diff --git a/src/agents/builtin-agents.ts b/src/agents/builtin-agents.ts
index 07fcc64fa..350d69e54 100644
--- a/src/agents/builtin-agents.ts
+++ b/src/agents/builtin-agents.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ export async function createBuiltinAgents(
     browserProvider,
     uiSelectedModel,
     availableModels,
+    isFirstRunNoCache,
     disabledSkills,
     disableOmoEnv,
   })
diff --git a/src/agents/builtin-agents/general-agents.ts b/src/agents/builtin-agents/general-agents.ts
index e75baa146..7727cf999 100644
--- a/src/agents/builtin-agents/general-agents.ts
+++ b/src/agents/builtin-agents/general-agents.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { AGENT_MODEL_REQUIREMENTS, isModelAvailable } from "../../shared"
 import { buildAgent, isFactory } from "../agent-builder"
 import { applyOverrides } from "./agent-overrides"
 import { applyEnvironmentContext } from "./environment-context"
-import { applyModelResolution } from "./model-resolution"
+import { applyModelResolution, getFirstFallbackModel } from "./model-resolution"
 
 export function collectPendingBuiltinAgents(input: {
   agentSources: Record<BuiltinAgentName, import("../agent-builder").AgentSource>
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export function collectPendingBuiltinAgents(input: {
   browserProvider?: BrowserAutomationProvider
   uiSelectedModel?: string
   availableModels: Set<string>
+  isFirstRunNoCache: boolean
   disabledSkills?: Set<string>
   useTaskSystem?: boolean
   disableOmoEnv?: boolean
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export function collectPendingBuiltinAgents(input: {
     browserProvider,
     uiSelectedModel,
     availableModels,
+    isFirstRunNoCache,
     disabledSkills,
     disableOmoEnv = false,
   } = input
@@ -66,13 +68,16 @@ export function collectPendingBuiltinAgents(input: {
 
     const isPrimaryAgent = isFactory(source) && source.mode === "primary"
 
-    const resolution = applyModelResolution({
+    let resolution = applyModelResolution({
       uiSelectedModel: (isPrimaryAgent && !override?.model) ? uiSelectedModel : undefined,
       userModel: override?.model,
       requirement,
       availableModels,
       systemDefaultModel,
     })
+    if (!resolution && isFirstRunNoCache && !override?.model) {
+      resolution = getFirstFallbackModel(requirement)
+    }
     if (!resolution) continue
     const { model, variant: resolvedVariant } = resolution
 
diff --git a/src/agents/utils.test.ts b/src/agents/utils.test.ts
index f49c5230b..645e0edc0 100644
--- a/src/agents/utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/utils.test.ts
@@ -483,17 +483,23 @@ describe("createBuiltinAgents without systemDefaultModel", () => {
      cacheSpy.mockRestore?.()
    })
 
-   test("agents NOT created when no cache and no systemDefaultModel (first run without defaults)", async () => {
-     // #given
-     const cacheSpy = spyOn(connectedProvidersCache, "readConnectedProvidersCache").mockReturnValue(null)
+  test("oracle is created on first run when no cache and no systemDefaultModel", async () => {
+    // #given
+    const cacheSpy = spyOn(connectedProvidersCache, "readConnectedProvidersCache").mockReturnValue(null)
+    const fetchSpy = spyOn(shared, "fetchAvailableModels").mockResolvedValue(new Set())
 
-     // #when
-     const agents = await createBuiltinAgents([], {}, undefined, undefined)
+    try {
+      // #when
+      const agents = await createBuiltinAgents([], {}, undefined, undefined)
 
-     // #then
-     expect(agents.oracle).toBeUndefined()
-     cacheSpy.mockRestore?.()
-   })
+      // #then
+      expect(agents.oracle).toBeDefined()
+      expect(agents.oracle.model).toBe("openai/gpt-5.4")
+    } finally {
+      fetchSpy.mockRestore()
+      cacheSpy.mockRestore()
+    }
+  })
 
   test("sisyphus created via connected cache fallback when all providers available", async () => {
     // #given