route', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_FORMAT = 'responses'
+    process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER = 'x-api-key'
+    process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_SCHEME = 'raw'
+    process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER_VALUE = 'stale-value'
+    process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS = 'X-Proxy-Auth: proxy-secret'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_FORMAT).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_SCHEME).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_AUTH_HEADER_VALUE).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test('clears a copied API Route key from OPENAI_API_KEY when switching to another provider', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+    process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('openai', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test('switching from API Route to Ollama replaces the route identity and credentials', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+    applyProviderFlag('ollama', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('http://localhost:11434/v1')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('ollama')
+    expect(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(process.env)).toBe('ollama')
+  })
+
+  test('switching from API Route to OpenAI replaces the known gateway endpoint', () => {
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-secret-key'
+
+    applyProviderFlag('api-route', [])
+    applyProviderFlag('openai', [])
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://api.openai.com/v1')
+    expect(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(process.env)).toBe('openai')
+  })
+})
+
+
diff --git a/src/utils/providerFlag.ts b/src/utils/providerFlag.ts
index e35cdbb522..b36ac116a2 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerFlag.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerFlag.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import {
 import { PRESET_VENDOR_MAP } from '../integrations/compatibility.js'
 import { getCommandcodeChatCompletionsModelError } from '../integrations/gateways/commandcode.js'
 import {
+  isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl,
@@ -401,6 +402,9 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
                       : process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY !== undefined &&
                           process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY === process.env.APISMART_API_KEY
                         ? 'apismart'
+                        : process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY !== undefined &&
+                          process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY === process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+                        ? 'api-route'
                         : process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY !== undefined &&
                           process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY === process.env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY
                         ? 'concentrate'
@@ -470,6 +474,8 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
       // OpenAI-compatible env-only route override it later in startup.
       delete process.env.APISMART_API_KEY
       delete process.env.APISMART_MODEL
+      delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+      delete process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL
       delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN
       delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS
       break
@@ -517,6 +523,8 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
       // known gateway endpoint, but preserve a user-supplied custom endpoint.
       delete process.env.APISMART_API_KEY
       delete process.env.APISMART_MODEL
+      delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+      delete process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL
       applyOpenAIBaseUrlDefault(provider, defaultBaseUrl)
       if (effectiveModel) process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = effectiveModel
       break
@@ -888,7 +896,9 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
         (provider === 'llmtr' &&
           isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl(getConfiguredOpenAIBaseUrl())) ||
         (provider === 'commandcode' &&
-          isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(getConfiguredOpenAIBaseUrl()))
+          isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(getConfiguredOpenAIBaseUrl())) ||
+        (provider === 'api-route' &&
+          isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(getConfiguredOpenAIBaseUrl()))
       ) {
         clearUnsupportedOpenAIShimSettings(provider)
         delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS
@@ -918,6 +928,35 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
           delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY
         }
       }
+      if (
+        provider === 'api-route' &&
+        isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(getConfiguredOpenAIBaseUrl())
+      ) {
+        const dedicatedApiRouteKey = hasUsableOpenAICredential(
+          process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY,
+        )
+          ? process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+          : undefined
+        if (dedicatedApiRouteKey) {
+          process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = dedicatedApiRouteKey
+          delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
+        } else {
+          delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY
+        }
+      }
+      if (provider === 'api-route') {
+        const apiRouteModel = usableProviderModelEnvValue(
+          process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL,
+        )
+        if (apiRouteModel) {
+          process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = apiRouteModel
+        } else {
+          process.env.OPENAI_MODEL ??=
+            usableProviderModelEnvValue(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL) ||
+            defaultModel ||
+            'claude-sonnet-4-6'
+        }
+      }
       if (defaultModel) {
         process.env.OPENAI_MODEL ??= defaultModel
       }
@@ -925,9 +964,9 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
       break
   }
 
-  // A provider flag selects a complete route for this process. Concentrate's
-  // dedicated variables are another source of route identity, so leaving them
-  // behind can re-select Concentrate after a later OpenAI-compatible provider
+  // A provider flag selects a complete route for this process. Dedicated
+  // variables are another source of route identity, so leaving them
+  // behind can re-select a provider after a later OpenAI-compatible provider
   // has applied its defaults. Keep their lifecycle at the selection boundary,
   // rather than relying on individual switch branches to remember cleanup.
   // This runs only after the selected branch succeeds, so an invalid
@@ -935,6 +974,10 @@ export function applyProviderFlag(
   if (provider !== 'concentrate') {
     clearConcentrateProviderState()
   }
+  if (provider !== 'api-route') {
+    delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+    delete process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL
+  }
 
   return {}
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/providerProfile.test.ts b/src/utils/providerProfile.test.ts
index 4148c58633..4231fc0c01 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerProfile.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerProfile.test.ts
@@ -3402,6 +3402,37 @@ test('openai launch removes legacy generic credentials from a noncanonical Conce
   }
 })
 
