diff --git a/src/agents/live-model-filter.test.ts b/src/agents/live-model-filter.test.ts
index 84107a5a2d3..f983a064a26 100644
--- a/src/agents/live-model-filter.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/live-model-filter.test.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ describe("shouldExcludeProviderFromDefaultHighSignalLiveSweep", () => {
 });
 
 describe("resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit", () => {
+  it("accepts signed decimal max model limits", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit({
+        rawMaxModels: "+3",
+        useExplicitModels: false,
+        defaultLimit: 5,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(3);
+  });
+
   it("does not coerce partial max model limits", () => {
     expect(
       resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit({
@@ -101,4 +111,14 @@ describe("resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit", () => {
       }),
     ).toBe(0);
   });
+
+  it("does not coerce non-decimal max model limits", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit({
+        rawMaxModels: "0x3",
+        useExplicitModels: false,
+        defaultLimit: 5,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(0);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/agents/live-model-filter.ts b/src/agents/live-model-filter.ts
index f9f7fd83748..211e780f1b2 100644
--- a/src/agents/live-model-filter.ts
+++ b/src/agents/live-model-filter.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/types.openclaw.js";
 import { resolveProviderModernModelRef } from "../plugins/provider-runtime.js";
+import { parseStrictNonNegativeInteger } from "../shared/number-coercion.js";
 import { normalizeLowercaseStringOrEmpty } from "../shared/string-coerce.js";
 import { liveProvidersShareOwningPlugin } from "./live-provider-owner.js";
 import { normalizeProviderId } from "./provider-id.js";
@@ -414,8 +415,7 @@ export function resolveHighSignalLiveModelLimit(params: {
 }): number {
   const trimmed = params.rawMaxModels?.trim();
   if (trimmed) {
-    const parsed = /^\d+$/.test(trimmed) ? Number(trimmed) : Number.NaN;
-    return Number.isSafeInteger(parsed) ? Math.max(0, parsed) : 0;
+    return parseStrictNonNegativeInteger(trimmed) ?? 0;
   }
   if (params.useExplicitModels) {
     return 0;