diff --git a/src/commands/models.list.e2e.test.ts b/src/commands/models.list.e2e.test.ts
index 53a112d0451..171893134a1 100644
--- a/src/commands/models.list.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models.list.e2e.test.ts
@@ -324,7 +324,19 @@ describe("models list/status", () => {
     await expect(loadModelRegistry({})).rejects.toThrow("model discovery unavailable");
   });
 
-  it("loadModelRegistry persists using source config snapshot when provided", async () => {
+  it("loadModelRegistry does not persist models.json as a side effect", async () => {
+    modelRegistryState.models = [OPENAI_MODEL];
+    modelRegistryState.available = [OPENAI_MODEL];
+    const resolvedConfig = {
+      models: { providers: { openai: { apiKey: "sk-resolved-runtime-value" } } }, // pragma: allowlist secret
+    };
+
+    await loadModelRegistry(resolvedConfig as never);
+
+    expect(ensureOpenClawModelsJson).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("modelsListCommand persists using the write snapshot config when provided", async () => {
     modelRegistryState.models = [OPENAI_MODEL];
     modelRegistryState.available = [OPENAI_MODEL];
     const sourceConfig = {
@@ -333,21 +345,14 @@ describe("models list/status", () => {
     const resolvedConfig = {
       models: { providers: { openai: { apiKey: "sk-resolved-runtime-value" } } }, // pragma: allowlist secret
     };
+    readConfigFileSnapshotForWrite.mockResolvedValue({
+      snapshot: { valid: true, resolved: resolvedConfig, source: sourceConfig },
+      writeOptions: {},
+    });
+    setDefaultModel("openai/gpt-4.1-mini");
+    const runtime = makeRuntime();
 
-    await loadModelRegistry(resolvedConfig as never, { sourceConfig: sourceConfig as never });
-
-    expect(ensureOpenClawModelsJson).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(ensureOpenClawModelsJson).toHaveBeenCalledWith(sourceConfig);
-  });
-
-  it("loadModelRegistry uses resolved config when no source snapshot is provided", async () => {
-    modelRegistryState.models = [OPENAI_MODEL];
-    modelRegistryState.available = [OPENAI_MODEL];
-    const resolvedConfig = {
-      models: { providers: { openai: { apiKey: "sk-resolved-runtime-value" } } }, // pragma: allowlist secret
-    };
-
-    await loadModelRegistry(resolvedConfig as never);
+    await modelsListCommand({ all: true, json: true }, runtime);
 
     expect(ensureOpenClawModelsJson).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(ensureOpenClawModelsJson).toHaveBeenCalledWith(resolvedConfig);
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.list-command.ts b/src/commands/models/list.list-command.ts
index afcd7b785d2..acb6c95761f 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.list-command.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.list-command.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export async function modelsListCommand(
 ) {
   ensureFlagCompatibility(opts);
   const { ensureAuthProfileStore } = await import("../../agents/auth-profiles.js");
+  const { ensureOpenClawModelsJson } = await import("../../agents/models-config.js");
   const { sourceConfig, resolvedConfig: cfg } = await loadModelsConfigWithSource({
     commandName: "models list",
     runtime,
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ export async function modelsListCommand(
   let availableKeys: Set<string> | undefined;
   let availabilityErrorMessage: string | undefined;
   try {
+    // Keep command behavior explicit: sync models.json from the source config
+    // before building the read-only model registry view.
+    await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(sourceConfig ?? cfg);
     const loaded = await loadModelRegistry(cfg, { sourceConfig });
     modelRegistry = loaded.registry;
     models = loaded.models;
diff --git a/src/commands/models/list.registry.ts b/src/commands/models/list.registry.ts
index 187b55176f5..340d49155df 100644
--- a/src/commands/models/list.registry.ts
+++ b/src/commands/models/list.registry.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import {
   resolveAwsSdkEnvVarName,
   resolveEnvApiKey,
 } from "../../agents/model-auth.js";
-import { ensureOpenClawModelsJson } from "../../agents/models-config.js";
 import { discoverAuthStorage, discoverModels } from "../../agents/pi-model-discovery.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import {
@@ -95,12 +94,9 @@ function loadAvailableModels(registry: ModelRegistry): Model<Api>[] {
 }
 
 export async function loadModelRegistry(
-  cfg: OpenClawConfig,
-  opts?: { sourceConfig?: OpenClawConfig },
+  _cfg: OpenClawConfig,
+  _opts?: { sourceConfig?: OpenClawConfig },
 ) {
-  // Persistence must be based on source config (pre-resolution) so SecretRef-managed
-  // credentials remain markers in models.json for command paths too.
-  await ensureOpenClawModelsJson(opts?.sourceConfig ?? cfg);
   const agentDir = resolveOpenClawAgentDir();
   const authStorage = discoverAuthStorage(agentDir);
   const registry = discoverModels(authStorage, agentDir);