+test('API Route saved profile relaunch uses persisted generic key/model over ambient dedicated state', async () => {
+  const env = await buildLaunchEnv({
+    profile: 'openai',
+    persisted: profile('openai', {
+      CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'saved-api-route-model',
+      OPENAI_API_KEY: 'saved-api-route-key',
+    }),
+    goal: 'balanced',
+    processEnv: {
+      API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'ambient-api-route-key',
+      API_ROUTE_MODEL: 'ambient-api-route-model',
+    },
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY, undefined)
+  assert.equal(env.API_ROUTE_MODEL, undefined)
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_BASE_URL, 'https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_MODEL, 'saved-api-route-model')
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_API_KEY, 'saved-api-route-key')
+  assert.equal(
+    resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+      routeId: 'api-route',
+      baseUrl: env.OPENAI_BASE_URL,
+      processEnv: env,
+    }),
+    'saved-api-route-key',
+  )
+})
+
 test('buildStartupEnvFromProfile preserves Concentrate env-only setup over a saved profile', async () => {
   const env = await buildStartupEnvFromProfile({
     persisted: profile('openai', {
@@ -3424,6 +3455,50 @@ test('buildStartupEnvFromProfile preserves Concentrate env-only setup over a sav
   assert.equal(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(env), 'concentrate')
 })
 
