diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 25f72f1f4f9..61c2cef5bb9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Codex app-server: complete OpenClaw dynamic tool diagnostics at the request boundary so successful, failed, timed out, aborted, and blocked tool calls do not leave active tool state behind. Fixes #83474. Thanks @rozmiarD.
 - Gateway/config: keep config writes from failing on unrelated unresolved auth-profile SecretRefs while preserving live auth-profile runtime snapshots.
 - Gateway/sessions: clear stored CLI provider resume bindings on non-subagent `/reset` so the next turn starts a fresh provider-side CLI conversation instead of resuming old context. (#83448) Thanks @jasonyliu.
+- Doctor: preserve legacy whole-agent Claude CLI intent by moving matching Anthropic model selections to model-scoped runtime policy before removing stale runtime pins. Fixes #83491. Thanks @danielcrick.
 - Discord/OpenAI: keep realtime Discord voice sessions hearing follow-up turns with OpenAI realtime and prebuffer assistant playback to avoid choppy starts. (#80505) Thanks @Solvely-Colin.
 - Discord/subagents: route the initial reply from thread-bound delegated sessions into the bound Discord thread instead of the parent channel. Fixes #83170. (#83172) Thanks @100menotu001.
 - Gateway/sessions: rotate failed agent sessions when their transcript file is missing instead of wedging per-channel lanes. Fixes #83488. (#83553) Thanks @LLagoon3.
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor-legacy-config.migrations.test.ts b/src/commands/doctor-legacy-config.migrations.test.ts
index f4814244179..a0f103af250 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor-legacy-config.migrations.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor-legacy-config.migrations.test.ts
@@ -639,6 +639,60 @@ describe("normalizeCompatibilityConfigValues", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("preserves legacy whole-agent Claude CLI intent for canonical Anthropic defaults", () => {
+    const res = normalizeCompatibilityConfigValues({
+      agents: {
+        defaults: {
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+          model: {
+            primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+            fallbacks: ["anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6", "openai/gpt-5.5"],
+          },
+          models: {
+            "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { alias: "Opus" },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    } as unknown as OpenClawConfig);
+
+    expect(res.config.agents?.defaults?.agentRuntime).toEqual({ id: "claude-cli" });
+    expect(res.config.agents?.defaults?.models).toEqual({
+      "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": {
+        alias: "Opus",
+        agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+      },
+      "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": {
+        agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(res.changes).toContain(
+      "Moved agents.defaults.agentRuntime.id claude-cli to matching anthropic model runtime policy.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("does not overwrite explicit model runtime while preserving legacy whole-agent CLI intent", () => {
+    const res = normalizeCompatibilityConfigValues({
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "paige",
+            agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+            model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+            models: {
+              "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { agentRuntime: { id: "pi" } },
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    } as unknown as OpenClawConfig);
+
+    expect(res.config.agents?.list?.[0]?.agentRuntime).toEqual({ id: "claude-cli" });
+    expect(res.config.agents?.list?.[0]?.models).toEqual({
+      "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { agentRuntime: { id: "pi" } },
+    });
+    expect(res.changes).toStrictEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("migrates legacy Codex CLI primary refs to the Codex app-server route", () => {
     const res = normalizeCompatibilityConfigValues({
       agents: {
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-core-normalizers.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-core-normalizers.ts
index 33d30a7bf0f..e24e2abb464 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-core-normalizers.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-core-normalizers.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import {
   legacyRuntimeModelAliasRequiresRuntimePolicy,
+  listLegacyRuntimeModelProviderAliases,
   migrateLegacyRuntimeModelRef,
 } from "../../../agents/model-runtime-aliases.js";
 import { normalizeProviderId } from "../../../agents/provider-id.js";
@@ -205,6 +206,32 @@ type SelectedRuntimeRef = {
 const LEGACY_CODEX_CLI_RUNTIME_ID = "codex-cli";
 const CODEX_APP_SERVER_RUNTIME_ID = "codex";
 
+function resolveLegacyWholeAgentRuntimePolicy(raw: unknown):
+  | {
+      provider: string;
+      runtime: string;
+      requiresRuntimePolicy: boolean;
+    }
+  | undefined {
+  if (!isRecord(raw)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const runtime = normalizeOptionalLowercaseString(raw.id);
+  if (!runtime || runtime === "auto" || runtime === "pi") {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const alias = listLegacyRuntimeModelProviderAliases().find(
+    (entry) => entry.cli && normalizeProviderId(entry.runtime) === runtime,
+  );
+  return alias
+    ? {
+        provider: alias.provider,
+        runtime: alias.runtime,
+        requiresRuntimePolicy: alias.requiresRuntimePolicy,
+      }
+    : undefined;
+}
+
 function migratedRuntimeRequiresPolicy(legacyProvider: string): boolean {
   return legacyRuntimeModelAliasRequiresRuntimePolicy(legacyProvider);
 }
@@ -417,6 +444,44 @@ function ensureSelectedModelRuntimePolicies(
   return { value: next, changed };
 }
 
