diff --git a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
index f389f2c53a..ce7c0056be 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/runtime_provider.py
@@ -860,7 +860,31 @@ def resolve_runtime_provider(*, requested: Optional[str] = None, explicit_api_ke
     OpenCode Zen/Go where different models route through different API surfaces)."""
     requested_provider = resolve_requested_provider(requested)
     _raise_if_provider_disabled(requested_provider)
-    return next(r for r in _ladder_rungs(requested_provider, explicit_api_key, explicit_base_url, target_model) if r)
+    runtime = next(r for r in _ladder_rungs(requested_provider, explicit_api_key, explicit_base_url, target_model) if r)
+    _raise_for_credentialless_bare_custom(requested_provider, runtime)
+    return runtime
+
+
+def _raise_for_credentialless_bare_custom(requested_provider: str, runtime: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """Reject a stale bare ``custom`` placeholder before agent construction.
+
+    Named custom providers and local OpenAI-compatible servers retain their existing resolution
+    paths. A bare placeholder that reaches a remote endpoint without a credential, however, would
+    otherwise fail later with the unrelated ``No LLM provider configured`` diagnostic.
+    """
+    if requested_provider != "custom":
+        return
+    api_key = runtime.get("api_key")
+    if callable(api_key) or has_usable_secret(api_key):
+        return
+    if _loopback_hostname(base_url_hostname(str(runtime.get("base_url") or ""))):
+        return
+    raise AuthError(
+        "provider 'custom' resolved without usable credentials. If this is a named custom provider, "
+        "use its real name (see providers: in config.yaml).",
+        provider=requested_provider,
+        code="missing_api_key",
+    )
 
 
 def _ladder_rungs(requested_provider, explicit_api_key, explicit_base_url, target_model):
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_runtime_provider_resolution.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_runtime_provider_resolution.py
index d841a3e6bd..c3dfd8fe95 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_runtime_provider_resolution.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_runtime_provider_resolution.py
@@ -758,6 +758,50 @@ def test_bare_custom_resolves_providers_dict_entry_named_custom(monkeypatch):
     assert resolved["requested_provider"] == "custom"
 
 
+def test_bare_custom_without_credentials_for_remote_endpoint_fails_fast(monkeypatch):
+    """A stale bare placeholder must name the bad request at resolution time."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("OPENROUTER_API_KEY", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        rp,
+        "load_config",
+        lambda: {
+            "providers": {
+                "volcano": {
+                    "api": "https://ark.example.com/v1",
+                    "key_env": "ARK_API_KEY",
+                }
+            }
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(rp, "_get_model_config", lambda: {"provider": "volcano"})
+
+    with pytest.raises(rp.AuthError, match="provider 'custom'.*credentials.*real name") as error:
+        rp.resolve_runtime_provider(requested="custom")
+
+    assert error.value.provider == "custom"
+    assert error.value.code == "missing_api_key"
+
+
+def test_bare_custom_without_credentials_keeps_loopback_noauth(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        rp,
+        "load_config",
+        lambda: {
+            "providers": {
+                "custom": {
+                    "api": "http://localhost:11434/v1",
+                }
+            }
+        },
+    )
+
+    resolved = rp.resolve_runtime_provider(requested="custom")
+
+    assert resolved["base_url"] == "http://localhost:11434/v1"
+    assert resolved["api_key"] == "no-key-required"
+
+
 
 
 def test_named_custom_provider_same_url_uses_matching_key_env_and_api_mode(monkeypatch):