+test('applyStartupEnvFromProfile preserves API Route env-only setup over a saved profile', async () => {
+  const processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {
+    API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'api-route-env-only-key',
+    API_ROUTE_MODEL: 'api-route-env-only-model',
+  }
+
+  const error = await applyStartupEnvFromProfile({
+    persisted: profile('openai', {
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://api.openai.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'gpt-4o',
+      OPENAI_API_KEY: 'sk-persisted',
+    }),
+    processEnv,
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(error, null)
+  assert.equal(processEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY, 'api-route-env-only-key')
+  assert.equal(processEnv.API_ROUTE_MODEL, 'api-route-env-only-model')
+  assert.equal(processEnv.OPENAI_BASE_URL, undefined)
+  assert.equal(processEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY, undefined)
+  assert.equal(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(processEnv), 'api-route')
+})
+
+test('applyStartupEnvFromProfile preserves API Route key-only descriptor-default intent', async () => {
+  const processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {
+    API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'api-route-env-only-key',
+  }
+
+  const error = await applyStartupEnvFromProfile({
+    persisted: profile('openai', {
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://api.openai.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'gpt-4o',
+      OPENAI_API_KEY: 'sk-persisted',
+    }),
+    processEnv,
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(error, null)
+  assert.equal(processEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY, 'api-route-env-only-key')
+  assert.equal(processEnv.OPENAI_MODEL, undefined)
+  assert.equal(resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(processEnv), 'api-route')
+  assert.equal(await getProviderValidationError(processEnv), null)
+})
+
 test('buildConcentrateProfileEnv prefers CONCENTRATE_MODEL over OPENAI_MODEL', () => {
   const env = buildConcentrateProfileEnv({
     apiKey: 'concentrate-secret-key',
@@ -3473,3 +3548,64 @@ test('buildOpenAIProfileEnv does not stamp a generic key as Concentrate credenti
   assert.equal(env?.OPENAI_API_KEY, 'generic-proxy-key')
   assert.equal(env?.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY, undefined)
 })
+
+test('openai launch withholds ambient API Route credentials from a keyless proxy profile on restart', async () => {
+  for (const ambient of [
+    { OPENAI_API_KEY: 'ambient-api-route-key' },
+    { OPENAI_API_KEYS: 'ambient-key-a,ambient-key-b' },
+  ]) {
+    const env = await buildLaunchEnv({
+      profile: 'openai',
+      persisted: profile('openai', {
+        CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+        OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://proxy.example.com/v1',
+        OPENAI_MODEL: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+      }),
+      goal: 'coding',
+      processEnv: {
+        OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://proxy.example.com/v1',
+        ...ambient,
+      },
+    })
+
+    assert.equal(env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID, 'api-route')
+    assert.equal(env.OPENAI_API_KEY, undefined)
+    assert.equal(env.OPENAI_API_KEYS, undefined)
+  }
+
+  const canonical = await buildLaunchEnv({
+    profile: 'openai',
+    persisted: profile('openai', {
+      CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    }),
+    goal: 'coding',
+    processEnv: {
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_API_KEY: 'ambient-api-route-key',
+    },
+  })
+  assert.equal(canonical.OPENAI_API_KEY, 'ambient-api-route-key')
+})
+
+test('buildStartupEnvFromProfile applies saved API Route proxy profile even when ambient credentials are present', async () => {
+  const processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {
+    OPENAI_API_KEY: 'ambient-key',
+    OPENAI_API_KEYS: 'ambient-key-1,ambient-key-2',
+  }
+
+  const env = await buildStartupEnvFromProfile({
+    persisted: profile('openai', {
+      CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://proxy.example.com/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    }),
+    processEnv,
+  })
+
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_BASE_URL, 'https://proxy.example.com/v1')
+  assert.equal(env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID, 'api-route')
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_API_KEY, undefined)
+  assert.equal(env.OPENAI_API_KEYS, undefined)
+})
diff --git a/src/utils/providerProfile.ts b/src/utils/providerProfile.ts
index 1ca51e2221..3c71f1950e 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerProfile.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerProfile.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { getErrnoCode } from './errors.js'
 import {
   getRouteDefaultBaseUrl,
   getRouteDefaultModel,
+  isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl,
@@ -118,6 +119,8 @@ const PROFILE_ENV_KEYS = [
   'ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'NEARAI_API_KEY',
   'FIREWORKS_API_KEY',
   'LONGCAT_API_KEY',
@@ -219,6 +222,7 @@ export type ProfileEnv = {
   MIMO_API_KEY?: string
   ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY?: string
   APISMART_API_KEY?: string
+  API_ROUTE_API_KEY?: string
   CLINE_API_KEY?: string
   NEARAI_API_KEY?: string
   FIREWORKS_API_KEY?: string
@@ -1490,6 +1494,7 @@ function hasConcreteProviderSelection(
   // before the env-only resolver has a chance to see it.
   return (
     sanitizeApiKey(processEnv.APISMART_API_KEY) !== undefined ||
+    sanitizeApiKey(processEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY) !== undefined ||
     sanitizeApiKey(processEnv.FIREWORKS_API_KEY) !== undefined ||
     sanitizeApiKey(processEnv.NEARAI_API_KEY) !== undefined ||
     sanitizeApiKey(processEnv.LONGCAT_API_KEY) !== undefined ||
@@ -2179,12 +2184,17 @@ export async function buildLaunchEnv(options: {
     effectiveOpenAIRouteId === 'commandcode' &&
     !!env.OPENAI_BASE_URL?.trim() &&
     !isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(env.OPENAI_BASE_URL)
+  const isNoncanonicalApiRouteLaunch =
+    effectiveOpenAIRouteId === 'api-route' &&
+    !!env.OPENAI_BASE_URL?.trim() &&
+    !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(env.OPENAI_BASE_URL)
   const isNoncanonicalDedicatedOpenAILaunch =
     isNoncanonicalAimlapiLaunch ||
     isNoncanonicalApismartLaunch ||
     isNoncanonicalConcentrateLaunch ||
     isNoncanonicalLlmtrLaunch ||
-    isNoncanonicalCommandcodeLaunch
+    isNoncanonicalCommandcodeLaunch ||
+    isNoncanonicalApiRouteLaunch
   if (isNoncanonicalDedicatedOpenAILaunch) {
     delete env.OPENAI_API_KEY
     delete env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
@@ -2508,12 +2518,18 @@ export async function buildStartupEnvFromProfile(options?: {
     persisted.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID === 'commandcode' &&
     !!persisted.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL?.trim() &&
     !isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(persisted.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL)
+  const persistedApiRouteProxy =
+    persisted?.profile === 'openai' &&
+    persisted.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID === 'api-route' &&
+    !!persisted.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL?.trim() &&
+    !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(persisted.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL)
   if (
     hasConcreteProviderSelection(processEnv) &&
     !persistedApismartProxy &&
     !persistedConcentrateProxy &&
     !persistedLlmtrProxy &&
-    !persistedCommandcodeProxy
+    !persistedCommandcodeProxy &&
+    !persistedApiRouteProxy
   ) {
     return processEnv
   }
diff --git a/src/utils/providerProfiles.test.ts b/src/utils/providerProfiles.test.ts
index d4848f9204..29eee7fedd 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerProfiles.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerProfiles.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ async function importFreshProvidersModule() {
 
 const originalEnv = { ...process.env }
 const originalCwd = process.cwd()
+const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch
 
 const RESTORED_KEYS = [
   'CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_PROFILE_ENV_APPLIED',
@@ -73,6 +74,8 @@ const RESTORED_KEYS = [
   'ATLAS_CLOUD_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_MODEL',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'LLMTR_API_KEY',
   'CMD_API_KEY',
   'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY',
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
     }
 
     mock.restore()
+    globalThis.fetch = originalFetch
     mockConfigState = createMockConfigState()
     process.chdir(originalCwd)
     if (testConfigDir) {
@@ -297,6 +301,17 @@ function buildConcentrateProfile(overrides: Partial<ProviderProfile> = {}): Prov
   })
 }
 
