Require explicit local AI model names

apps/native/src-tauri/src/ai/providers/mod.rs

@@ -62,6 +62,28 @@ pub trait ChatCompletionProvider: Send + Sync {
     }
 }
 
+fn configured_model(store_model: Option<String>, env_var: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    store_model
+        .and_then(crate::utils::non_empty_trimmed_string)
+        .or_else(|| {
+            std::env::var(env_var)
+                .ok()
+                .and_then(crate::utils::non_empty_trimmed_string)
+        })
+}
+
+fn require_local_model(
+    provider_name: &str,
+    store_model: Option<String>,
+    env_var: &str,
+) -> Result<String> {
+    configured_model(store_model, env_var).ok_or_else(|| {
+        anyhow::anyhow!(
+            "No {provider_name} model configured. Please select a model in Settings or set {env_var}."
+        )
+    })
+}
+
 /// Create a provider based on environment configuration
 pub fn create_provider<R: Runtime>(
     app_handle: Option<&AppHandle<R>>,
@@ -85,15 +107,12 @@ pub fn create_provider<R: Runtime>(
                 "codex" => CliTool::Codex,
                 _ => CliTool::OpenCode,
             };
-            let model = store_model
-                .or_else(|| std::env::var("SUMMARY_MODEL").ok())
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| provider.clone());
+            let model =
+                configured_model(store_model, "SUMMARY_MODEL").unwrap_or_else(|| provider.clone());
             Ok(Box::new(CliCompletionClient::new(tool, model)))
         }
         "ollama" => {
-            let model = store_model
-                .or_else(|| std::env::var("SUMMARY_MODEL").ok())
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| "llama3.1".to_string());
+            let model = require_local_model("Ollama", store_model, "SUMMARY_MODEL")?;
 
             let base_url = app_handle
                 .and_then(|app| crate::storage::store::get_ollama_api_base_url(app).ok())
@@ -103,9 +122,7 @@ pub fn create_provider<R: Runtime>(
             Ok(Box::new(OllamaClient::new(&base_url, &model)))
         }
         "vllm" => {
-            let model = store_model
-                .or_else(|| std::env::var("SUMMARY_MODEL").ok())
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| "gpt-oss-120b".to_string());
+            let model = require_local_model("vLLM", store_model, "SUMMARY_MODEL")?;
 
             let base_url = app_handle
                 .and_then(|app| crate::storage::store::get_vllm_api_base_url(app).ok())
@@ -124,8 +141,7 @@ pub fn create_provider<R: Runtime>(
             Ok(Box::new(OpenAIClient::new(&api_key, &base_url, &model)))
         }
         _ => {
-            let model = store_model
-                .or_else(|| std::env::var("SUMMARY_MODEL").ok())
+            let model = configured_model(store_model, "SUMMARY_MODEL")
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| DEFAULT_SUMMARY_MODEL.to_string());
 
             let (key, base_url) = if let Some(app) = app_handle {

apps/native/src-tauri/src/evolve/mod.rs

@@ -279,6 +279,26 @@ const BUILD_OUTPUT_TAIL_LINES: usize = 80;
 
 const SYSTEM_PROMPT: &str = include_str!("../../prompts/system.md");
 
+fn configured_model(store_model: Option<String>, env_var: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    store_model
+        .and_then(global_utils::non_empty_trimmed_string)
+        .or_else(|| {
+            std::env::var(env_var)
+                .ok()
+                .and_then(global_utils::non_empty_trimmed_string)
+        })
+}
+
+fn require_local_model(
+    provider_name: &str,
+    store_model: Option<String>,
+    env_var: &str,
+) -> Result<String> {
+    configured_model(store_model, env_var).ok_or_else(|| {
+        anyhow!("No {provider_name} model configured. Please select a model in Settings or set {env_var}.")
+    })
+}
+
 /// Build a short single-line preview from the conversation messages to help with
 /// troubleshooting.
 fn build_preview(messages: &[Message]) -> String {
@@ -361,9 +381,7 @@ pub async fn generate_evolution<R: Runtime>(
 
