diff --git a/src/app/(dashboard)/dashboard/cli-tools/components/CodexToolCard.js b/src/app/(dashboard)/dashboard/cli-tools/components/CodexToolCard.js
index 3e706996..f5aa88d7 100644
--- a/src/app/(dashboard)/dashboard/cli-tools/components/CodexToolCard.js
+++ b/src/app/(dashboard)/dashboard/cli-tools/components/CodexToolCard.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export default function CodexToolCard({ tool, isExpanded, onToggle, baseUrl, api
       if (modelMatch) setSelectedModel(modelMatch[1]);
 
       // Parse subagent settings
-      const subagentModelMatch = codexStatus.config.match(/\[agents\.subagent\]\s*\n\s*model\s*=\s*"([^"]+)"/m);
+      const subagentModelMatch = codexStatus.config.match(/^default_subagent_model\s*=\s*"([^"]+)"/m);
       if (subagentModelMatch) setSubagentModel(subagentModelMatch[1]);
     }
   }, [codexStatus]);
@@ -172,24 +172,18 @@ name = "9Router"
 base_url = "${getEffectiveBaseUrl()}"
 wire_api = "responses"
 
-[agents.subagent]
-model = "${effectiveSubagentModel}"
-`;
+[model_providers.9router.http_headers]
+Authorization = "Bearer ${keyToUse}"
 
-    const authContent = JSON.stringify({
-      auth_mode: "apikey",
-      OPENAI_API_KEY: keyToUse
-    }, null, 2);
+[agents]
+default_subagent_model = "${effectiveSubagentModel}"
+`;
 
     return [
       {
         filename: "~/.codex/config.toml",
         content: configContent,
       },
-      {
-        filename: "~/.codex/auth.json",
-        content: authContent,
-      },
     ];
   };
 
@@ -254,7 +248,7 @@ model = "${effectiveSubagentModel}"
                     <p className="text-text-muted">After installation, run <code className="px-1 bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5 rounded">codex</code> to verify.</p>
                     <div className="pt-2 border-t border-border">
                       <p className="text-text-muted text-xs">
-                        Codex uses <code className="px-1 bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5 rounded">~/.codex/auth.json</code> with <code className="px-1 bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5 rounded">OPENAI_API_KEY</code>.
+                        Codex reads custom providers from <code className="px-1 bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5 rounded">~/.codex/config.toml</code>.
                         Click &quot;Apply&quot; to auto-configure.
                       </p>
                     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/api/cli-tools/codex-settings/route.js b/src/app/api/cli-tools/codex-settings/route.js
index ff20c575..1a6d016f 100644
--- a/src/app/api/cli-tools/codex-settings/route.js
+++ b/src/app/api/cli-tools/codex-settings/route.js
@@ -135,35 +135,22 @@ export async function POST(request) {
     // Update or create 9router provider section (no api_key - Codex reads from auth.json)
     // Ensure /v1 suffix is added only once
     const normalizedBaseUrl = baseUrl.endsWith("/v1") ? baseUrl : `${baseUrl}/v1`;
+    // Custom providers ignore auth.json - the key must travel as a static header
     setNestedSection(parsed, "model_providers.9router", {
       name: "9Router",
       base_url: normalizedBaseUrl,
       wire_api: "responses",
+      http_headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}` },
     });
 
-    // Add subagent configuration
-    const effectiveSubagentModel = subagentModel || model;
-    setNestedSection(parsed, "agents.subagent", {
-      model: effectiveSubagentModel,
-    });
+    // Subagent model is a scalar under [agents]; agents.<role> now means a custom role
+    deleteNestedSection(parsed, "agents.subagent");
+    setNestedSection(parsed, "agents.default_subagent_model", subagentModel || model);
 
     // Write merged config
     const configContent = stringifyTOML(parsed);
     await fs.writeFile(configPath, configContent);
 
-    // Update auth.json with OPENAI_API_KEY (Codex reads this first)
-    const authPath = getCodexAuthPath();
-    let authData = {};
-    try {
-      const existingAuth = await fs.readFile(authPath, "utf-8");
-      authData = JSON.parse(existingAuth);
-    } catch { /* No existing auth */ }
-    
-    // Force apikey mode (keep existing tokens untouched for ChatGPT login reuse)
-    authData.OPENAI_API_KEY = apiKey;
-    authData.auth_mode = "apikey";
-    await fs.writeFile(authPath, JSON.stringify(authData, null, 2));
-
     return NextResponse.json({
       success: true,
       message: "Codex settings applied successfully!",
@@ -204,7 +191,8 @@ export async function DELETE() {
     // Remove 9router provider section
     deleteNestedSection(parsed, "model_providers.9router");
 
-    // Remove subagent configuration
+    // Remove subagent configuration (both the current key and the legacy role form)
+    deleteNestedSection(parsed, "agents.default_subagent_model");
     deleteNestedSection(parsed, "agents.subagent");
 
     // Write updated config