+function buildApiRouteProfile(overrides: Partial<ProviderProfile> = {}): ProviderProfile {
+  return buildProfile({
+    provider: 'api-route',
+    name: 'API Route',
+    baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+    model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    apiKey: 'api-route-test-key',
+    ...overrides,
+  })
+}
+
 function buildLlmtrProfile(overrides: Partial<ProviderProfile> = {}): ProviderProfile {
   return buildProfile({
     provider: 'llmtr',
@@ -370,6 +385,147 @@ describe('applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv', () => {
     ).toBe('selected-new')
   }, 20_000)
 
+  test('API Route saved profile mirrors its dedicated credential and route identity', async () => {
+    const { applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv } =
+      await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+
+    applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
+      buildProfile({
+        provider: 'api-route',
+        name: 'API Route',
+        baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+        model: 'saved-api-route-model',
+        apiKey: 'saved-api-route-key',
+      }),
+    )
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('saved-api-route-model')
+    expect(
+      resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+        routeId: 'api-route',
+        baseUrl: process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL,
+        processEnv: process.env,
+      }),
+    ).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+  }, 20_000)
+
+  test('API Route saved profile clears competing dedicated env and uses its saved key/model', async () => {
+    const { applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv } =
+      await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'ambient-api-route-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'ambient-api-route-model'
+
+    applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
+      buildProfile({
+        provider: 'api-route',
+        name: 'API Route',
+        baseUrl: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+        model: 'saved-api-route-model',
+        apiKey: 'saved-api-route-key',
+      }),
+    )
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_MODEL).toBe('saved-api-route-model')
+    expect(
+      resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+        routeId: 'api-route',
+        baseUrl: process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL,
+        processEnv: process.env,
+      }),
+    ).toBe('saved-api-route-key')
+  }, 20_000)
+
+  test('switching away from API Route clears dedicated route state', async () => {
+    const { applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv } =
+      await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'ambient-api-route-key'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL = 'ambient-api-route-model'
+
+    applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
+      buildProfile({
+        provider: 'anthropic',
+        name: 'Anthropic',
+        baseUrl: 'https://api.anthropic.com',
+        model: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+        apiKey: 'anthropic-key',
+      }),
+    )
+
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_MODEL).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY).toBe('anthropic-key')
+  }, 20_000)
+
+  test('API Route profile without a base URL uses the canonical endpoint and ambient key', async () => {
+    const { applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv } =
+      await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'ambient-api-route-key'
+
+    applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
+      buildApiRouteProfile({ baseUrl: undefined, apiKey: undefined }),
+    )
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('ambient-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBe('ambient-api-route-key')
+    expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+  }, 20_000)
+
+  test('retargeted API Route profile withholds its dedicated credential and skips discovery', async () => {
+    const fetchMock = mock(() => Promise.resolve(new Response('{}')))
+    globalThis.fetch = fetchMock as unknown as typeof fetch
+    const { setActiveProviderProfile } = await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+    const profile = buildApiRouteProfile({
+      id: 'api_route_proxy',
+      baseUrl: 'https://proxy.example/v1',
+    })
+    saveMockGlobalConfig(current => ({
+      ...current,
+      providerProfiles: [profile],
+    }))
+
+    setActiveProviderProfile(profile.id, { configDir: testConfigDir ?? undefined })
+    await Promise.resolve()
+
+    expect(process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+    expect(fetchMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    const persisted = JSON.parse(
+      readFileSync(join(testConfigDir!, '.openclaude-profile.json'), 'utf8'),
+    )
+    expect(persisted.env).toEqual({
+      CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+      OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://proxy.example/v1',
+      OPENAI_MODEL: 'claude-sonnet-4-6',
+    })
+
+    const { buildStartupEnvFromProfile } = await import(
+      `./providerProfile.js?ts=${Date.now()}-${Math.random()}`
+    )
+    const startupEnv = await buildStartupEnvFromProfile({
+      persisted,
+      processEnv: {
+        API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'ambient-api-route-key',
+        OPENAI_API_KEY: 'ambient-api-route-key',
+      },
+    })
+    expect(startupEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+    expect(startupEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(startupEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY).toBeUndefined()
+  }, 20_000)
+
   test('keyless canonical LLMTR profile adopts its ambient dedicated key', async () => {
     const { applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv } =
       await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
@@ -4256,6 +4412,60 @@ describe('setActiveProviderProfile', () => {
     }
   })
 
