diff --git a/web/backend/api/models.go b/web/backend/api/models.go
index 64a7b5f1f..48babd8cd 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/models.go
+++ b/web/backend/api/models.go
@@ -108,7 +108,12 @@ func (h *Handler) handleAddModel(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	defer r.Body.Close()
 
-	var mc config.ModelConfig
+	type custom struct {
+		config.ModelConfig
+		APIKey string `json:"api_key"`
+	}
+
+	var mc custom
 	if err = json.Unmarshal(body, &mc); err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Invalid JSON: %v", err), http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
@@ -119,13 +124,17 @@ func (h *Handler) handleAddModel(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if mc.APIKey != "" {
+		mc.ModelConfig.SetAPIKey(mc.APIKey)
+	}
+
 	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig(h.configPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load config: %v", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
-	cfg.ModelList = append(cfg.ModelList, &mc)
+	cfg.ModelList = append(cfg.ModelList, &mc.ModelConfig)
 
 	if err := config.SaveConfig(h.configPath, cfg); err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to save config: %v", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
diff --git a/web/backend/api/models_test.go b/web/backend/api/models_test.go
index 0127ce675..9d3e72bd3 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/models_test.go
+++ b/web/backend/api/models_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -317,6 +318,44 @@ func TestHandleListModels_NormalizesWildcardLocalAPIBaseForProbe(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHandleAddModel_PersistsAPIKey(t *testing.T) {
+	configPath, cleanup := setupOAuthTestEnv(t)
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	h := NewHandler(configPath)
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	h.RegisterRoutes(mux)
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPost, "/api/models", bytes.NewBufferString(`{
+		"model_name":"new-model",
+		"model":"openai/gpt-4o-mini",
+		"api_key":"sk-new-model-key"
+	}`))
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	mux.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d, body=%s", rec.Code, http.StatusOK, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+
+	cfg, err := config.LoadConfig(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("LoadConfig() error = %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(cfg.ModelList) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("len(model_list) = %d, want 2", len(cfg.ModelList))
+	}
+
+	added := cfg.ModelList[1]
+	if added.ModelName != "new-model" {
+		t.Fatalf("model_name = %q, want %q", added.ModelName, "new-model")
+	}
+	if added.APIKey() != "sk-new-model-key" {
+		t.Fatalf("api_key = %q, want %q", added.APIKey(), "sk-new-model-key")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestMaskAPIKey(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name string