diff --git a/docs/gateway/openai-http-api.md b/docs/gateway/openai-http-api.md
index 519158d11..13831d336 100644
--- a/docs/gateway/openai-http-api.md
+++ b/docs/gateway/openai-http-api.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Clawdbot’s Gateway can serve a small OpenAI-compatible endpoint:
 - `POST /v1/chat/completions`
 - Same port as the Gateway (WS + HTTP multiplex): `http://<gateway-host>:<port>/v1/chat/completions`
 
+Under the hood, requests are executed as a normal Gateway agent run (same codepath as `clawdbot agent`), so routing/permissions/config match your Gateway.
+
 ## Authentication
 
 Uses the Gateway auth configuration. Send a bearer token:
@@ -22,7 +24,12 @@ Notes:
 
 ## Choosing an agent
 
-Target a specific Clawdbot agent by id:
+No custom headers required: encode the agent id in the OpenAI `model` field:
+
+- `model: "clawdbot:<agentId>"` (example: `"clawdbot:main"`, `"clawdbot:beta"`)
+- `model: "agent:<agentId>"` (alias)
+
+Or target a specific Clawdbot agent by header:
 
 - `x-clawdbot-agent-id: <agentId>` (default: `main`)
 
@@ -69,4 +76,3 @@ curl -N http://127.0.0.1:18789/v1/chat/completions \
     "messages": [{"role":"user","content":"hi"}]
   }'
 ```
-
diff --git a/src/gateway/openai-http.e2e.test.ts b/src/gateway/openai-http.e2e.test.ts
index ec85285d5..30ef2e92d 100644
--- a/src/gateway/openai-http.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/openai-http.e2e.test.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,58 @@ describe("OpenAI-compatible HTTP API (e2e)", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("routes to a specific agent via model (no custom headers)", async () => {
+    agentCommand.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      payloads: [{ text: "hello" }],
+    } as never);
+
+    const port = await getFreePort();
+    const server = await startServer(port);
+    try {
+      const res = await postChatCompletions(port, {
+        model: "clawdbot:beta",
+        messages: [{ role: "user", content: "hi" }],
+      });
+      expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+
+      expect(agentCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const [opts] = agentCommand.mock.calls[0] ?? [];
+      expect(
+        (opts as { sessionKey?: string } | undefined)?.sessionKey ?? "",
+      ).toMatch(/^agent:beta:/);
+    } finally {
+      await server.close({ reason: "test done" });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("prefers explicit header agent over model agent", async () => {
+    agentCommand.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      payloads: [{ text: "hello" }],
+    } as never);
+
+    const port = await getFreePort();
+    const server = await startServer(port);
+    try {
+      const res = await postChatCompletions(
+        port,
+        {
+          model: "clawdbot:beta",
+          messages: [{ role: "user", content: "hi" }],
+        },
+        { "x-clawdbot-agent-id": "alpha" },
+      );
+      expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+
+      expect(agentCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const [opts] = agentCommand.mock.calls[0] ?? [];
+      expect(
+        (opts as { sessionKey?: string } | undefined)?.sessionKey ?? "",
+      ).toMatch(/^agent:alpha:/);
+    } finally {
+      await server.close({ reason: "test done" });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("honors x-clawdbot-session-key override", async () => {
     agentCommand.mockResolvedValueOnce({
       payloads: [{ text: "hello" }],
diff --git a/src/gateway/openai-http.ts b/src/gateway/openai-http.ts
index 4194cb33a..49db909ad 100644
--- a/src/gateway/openai-http.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/openai-http.ts
@@ -111,14 +111,40 @@ function buildAgentPrompt(messagesUnknown: unknown): {
   };
 }
 
-function resolveAgentId(req: IncomingMessage): string {
+function resolveAgentIdFromHeader(
+  req: IncomingMessage,
+): string | undefined {
   const raw =
     getHeader(req, "x-clawdbot-agent-id")?.trim() ||
     getHeader(req, "x-clawdbot-agent")?.trim() ||
-    "main";
+    "";
+  if (!raw) return undefined;
   return normalizeAgentId(raw);
 }
 
+function resolveAgentIdFromModel(model: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const raw = model?.trim();
+  if (!raw) return undefined;
+
+  const m =
+    raw.match(/^clawdbot[:/](?<agentId>[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63})$/i) ??
+    raw.match(/^agent:(?<agentId>[a-z0-9][a-z0-9_-]{0,63})$/i);
+  const agentId = m?.groups?.agentId;
+  if (!agentId) return undefined;
+  return normalizeAgentId(agentId);
+}
+
+function resolveAgentIdForRequest(params: {
+  req: IncomingMessage;
+  model: string | undefined;
+}): string {
+  const fromHeader = resolveAgentIdFromHeader(params.req);
+  if (fromHeader) return fromHeader;
+
+  const fromModel = resolveAgentIdFromModel(params.model);
+  return fromModel ?? "main";
+}
+
 function resolveSessionKey(params: {
   req: IncomingMessage;
   agentId: string;
@@ -183,7 +209,7 @@ export async function handleOpenAiHttpRequest(
   const model = typeof payload.model === "string" ? payload.model : "clawdbot";
   const user = typeof payload.user === "string" ? payload.user : undefined;
 
-  const agentId = resolveAgentId(req);
+  const agentId = resolveAgentIdForRequest({ req, model });
   const sessionKey = resolveSessionKey({ req, agentId, user });
   const prompt = buildAgentPrompt(payload.messages);
   if (!prompt.message) {