+  test('keyed canonical API Route profiles persist and restart with route identity', async () => {
+    const tempDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'openclaude-provider-'))
+    const configDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'openclaude-provider-config-'))
+    process.chdir(tempDir)
+    process.env.CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR = configDir
+
+    try {
+      const { setActiveProviderProfile } =
+        await importFreshProviderProfileModules()
+      const apiRouteProfile = buildApiRouteProfile({
+        id: 'api_route_profile',
+      })
+      saveMockGlobalConfig(current => ({
+        ...current,
+        providerProfiles: [apiRouteProfile],
+      }))
+
+      setActiveProviderProfile(apiRouteProfile.id, { configDir })
+      const persisted = JSON.parse(
+        readFileSync(join(configDir, '.openclaude-profile.json'), 'utf8'),
+      )
+
+      expect(persisted.env).toMatchObject({
+        CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID: 'api-route',
+        OPENAI_BASE_URL: 'https://global.api-route.com/v1',
+        OPENAI_API_KEY: 'api-route-test-key',
+        API_ROUTE_API_KEY: 'api-route-test-key',
+      })
+
+      const { buildStartupEnvFromProfile } = await import(
+        `./providerProfile.js?ts=${Date.now()}-${Math.random()}`
+      )
+      const startupEnv = await buildStartupEnvFromProfile({
+        persisted,
+        processEnv: {},
+      })
+
+      expect(startupEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID).toBe('api-route')
+      expect(startupEnv.OPENAI_BASE_URL).toBe('https://global.api-route.com/v1')
+      expect(startupEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe('api-route-test-key')
+      expect(
+        resolveRouteCredentialValue({
+          routeId: 'api-route',
+          baseUrl: startupEnv.OPENAI_BASE_URL,
+          processEnv: startupEnv,
+        }),
+      ).toBe('api-route-test-key')
+    } finally {
+      process.chdir(originalCwd)
+      rmSync(tempDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+      rmSync(configDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    }
+  })
+
   test('keyed canonical LLMTR profiles persist their saved dedicated credential across restart', async () => {
     const tempDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'openclaude-provider-'))
     const configDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'openclaude-provider-config-'))
diff --git a/src/utils/providerProfiles.ts b/src/utils/providerProfiles.ts
index 7a8a92ac77..2d606a25ab 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerProfiles.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerProfiles.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import {
   getRouteDefaultBaseUrl,
   isCloudflareBaseUrl,
   isClinePassBaseUrl,
+  isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl,
@@ -184,6 +185,15 @@ function isConcentrateProfile(profile: ProviderProfile): boolean {
   return !baseUrl || isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
 }
 
