diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index fcd5aad20d5c9..c9f1f9137d1bf 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -7734,8 +7734,17 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin, CLIBillingMixin):
         try:
             db.update_session_model(sid, result.new_model)
             # Both shapes: nested for the CLI reader, top-level for the
-            # TUI gateway's resume path.
-            db.patch_session_model_config(sid, {"gateway_runtime": route, **route})
+            # TUI gateway's resume path. Top-level keys are written as
+            # explicit None when absent — _merge_model_config_json only
+            # deletes on None, so omitting them would let a PREVIOUS
+            # switch's provider/api_mode survive this one (stale wire
+            # protocol / frankenroute on resume).
+            db.patch_session_model_config(sid, {
+                "gateway_runtime": route,
+                "provider": provider or None,
+                "base_url": result.base_url or None,
+                "api_mode": result.api_mode or None,
+            })
         except Exception:
             logger.debug(
                 "Failed to persist model switch to session DB", exc_info=True
@@ -7782,8 +7791,9 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMixin, CLIBillingMixin):
         # Heal bare "custom" persisted by older builds / gateway turns: it's
         # the resolved billing class, not a routable identity. Recover the
         # durable custom:<name> menu key from the endpoint, else drop the
-        # provider so resume keeps the ambient default (matches the TUI
-        # gateway's _stored_session_runtime_overrides recovery).
+        # provider so resume keeps the ambient default. (Stricter than the
+        # TUI gateway's recovery, which keeps bare "custom" when a base_url
+        # exists — the CLI's resolve path would hard-fail on it, #14676.)
         if str(stored_provider or "").strip().lower() == "custom":
             try:
                 from hermes_cli.runtime_provider import canonical_custom_identity
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_resume_model_restore.py b/tests/cli/test_resume_model_restore.py
index c77034a81a60f..33edbad8a1848 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_resume_model_restore.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_resume_model_restore.py
@@ -148,6 +148,46 @@ def test_persist_model_switch_writes_model_and_both_route_shapes():
     assert patch["provider"] == "custom:opencode-zen"
     assert patch["base_url"] == "https://oz/v1"
     assert "api_mode" not in patch["gateway_runtime"]  # empty values dropped
+    # Absent top-level values are explicit None so the merge DELETES stale
+    # keys from a previous switch (merge only deletes on None).
+    assert patch["api_mode"] is None
+
+
+def test_persist_model_switch_clears_stale_route_keys(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A later switch must not inherit the previous switch's api_mode/base_url.
+
+    patch_session_model_config merges key-level and only deletes on explicit
+    None — dropping falsy values from the patch left the FIRST switch's
+    api_mode (e.g. anthropic_messages) alive under the SECOND switch's
+    provider, corrupting the wire protocol on TUI/desktop resume.
+    """
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / ".hermes"))
+    db = SessionDB(db_path=tmp_path / "state.db")
+    db.create_session(session_id="stale1", source="cli", model="m0")
+    stub = _make_stub(_session_db=db, session_id="stale1")
+
+    class _First:
+        new_model = "claude-x"
+        target_provider = "custom:feather"
+        base_url = "https://feather/v1"
+        api_mode = "anthropic_messages"
+
+    class _Second:
+        new_model = "gpt-5.4"
+        target_provider = "openrouter"
+        base_url = "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1"
+        api_mode = ""  # openrouter default — must ERASE the anthropic mode
+
+    stub._persist_model_switch_to_session(_First())
+    stub._persist_model_switch_to_session(_Second())
+
+    meta = db.get_session("stale1")
+    config = json.loads(meta["model_config"])
+    assert config["provider"] == "openrouter"
+    assert "api_mode" not in config, config  # stale anthropic_messages deleted
+    runtime = SessionDB.session_gateway_runtime(meta)
+    assert runtime["provider"] == "openrouter"
+    assert "api_mode" not in runtime
 
 
 def test_persist_model_switch_noop_without_db_or_session():
@@ -188,12 +228,13 @@ def test_persist_model_switch_heals_bare_custom(monkeypatch):
     stub._persist_model_switch_to_session(_BareResult())
     assert written["patch"]["provider"] == "custom:myendpoint"
 
-    # Healing fails -> provider dropped entirely, not persisted bare.
+    # Healing fails -> provider dropped (explicit None deletes any stale
+    # persisted provider), never persisted bare.
     monkeypatch.setattr(rp, "canonical_custom_identity",
                         lambda base_url=None, model=None: None)
     written.clear()
     stub._persist_model_switch_to_session(_BareResult())
-    assert "provider" not in written["patch"]
+    assert written["patch"]["provider"] is None
     assert "provider" not in written["patch"]["gateway_runtime"]