     // Select provider implementation
     let provider: Arc<dyn AiProvider> = if provider_type == "ollama" {
-        let model = store_model
-            .or_else(|| std::env::var("EVOLVE_MODEL").ok())
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| "qwen3-coder:30b".to_string());
+        let model = require_local_model("Ollama", store_model, "EVOLVE_MODEL")?;
         let base_url = store::get_ollama_api_base_url(app)
             .ok()
             .flatten()
@@ -380,15 +398,12 @@ pub async fn generate_evolution<R: Runtime>(
             "codex" => crate::ai::providers::cli::CliTool::Codex,
             _ => crate::ai::providers::cli::CliTool::OpenCode,
         };
-        let model = store_model
-            .or_else(|| std::env::var("EVOLVE_MODEL").ok())
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| provider_type.clone());
+        let model =
+            configured_model(store_model, "EVOLVE_MODEL").unwrap_or_else(|| provider_type.clone());
         info!("Using CLI provider: {} | Model: {}", provider_type, model);
         Arc::new(CliProvider::new(tool, model))
     } else if provider_type == "vllm" {
-        let model = store_model
-            .or_else(|| std::env::var("EVOLVE_MODEL").ok())
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| "gpt-oss-120b".to_string());
+        let model = require_local_model("vLLM", store_model, "EVOLVE_MODEL")?;
         let base_url = store::get_vllm_api_base_url(app)
             .ok()
             .flatten()
@@ -403,8 +418,7 @@ pub async fn generate_evolution<R: Runtime>(
                 anyhow!("No API key found. Please add your API key in Settings to get started.")
             })?;
 
-        let model = store_model
-            .or_else(|| std::env::var("EVOLVE_MODEL").ok())
+        let model = configured_model(store_model, "EVOLVE_MODEL")
             .unwrap_or_else(|| DEFAULT_MODEL.to_string());
         // Strip OpenRouter-style "openai/" prefix for direct OpenAI usage
         let model = if base_url == store::OPENAI_BASE_URL {

apps/native/src-tauri/src/utils.rs

@@ -37,6 +37,15 @@ pub fn normalize_dir_input(input: &str) -> Result<std::path::PathBuf, String> {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn non_empty_trimmed_string(input: impl AsRef<str>) -> Option<String> {
+    let trimmed = input.as_ref().trim();
+    if trimmed.is_empty() {
+        None
+    } else {
+        Some(trimmed.to_string())
+    }
+}
+
 // Helper to truncate a string in-place without breaking UTF-8 encoding
 // and causing a panic, thereby avoiding annoying AI code review comments
 // about "don't truncate UTF-8 strings".
@@ -56,7 +65,7 @@ pub fn truncate_with_ellipsis(s: &str, max: usize) -> String {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use super::normalize_dir_input;
+    use super::{non_empty_trimmed_string, normalize_dir_input};
 
     #[test]
     fn test_empty_input_returns_err() {
@@ -69,6 +78,16 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(normalize_dir_input("\t\n").is_err());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_non_empty_trimmed_string_filters_empty_values() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            non_empty_trimmed_string(" model-name "),
+            Some("model-name".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(non_empty_trimmed_string("   "), None);
+        assert_eq!(non_empty_trimmed_string(""), None);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_tilde_expands_to_absolute() {
         // Rather than mocking HOME (which dirs crate doesn't reliably use),

apps/native/src/components/widget/promptinput/prompt-input.tsx

@@ -61,8 +61,18 @@ export function PromptInput() {
 
         if (!cancelled) {
           setProviderErrors({
-            evolve: getProviderConfigInvalidReason(evolveProvider, normalizedPrefs, cliStatus),
-            summary: getProviderConfigInvalidReason(summaryProvider, normalizedPrefs, cliStatus),
+            evolve: getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
+              evolveProvider,
+              normalizedPrefs,
+              cliStatus,
+              prefs?.evolveModel,
+            ),
+            summary: getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
+              summaryProvider,
+              normalizedPrefs,
+              cliStatus,
+              prefs?.summaryModel,
+            ),
           });
         }
       } catch {