+function isApiRouteProfile(profile: ProviderProfile): boolean {
+  const { route } = resolveProfileCompatibility(profile.provider)
+  if (route.routeId !== 'api-route') {
+    return false
+  }
+  const baseUrl = profile.baseUrl?.trim()
+  return !baseUrl || isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
+}
+
 function isLlmtrProfile(profile: ProviderProfile): boolean {
   const { route } = resolveProfileCompatibility(profile.provider)
   if (route.routeId !== 'llmtr') {
@@ -297,6 +307,7 @@ export function resolveProfileCapabilityRouteId(
     (providerRouteId === 'cloudflare' ||
       providerRouteId === 'longcat' ||
       providerRouteId === 'concentrate' ||
+      providerRouteId === 'api-route' ||
       providerRouteId === 'llmtr' ||
       providerRouteId === 'commandcode') &&
     baseUrl &&
@@ -306,6 +317,8 @@ export function resolveProfileCapabilityRouteId(
         ? isLongcatBaseUrl(baseUrl)
         : providerRouteId === 'concentrate'
           ? isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
+          : providerRouteId === 'api-route'
+            ? isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
           : providerRouteId === 'commandcode'
             ? isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl)
             : isCanonicalLlmtrInferenceBaseUrl(baseUrl))
@@ -941,6 +954,10 @@ function isProcessEnvAlignedWithProfile(
       ? !includeApiKey ||
         sameOptionalEnvValue(processEnv.APISMART_API_KEY, profile.apiKey)
       : true) &&
+    (isApiRouteProfile(profile)
+      ? !includeApiKey ||
+        sameOptionalEnvValue(processEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY, profile.apiKey)
+      : true) &&
     (isCommandcodeProfile(profile)
       ? !includeApiKey ||
         sameOptionalEnvValue(
@@ -1110,9 +1127,11 @@ export function applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
           ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('apismart') ?? profile.baseUrl
           : route.routeId === 'concentrate' && !profile.baseUrl?.trim()
             ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('concentrate') ?? profile.baseUrl
-            : route.routeId === 'commandcode' && !profile.baseUrl?.trim()
-              ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('commandcode') ?? profile.baseUrl
-            : profile.baseUrl
+            : route.routeId === 'api-route' && !profile.baseUrl?.trim()
+              ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('api-route') ?? profile.baseUrl
+              : route.routeId === 'commandcode' && !profile.baseUrl?.trim()
+                ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('commandcode') ?? profile.baseUrl
+                : profile.baseUrl
     const openAIProfileEnv: ProfileEnv = {
       OPENAI_BASE_URL: normalizedProfileBaseUrl,
       OPENAI_MODEL: primaryModel,
@@ -1143,6 +1162,8 @@ export function applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
       route.routeId === 'apismart' && !isApismartProfile(profile)
     const withholdRetargetedConcentrateCredential =
       route.routeId === 'concentrate' && !isConcentrateProfile(profile)
+    const withholdRetargetedApiRouteCredential =
+      route.routeId === 'api-route' && !isApiRouteProfile(profile)
     const withholdRetargetedLlmtrCredential =
       route.routeId === 'llmtr' && !isLlmtrProfile(profile)
     const withholdRetargetedCommandcodeCredential =
@@ -1151,6 +1172,7 @@ export function applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
       profile.apiKey &&
       !withholdRetargetedApismartCredential &&
       !withholdRetargetedConcentrateCredential &&
+      !withholdRetargetedApiRouteCredential &&
       !withholdRetargetedLlmtrCredential &&
       !withholdRetargetedCommandcodeCredential
     ) {
@@ -1193,6 +1215,9 @@ export function applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
       if (isConcentrateProfile(profile)) {
         openAIProfileEnv.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY = profile.apiKey
       }
+      if (isApiRouteProfile(profile)) {
+        openAIProfileEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = profile.apiKey
+      }
       if (isCommandcodeProfile(profile)) {
         openAIProfileEnv.CMD_API_KEY = profile.apiKey
       }
@@ -1277,6 +1302,17 @@ export function applyProviderProfileToProcessEnv(
         }
       }
     }
+    if (route.routeId === 'api-route') {
+      openAIProfileEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID = 'api-route'
+      if (isApiRouteProfile(profile) && !profile.apiKey) {
+        const ambientApiRouteKey = sanitizeApiKey(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY)
+        if (ambientApiRouteKey) {
+          openAIProfileEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY =
+            openAIProfileEnv.OPENAI_API_KEY ?? ambientApiRouteKey
+          openAIProfileEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = ambientApiRouteKey
+        }
+      }
+    }
     // A keyless canonical LLMTR profile may use the dedicated credential from
     // the ambient environment. Profile application clears all managed provider
     // variables before installing this object, so adopt it here while the
@@ -1593,12 +1629,18 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     return null
   }
   const activeProfileRouteId = resolveProfileRoute(activeProfile.provider).routeId
+  const normalizedBaseUrl =
+    activeProfileRouteId === 'api-route' && !activeProfile.baseUrl?.trim()
+      ? getRouteDefaultBaseUrl('api-route') ?? activeProfile.baseUrl
+      : activeProfile.baseUrl
   const withholdRetargetedApismartCredential =
     activeProfileRouteId === 'apismart' &&
     !isApismartProfile(activeProfile)
   const withholdRetargetedConcentrateCredential =
     activeProfileRouteId === 'concentrate' &&
     !isConcentrateProfile(activeProfile)
+  const withholdRetargetedApiRouteCredential =
+    activeProfileRouteId === 'api-route' && !isApiRouteProfile(activeProfile)
   const withholdRetargetedLlmtrCredential =
     activeProfileRouteId === 'llmtr' && !isLlmtrProfile(activeProfile)
   const withholdRetargetedCommandcodeCredential =
@@ -1608,6 +1650,7 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     activeProfile.provider === 'aimlapi' ||
     resolveRouteIdFromBaseUrl(activeProfile.baseUrl) === 'aimlapi'
   const isConcentrateProfileFlag = isConcentrateProfile(activeProfile)
+  const isApiRouteProfileFlag = isApiRouteProfile(activeProfile)
   const isLlmtrProfileFlag = isLlmtrProfile(activeProfile)
   const isCommandcodeProfileFlag = isCommandcodeProfile(activeProfile)
 