+function selectedCanonicalModelRefsForRuntimePolicy(
+  rawModel: unknown,
+  provider: string,
+  runtime: string,
+  requiresRuntimePolicy: boolean,
+): SelectedRuntimeRef[] {
+  const refs: SelectedRuntimeRef[] = [];
+  const addRef = (rawRef: unknown) => {
+    if (typeof rawRef !== "string") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const trimmed = rawRef.trim();
+    const slash = trimmed.indexOf("/");
+    if (slash <= 0 || slash >= trimmed.length - 1) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (normalizeProviderId(trimmed.slice(0, slash)) !== normalizeProviderId(provider)) {
+      return;
+    }
+    refs.push({ ref: trimmed, runtime, requiresRuntimePolicy });
+  };
+
+  if (typeof rawModel === "string") {
+    addRef(rawModel);
+    return refs;
+  }
+  if (!isRecord(rawModel)) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  addRef(rawModel.primary);
+  if (Array.isArray(rawModel.fallbacks)) {
+    for (const fallback of rawModel.fallbacks) {
+      addRef(fallback);
+    }
+  }
+  return refs;
+}
+
 function normalizeLegacyCodexCliRuntimePinsInModels(
   rawModels: unknown,
   path: string,
@@ -451,6 +516,7 @@ function normalizeLegacyRuntimeAgentContainer(
 ): { value: Record<string, unknown>; changed: boolean } {
   let changed = false;
   const next: Record<string, unknown> = { ...raw };
+  const legacyWholeAgentRuntime = resolveLegacyWholeAgentRuntimePolicy(raw.agentRuntime);
 
   const model = normalizeLegacyRuntimeAgentModelConfig(raw.model);
   if (model.changed) {
@@ -484,6 +550,23 @@ function normalizeLegacyRuntimeAgentContainer(
     }
   }
 
+  if (legacyWholeAgentRuntime) {
+    const selectedRefs = selectedCanonicalModelRefsForRuntimePolicy(
+      next.model ?? raw.model,
+      legacyWholeAgentRuntime.provider,
+      legacyWholeAgentRuntime.runtime,
+      legacyWholeAgentRuntime.requiresRuntimePolicy,
+    );
+    const modelRuntimes = ensureSelectedModelRuntimePolicies(next.models, selectedRefs);
+    if (modelRuntimes.changed) {
+      next.models = modelRuntimes.value;
+      changed = true;
+      changes.push(
+        `Moved ${path}.agentRuntime.id ${legacyWholeAgentRuntime.runtime} to matching ${legacyWholeAgentRuntime.provider} model runtime policy.`,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   const codexCliRuntimePins = normalizeLegacyCodexCliRuntimePinsInModels(
     next.models,
     `${path}.models`,
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrate.test.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrate.test.ts
index af4182dd477..716b7860b17 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrate.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrate.test.ts
@@ -602,6 +602,85 @@ describe("legacy migrate sandbox scope aliases", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("moves recoverable whole-agent Claude CLI runtime policy before removing stale pins", () => {
+    const res = migrateLegacyConfigForTest({
+      agents: {
+        defaults: {
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+          model: {
+            primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+            fallbacks: ["anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6", "openai/gpt-5.5"],
+          },
+          models: {
+            "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { alias: "Opus" },
+          },
+        },
+        list: [
+          {
+            id: "paige",
+            agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+            model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(res.changes).toStrictEqual([
+      "Moved agents.defaults.agentRuntime.id claude-cli to matching anthropic model runtime policy.",
+      "Removed agents.defaults.agentRuntime; runtime is now provider/model scoped.",
+      "Moved agents.list.0.agentRuntime.id claude-cli to matching anthropic model runtime policy.",
+      "Removed agents.list.0.agentRuntime; runtime is now provider/model scoped.",
+    ]);
+    expect(res.config?.agents?.defaults).toEqual({
+      model: {
+        primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+        fallbacks: ["anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6", "openai/gpt-5.5"],
+      },
+      models: {
+        "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": {
+          alias: "Opus",
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+        },
+        "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": {
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(res.config?.agents?.list?.[0]).toEqual({
+      id: "paige",
+      model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
+      models: {
+        "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6": {
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not overwrite explicit model runtime when removing stale whole-agent policy", () => {
+    const res = migrateLegacyConfigForTest({
+      agents: {
+        defaults: {
+          agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
+          model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+          models: {
+            "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { agentRuntime: { id: "pi" } },
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(res.changes).toStrictEqual([
+      "Removed agents.defaults.agentRuntime; runtime is now provider/model scoped.",
+    ]);
+    expect(res.config?.agents?.defaults).toEqual({
+      model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7",
+      models: {
+        "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": { agentRuntime: { id: "pi" } },
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("moves agents.defaults.sandbox.perSession into scope", () => {
     const res = migrateLegacyConfigForTest({
       agents: {
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrations.runtime.agents.ts b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrations.runtime.agents.ts
index c3b085cb18a..9920eb28de2 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrations.runtime.agents.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor/shared/legacy-config-migrations.runtime.agents.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { listLegacyRuntimeModelProviderAliases } from "../../../agents/model-runtime-aliases.js";
+import { normalizeProviderId } from "../../../agents/provider-id.js";
 import {
   defineLegacyConfigMigration,
   ensureRecord,
@@ -27,6 +29,11 @@ const AGENT_HEARTBEAT_KEYS = new Set([
 
 const CHANNEL_HEARTBEAT_KEYS = new Set(["showOk", "showAlerts", "useIndicator"]);
 