apps/native/src/components/widget/settings/ai-models-tab.tsx

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const DEFAULT_EVOLVE_MODEL: Record<string, string> = {
   openrouter: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4",
   openai: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4",
   ollama: "",
-  vllm: "gpt-oss-120b",
+  vllm: "",
   claude: "",
   codex: "",
   opencode: "",
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ const DEFAULT_EVOLVE_MODEL: Record<string, string> = {
 const DEFAULT_SUMMARY_MODEL: Record<string, string> = {
   openrouter: "openai/gpt-4o-mini",
   openai: "openai/gpt-4o-mini",
-  ollama: "llama3.1",
-  vllm: "gpt-oss-120b",
+  ollama: "",
+  vllm: "",
   claude: "",
   codex: "",
   opencode: "",
@@ -140,11 +140,13 @@ export function AiModelsTab({
     evolveProviderField.state.value,
     providerPrefs,
     cliStatus,
+    evolveModelField.state.value,
   );
   const summaryProviderError = getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
     summaryProviderField.state.value,
     providerPrefs,
     cliStatus,
+    summaryModelField.state.value,
   );
 
   return (
@@ -228,9 +230,9 @@ export function AiModelsTab({
                           onBlur={evolveModelField.handleBlur}
                           placeholder={
                             evolveProvider === "ollama"
-                              ? ""
+                              ? "Select an installed Ollama model"
                               : evolveProvider === "vllm"
-                                ? "gpt-oss-120b"
+                                ? "Enter vLLM model name"
                                 : evolveProvider === "opencode"
                                   ? "Leave empty for CLI default"
                                   : "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4"
@@ -316,9 +318,9 @@ export function AiModelsTab({
                           onBlur={summaryModelField.handleBlur}
                           placeholder={
                             summaryProvider === "ollama"
-                              ? "llama3.1"
+                              ? "Select an installed Ollama model"
                               : summaryProvider === "vllm"
-                                ? "gpt-oss-120b"
+                                ? "Enter vLLM model name"
                                 : summaryProvider === "opencode"
                                   ? "Leave empty for CLI default"
                                   : "openai/gpt-4o-mini"

apps/native/src/lib/ai-provider-validation.test.ts

@@ -33,4 +33,21 @@ describe("getProviderConfigInvalidReason", () => {
       ),
     ).toBeNull();
   });
+
+  it("requires explicit local model names", () => {
+    expect(getProviderConfigInvalidReason("ollama", EMPTY_PREFS, NO_CLI_TOOLS, "")).toBe(
+      "No model set",
+    );
+    expect(
+      getProviderConfigInvalidReason("ollama", EMPTY_PREFS, NO_CLI_TOOLS, " local "),
+    ).toBeNull();
+    expect(
+      getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
+        "vllm",
+        { ...EMPTY_PREFS, vllmApiBaseUrl: "http://localhost:8000" },
+        NO_CLI_TOOLS,
+        "   ",
+      ),
+    ).toBe("No model set");
+  });
 });

apps/native/src/lib/ai-provider-validation.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export function getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
   provider: string,
   prefs: Pick<DarwinPrefs, "openrouterApiKey" | "openaiApiKey" | "vllmApiBaseUrl">,
   cliStatus: CliToolsState | null | undefined,
+  model?: string | null,
 ): string | null {
   if (isCliProvider(provider) && cliStatus != null) {
     const key = provider as keyof CliToolsState;
@@ -25,7 +26,14 @@ export function getProviderConfigInvalidReason(
   }
 
   if (provider === "vllm") {
-    return prefs.vllmApiBaseUrl?.trim() ? null : "No base URL set";
+    if (!prefs.vllmApiBaseUrl?.trim()) {
+      return "No base URL set";
+    }
+    return model?.trim() ? null : "No model set";
+  }
+
+  if (provider === "ollama") {
+    return model?.trim() ? null : "No model set";
   }
 
   return null;