@@ -1615,13 +1658,14 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     activeProfile.apiKey &&
     !withholdRetargetedApismartCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedConcentrateCredential &&
+    !withholdRetargetedApiRouteCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedLlmtrCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedCommandcodeCredential
   ) {
     const strictEnv = buildOpenAIProfileEnv({
       goal: 'balanced',
       model: activeProfile.model,
-      baseUrl: activeProfile.baseUrl,
+      baseUrl: normalizedBaseUrl,
       apiKey: activeProfile.apiKey,
       apiFormat: activeProfile.apiFormat,
       azureStyle: activeProfile.azureStyle ? '1' : undefined,
@@ -1655,6 +1699,10 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
       if (isConcentrateProfileFlag) {
         strictEnv.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
       }
+      if (isApiRouteProfileFlag) {
+        strictEnv.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
+        strictEnv.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID = 'api-route'
+      }
       if (isLlmtrProfileFlag) {
         strictEnv.LLMTR_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
       }
@@ -1688,7 +1736,7 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
   }
 
   const env: ProfileEnv = {
-    OPENAI_BASE_URL: activeProfile.baseUrl,
+    OPENAI_BASE_URL: normalizedBaseUrl,
     OPENAI_MODEL: getPrimaryModel(activeProfile.model),
     ...(activeProfile.apiFormat ? { OPENAI_API_FORMAT: activeProfile.apiFormat } : {}),
     ...(activeProfile.azureStyle ? { OPENAI_AZURE_STYLE: '1' } : {}),
@@ -1719,6 +1767,9 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
   if (activeProfileRouteId === 'concentrate') {
     env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID = 'concentrate'
   }
+  if (activeProfileRouteId === 'api-route') {
+    env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID = 'api-route'
+  }
   if (activeProfileRouteId === 'llmtr') {
     env.CLAUDE_CODE_PROVIDER_ROUTE_ID = 'llmtr'
   }
@@ -1729,6 +1780,7 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     activeProfile.apiKey &&
     !withholdRetargetedApismartCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedConcentrateCredential &&
+    !withholdRetargetedApiRouteCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedLlmtrCredential &&
     !withholdRetargetedCommandcodeCredential
   ) {
@@ -1760,6 +1812,9 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     if (isConcentrateProfileFlag) {
       env.CONCENTRATE_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
     }
+    if (isApiRouteProfileFlag) {
+      env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
+    }
     if (isLlmtrProfileFlag) {
       env.LLMTR_API_KEY = activeProfile.apiKey
     }
@@ -1788,6 +1843,12 @@ function buildOpenAICompatibleStartupEnv(
     if (isCloudflareBaseUrl(activeProfile.baseUrl)) {
       env.CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN = activeProfile.apiKey
     }
+  } else if (isApiRouteProfileFlag) {
+    const ambientApiRouteKey = sanitizeApiKey(process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY)
+    if (ambientApiRouteKey) {
+      env.OPENAI_API_KEY = ambientApiRouteKey
+      env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = ambientApiRouteKey
+    }
   } else {
     delete env.OPENAI_API_KEY
   }
@@ -2020,6 +2081,9 @@ function triggerStartupDiscoveryRefreshForProfile(
   if (route.routeId === 'apismart' && !isApismartProfile(profile)) {
     return
   }
+  if (route.routeId === 'api-route' && !isApiRouteProfile(profile)) {
+    return
+  }
   if (route.routeId === 'llmtr' && !isLlmtrProfile(profile)) {
     return
   }
diff --git a/src/utils/providerValidation.test.ts b/src/utils/providerValidation.test.ts
index 69919cd8cd..2c362cd7c0 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerValidation.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerValidation.test.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ const ENV_KEYS = [
   'COMMANDCODE_API_KEY',
   'COMMAND_CODE_API_KEY',
   'APISMART_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_API_KEY',
+  'API_ROUTE_MODEL',
   'CONCENTRATE_API_KEY',
   'CONCENTRATE_BASE_URL',
   'CONCENTRATE_MODEL',
@@ -479,6 +481,46 @@ test.each(['SUA_CHAVE', 'sua_chave', 'null', 'undefined', ' NULL '])(
   },
 )
 