+type LegacyAgentRuntimeIntent = {
+  provider: string;
+  runtime: string;
+};
+
 const MEMORY_SEARCH_RULE: LegacyConfigRule = {
   path: ["memorySearch"],
   message:
@@ -275,11 +282,116 @@ function removeLegacyAgentRuntimePolicy(
     changes.push(`Removed ${pathLabel}.embeddedHarness; runtime is now provider/model scoped.`);
   }
   if (getRecord(container.agentRuntime) !== null) {
+    preserveLegacyWholeAgentRuntimePolicy(container, pathLabel, changes);
     delete container.agentRuntime;
     changes.push(`Removed ${pathLabel}.agentRuntime; runtime is now provider/model scoped.`);
   }
 }
 
+function resolveLegacyAgentRuntimeIntent(raw: unknown): LegacyAgentRuntimeIntent | undefined {
+  const record = getRecord(raw);
+  if (!record) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const runtime = typeof record.id === "string" ? record.id.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
+  if (!runtime || runtime === "auto" || runtime === "pi") {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const alias = listLegacyRuntimeModelProviderAliases().find(
+    (entry) => entry.cli && normalizeProviderId(entry.runtime) === runtime,
+  );
+  return alias ? { provider: alias.provider, runtime: alias.runtime } : undefined;
+}
+
+function selectedCanonicalModelRefsForRuntimePolicy(rawModel: unknown, provider: string): string[] {
+  const refs: string[] = [];
+  const addRef = (rawRef: unknown) => {
+    if (typeof rawRef !== "string") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const trimmed = rawRef.trim();
+    const slash = trimmed.indexOf("/");
+    if (slash <= 0 || slash >= trimmed.length - 1) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (normalizeProviderId(trimmed.slice(0, slash)) !== normalizeProviderId(provider)) {
+      return;
+    }
+    refs.push(trimmed);
+  };
+
+  if (typeof rawModel === "string") {
+    addRef(rawModel);
+    return refs;
+  }
+  const model = getRecord(rawModel);
+  if (!model) {
+    return refs;
+  }
+  addRef(model.primary);
+  if (Array.isArray(model.fallbacks)) {
+    for (const fallback of model.fallbacks) {
+      addRef(fallback);
+    }
+  }
+  return refs;
+}
+
+function modelEntryWithRuntimePolicy(
+  entry: unknown,
+  runtime: string,
+): {
+  changed: boolean;
+  entry: Record<string, unknown>;
+} {
+  const base = getRecord(entry) ? { ...(entry as Record<string, unknown>) } : {};
+  const currentRuntime = getRecord(base.agentRuntime);
+  const currentRuntimeId =
+    typeof currentRuntime?.id === "string" ? currentRuntime.id.trim().toLowerCase() : "";
+  if (currentRuntimeId && currentRuntimeId !== "auto") {
+    return { changed: false, entry: base };
+  }
+  base.agentRuntime = {
+    ...currentRuntime,
+    id: runtime,
+  };
+  return { changed: true, entry: base };
+}
+
+function preserveLegacyWholeAgentRuntimePolicy(
+  container: Record<string, unknown>,
+  pathLabel: string,
+  changes: string[],
+): void {
+  const intent = resolveLegacyAgentRuntimeIntent(container.agentRuntime);
+  if (!intent) {
+    return;
+  }
+  const selectedRefs = selectedCanonicalModelRefsForRuntimePolicy(container.model, intent.provider);
+  if (selectedRefs.length === 0) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const currentModels = getRecord(container.models);
+  const nextModels: Record<string, unknown> = currentModels ? { ...currentModels } : {};
+  let changed = false;
+  for (const ref of selectedRefs) {
+    const updated = modelEntryWithRuntimePolicy(nextModels[ref], intent.runtime);
+    if (!updated.changed) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    nextModels[ref] = updated.entry;
+    changed = true;
+  }
+  if (!changed) {
+    return;
+  }
+  container.models = nextModels;
+  changes.push(
+    `Moved ${pathLabel}.agentRuntime.id ${intent.runtime} to matching ${intent.provider} model runtime policy.`,
+  );
+}
+
 function removeIgnoredAgentModelTimeout(
   model: unknown,
   pathLabel: string,