diff --git a/pkg/agent/instance.go b/pkg/agent/instance.go
index ed438059f..ec8871e30 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/instance.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/instance.go
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ type AgentInstance struct {
 	Subagents      *config.SubagentsConfig
 	SkillsFilter   []string
 	Candidates     []providers.FallbackCandidate
+
+	// Router is non-nil when model routing is configured and the light model
+	// was successfully resolved. It scores each incoming message and decides
+	// whether to route to LightCandidates or stay with Candidates.
+	Router *routing.Router
+	// LightCandidates holds the resolved provider candidates for the light model.
+	// Pre-computed at agent creation to avoid repeated model_list lookups at runtime.
+	LightCandidates []providers.FallbackCandidate
 }
 
 // NewAgentInstance creates an agent instance from config.
@@ -148,23 +156,44 @@ func NewAgentInstance(
 
 	candidates := providers.ResolveCandidatesWithLookup(modelCfg, defaults.Provider, resolveFromModelList)
 
+	// Model routing setup: pre-resolve light model candidates at creation time
+	// to avoid repeated model_list lookups on every incoming message.
+	var router *routing.Router
+	var lightCandidates []providers.FallbackCandidate
+	if rc := defaults.Routing; rc != nil && rc.Enabled && rc.LightModel != "" {
+		lightModelCfg := providers.ModelConfig{Primary: rc.LightModel}
+		resolved := providers.ResolveCandidatesWithLookup(lightModelCfg, defaults.Provider, resolveFromModelList)
+		if len(resolved) > 0 {
+			router = routing.New(routing.RouterConfig{
+				LightModel: rc.LightModel,
+				Threshold:  rc.Threshold,
+			})
+			lightCandidates = resolved
+		} else {
+			log.Printf("routing: light_model %q not found in model_list — routing disabled for agent %q",
+				rc.LightModel, agentID)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return &AgentInstance{
-		ID:             agentID,
-		Name:           agentName,
-		Model:          model,
-		Fallbacks:      fallbacks,
-		Workspace:      workspace,
-		MaxIterations:  maxIter,
-		MaxTokens:      maxTokens,
-		Temperature:    temperature,
-		ContextWindow:  maxTokens,
-		Provider:       provider,
-		Sessions:       sessionsManager,
-		ContextBuilder: contextBuilder,
-		Tools:          toolsRegistry,
-		Subagents:      subagents,
-		SkillsFilter:   skillsFilter,
-		Candidates:     candidates,
+		ID:              agentID,
+		Name:            agentName,
+		Model:           model,
+		Fallbacks:       fallbacks,
+		Workspace:       workspace,
+		MaxIterations:   maxIter,
+		MaxTokens:       maxTokens,
+		Temperature:     temperature,
+		ContextWindow:   maxTokens,
+		Provider:        provider,
+		Sessions:        sessionsManager,
+		ContextBuilder:  contextBuilder,
+		Tools:           toolsRegistry,
+		Subagents:       subagents,
+		SkillsFilter:    skillsFilter,
+		Candidates:      candidates,
+		Router:          router,
+		LightCandidates: lightCandidates,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 00b0f096a..6df956627 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -625,6 +625,12 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runLLMIteration(
 	iteration := 0
 	var finalContent string
 
+	// Determine effective model tier for this conversation turn.
+	// selectCandidates evaluates routing once and the decision is sticky for
+	// all tool-follow-up iterations within the same turn so that a multi-step
+	// tool chain doesn't switch models mid-way through.
+	activeCandidates, activeModel := al.selectCandidates(agent, opts.UserMessage, messages)
+
 	for iteration < agent.MaxIterations {
 		iteration++
 
@@ -643,7 +649,7 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runLLMIteration(
 			map[string]any{
 				"agent_id":          agent.ID,
 				"iteration":         iteration,
-				"model":             agent.Model,
+				"model":             activeModel,
 				"messages_count":    len(messages),
 				"tools_count":       len(providerToolDefs),
 				"max_tokens":        agent.MaxTokens,
@@ -659,13 +665,13 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runLLMIteration(
 				"tools_json":    formatToolsForLog(providerToolDefs),
 			})
 
-		// Call LLM with fallback chain if candidates are configured.
+		// Call LLM with fallback chain if multiple candidates are configured.
 		var response *providers.LLMResponse
 		var err error
 
 		callLLM := func() (*providers.LLMResponse, error) {
-			if len(agent.Candidates) > 1 && al.fallback != nil {
-				fbResult, fbErr := al.fallback.Execute(ctx, agent.Candidates,
+			if len(activeCandidates) > 1 && al.fallback != nil {
+				fbResult, fbErr := al.fallback.Execute(ctx, activeCandidates,
 					func(ctx context.Context, provider, model string) (*providers.LLMResponse, error) {
 						return agent.Provider.Chat(ctx, messages, providerToolDefs, model, map[string]any{
 							"max_tokens":       agent.MaxTokens,
@@ -684,7 +690,7 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runLLMIteration(
 				}
 				return fbResult.Response, nil
 			}
-			return agent.Provider.Chat(ctx, messages, providerToolDefs, agent.Model, map[string]any{
+			return agent.Provider.Chat(ctx, messages, providerToolDefs, activeModel, map[string]any{
 				"max_tokens":       agent.MaxTokens,
 				"temperature":      agent.Temperature,
 				"prompt_cache_key": agent.ID,
@@ -934,6 +940,37 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runLLMIteration(
 	return finalContent, iteration, nil
 }
 
+// selectCandidates returns the model candidates and resolved model name to use
+// for a conversation turn. When model routing is configured and the incoming
+// message scores below the complexity threshold, it returns the light model
+// candidates instead of the primary ones.
+//
+// The returned (candidates, model) pair is used for all LLM calls within one
+// turn — tool follow-up iterations use the same tier as the initial call so
+// that a multi-step tool chain doesn't switch models mid-way.
+func (al *AgentLoop) selectCandidates(
+	agent *AgentInstance,
+	userMsg string,
+	history []providers.Message,
+) (candidates []providers.FallbackCandidate, model string) {
+	if agent.Router == nil || len(agent.LightCandidates) == 0 {
+		return agent.Candidates, agent.Model
+	}
+
+	_, usedLight := agent.Router.SelectModel(userMsg, history, agent.Model)
+	if !usedLight {
+		return agent.Candidates, agent.Model
+	}
+
+	logger.InfoCF("agent", "Model routing: light model selected",
+		map[string]any{
+			"agent_id":    agent.ID,
+			"light_model": agent.Router.LightModel(),
+			"threshold":   agent.Router.Threshold(),
+		})
+	return agent.LightCandidates, agent.Router.LightModel()
+}
+
 // updateToolContexts updates the context for tools that need channel/chatID info.
 func (al *AgentLoop) updateToolContexts(agent *AgentInstance, channel, chatID string) {
 	// Use ContextualTool interface instead of type assertions