+test('API Route saved generic profile credential validates on the canonical endpoint', async () => {
+  process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
+  process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://global.api-route.com/v1'
+  process.env.OPENAI_MODEL = 'saved-model'
+  process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = 'saved-profile-key'
+  delete process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY
+
+  await expect(getProviderValidationError(process.env)).resolves.toBeNull()
+})
+
+test('API Route key-only setup validates before client defaults are applied', async () => {
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-key'
+
+  await expect(getProviderValidationError(process.env)).resolves.toBeNull()
+})
+
+test('noncanonical same-host base rejects a selected API_ROUTE_API_KEY route', async () => {
+  process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://global.api-route.com/staging/v1'
+  process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = 'api-route-key'
+
+  await expect(getProviderValidationError(process.env)).resolves.toBe(
+    'API Route credentials require the canonical https://global.api-route.com/v1 endpoint.',
+  )
+})
+
+test.each(['SUA_CHAVE', 'sua_chave', 'null', 'undefined', ' NULL '])(
+  'API Route validation rejects placeholder API_ROUTE_API_KEY %s',
+  async placeholder => {
+    process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
+    process.env.OPENAI_BASE_URL = 'https://global.api-route.com/v1'
+    process.env.API_ROUTE_API_KEY = placeholder
+    delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY
+    delete process.env.OPENAI_API_KEYS
+
+    await expect(getProviderValidationError(process.env)).resolves.toBe(
+      'API Route auth is required. Set API_ROUTE_API_KEY.',
+    )
+  },
+)
+
 test('codex auth error redacts descriptor-declared provider secret values used as model text', async () => {
   const providerSecret = 'ogw-provider-secret'
   process.env.CLAUDE_CODE_USE_OPENAI = '1'
diff --git a/src/utils/providerValidation.ts b/src/utils/providerValidation.ts
index 888418e63e..c1dec35c11 100644
--- a/src/utils/providerValidation.ts
+++ b/src/utils/providerValidation.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   getRouteCredentialValue,
   getRouteDescriptor,
   getRouteDefaultModel,
+  isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl,
   isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl,
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ function hasUsableCredentialEnvValue(
     envVar === 'OPENAI_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'AIMLAPI_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'APISMART_API_KEY' ||
+    envVar === 'API_ROUTE_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'CONCENTRATE_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'LLMTR_API_KEY' ||
     envVar === 'CMD_API_KEY' ||
@@ -270,12 +272,13 @@ function getRuntimeValidationTarget(
     return enabledTarget
   }
 
-  // The documented CONCENTRATE_API_KEY-only setup is routed before the client
-  // applies its default base URL. Select its descriptor directly so startup
-  // validates the dedicated credential, including a noncanonical dedicated
-  // base URL, instead of returning early for an unset OpenAI mode.
-  if (resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(env) === 'concentrate') {
-    return validationTargets.find(target => target.descriptor.id === 'concentrate')
+  // The documented CONCENTRATE_API_KEY-only and API_ROUTE_API_KEY-only setup
+  // is routed before the client applies its default base URL. Select its descriptor
+  // directly so startup validates the dedicated credential, including a noncanonical
+  // dedicated base URL, instead of returning early for an unset OpenAI mode.
+  const activeRouteId = resolveActiveRouteIdFromEnv(env)
+  if (activeRouteId === 'concentrate' || activeRouteId === 'api-route') {
+    return validationTargets.find(target => target.descriptor.id === activeRouteId)
   }
 
   if (!useOpenAI) {
@@ -306,6 +309,8 @@ function getRuntimeValidationTarget(
           !isCanonicalApismartInferenceBaseUrl(request.baseUrl)) ||
         (target.descriptor.id === 'concentrate' &&
           !isCanonicalConcentrateInferenceBaseUrl(request.baseUrl)) ||
+        (target.descriptor.id === 'api-route' &&
+          !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(request.baseUrl)) ||
         (target.descriptor.id === 'commandcode' &&
           !isCanonicalCommandcodeInferenceBaseUrl(request.baseUrl)))
     ) {
@@ -435,6 +440,17 @@ async function getDescriptorValidationError(
     return 'Concentrate credentials require the canonical https://api.concentrate.ai/v1 endpoint.'
   }
 
+  const apiRouteBaseUrl =
+    env.OPENAI_BASE_URL?.trim() ||
+    env.OPENAI_API_BASE?.trim()
+  if (
+    target.descriptor.id === 'api-route' &&
+    apiRouteBaseUrl &&
+    !isCanonicalApiRouteInferenceBaseUrl(apiRouteBaseUrl)
+  ) {
+    return 'API Route credentials require the canonical https://global.api-route.com/v1 endpoint.'
+  }
+
   switch (validation.kind) {
     case 'credential-env':
       return getCredentialEnvValidationError(validation, env, options.request)
diff --git a/web/src/data/providers.ts b/web/src/data/providers.ts
index 70c373763d..44e46e6ffe 100644
--- a/web/src/data/providers.ts
+++ b/web/src/data/providers.ts
@@ -204,6 +204,14 @@ export const providers: Provider[] = [
     envVars: ['APISMART_API_KEY', 'APISMART_MODEL'],
     notes: 'Unified OpenAI-compatible gateway at https://gw.apismart.ai/v1; defaults to DEEPSEEK_V4_FLASH with hybrid /v1/models discovery.',
   },
+  {
+    id: 'api-route',
+    name: 'API Route',
+    group: 'gateways',
+    setup: '/provider or env vars',
+    envVars: ['API_ROUTE_API_KEY', 'API_ROUTE_MODEL'],
+    notes: 'OpenAI-compatible multi-model gateway at https://global.api-route.com/v1; defaults to claude-sonnet-4-6 with hybrid /v1/models discovery.',
+  },
   {
     id: 'cloudflare',
     name: 'Cloudflare Workers AI',