diff --git a/assets/oh-my-opencode.schema.json b/assets/oh-my-opencode.schema.json
index 02c8aa0d2..4cec6fe4a 100644
--- a/assets/oh-my-opencode.schema.json
+++ b/assets/oh-my-opencode.schema.json
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -225,6 +228,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -348,6 +354,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -471,6 +480,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -594,6 +606,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -717,6 +732,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -840,6 +858,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -963,6 +984,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1086,6 +1110,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1209,6 +1236,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1332,6 +1362,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1455,6 +1488,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1578,6 +1614,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1701,6 +1740,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1824,6 +1866,9 @@
             "model": {
               "type": "string"
             },
+            "variant": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
             "category": {
               "type": "string"
             },
@@ -1954,6 +1999,9 @@
           "model": {
             "type": "string"
           },
+          "variant": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
           "temperature": {
             "type": "number",
             "minimum": 0,
diff --git a/src/agents/types.ts b/src/agents/types.ts
index 8cbe78d90..a0f6d26d7 100644
--- a/src/agents/types.ts
+++ b/src/agents/types.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export type AgentName = BuiltinAgentName
 
 export type AgentOverrideConfig = Partial<AgentConfig> & {
   prompt_append?: string
+  variant?: string
 }
 
 export type AgentOverrides = Partial<Record<OverridableAgentName, AgentOverrideConfig>>
diff --git a/src/agents/utils.test.ts b/src/agents/utils.test.ts
index 9f5e2d3cb..336ed628a 100644
--- a/src/agents/utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/utils.test.ts
@@ -127,6 +127,31 @@ describe("buildAgent with category and skills", () => {
     expect(agent.temperature).toBe(0.7)
   })
 
+  test("agent with category inherits variant", () => {
+    // #given
+    const source = {
+      "test-agent": () =>
+        ({
+          description: "Test agent",
+          category: "custom-category",
+        }) as AgentConfig,
+    }
+
+    const categories = {
+      "custom-category": {
+        model: "openai/gpt-5.2",
+        variant: "xhigh",
+      },
+    }
+
+    // #when
+    const agent = buildAgent(source["test-agent"], undefined, categories)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(agent.model).toBe("openai/gpt-5.2")
+    expect(agent.variant).toBe("xhigh")
+  })
+
   test("agent with skills has content prepended to prompt", () => {
     // #given
     const source = {
diff --git a/src/agents/utils.ts b/src/agents/utils.ts
index de1765cfa..808a6ef36 100644
--- a/src/agents/utils.ts
+++ b/src/agents/utils.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { AgentConfig } from "@opencode-ai/sdk"
 import type { BuiltinAgentName, AgentOverrideConfig, AgentOverrides, AgentFactory, AgentPromptMetadata } from "./types"
+import type { CategoriesConfig, CategoryConfig } from "../config/schema"
 import { createSisyphusAgent } from "./sisyphus"
 import { createOracleAgent, ORACLE_PROMPT_METADATA } from "./oracle"
 import { createLibrarianAgent, LIBRARIAN_PROMPT_METADATA } from "./librarian"
@@ -47,12 +48,19 @@ function isFactory(source: AgentSource): source is AgentFactory {
   return typeof source === "function"
 }
 
-export function buildAgent(source: AgentSource, model?: string): AgentConfig {
+export function buildAgent(
+  source: AgentSource,
+  model?: string,
+  categories?: CategoriesConfig
+): AgentConfig {
   const base = isFactory(source) ? source(model) : source
+  const categoryConfigs: Record<string, CategoryConfig> = categories
+    ? { ...DEFAULT_CATEGORIES, ...categories }
+    : DEFAULT_CATEGORIES
 
-  const agentWithCategory = base as AgentConfig & { category?: string; skills?: string[] }
+  const agentWithCategory = base as AgentConfig & { category?: string; skills?: string[]; variant?: string }
   if (agentWithCategory.category) {
-    const categoryConfig = DEFAULT_CATEGORIES[agentWithCategory.category]
+    const categoryConfig = categoryConfigs[agentWithCategory.category]
     if (categoryConfig) {
       if (!base.model) {
         base.model = categoryConfig.model
@@ -60,6 +68,9 @@ export function buildAgent(source: AgentSource, model?: string): AgentConfig {
       if (base.temperature === undefined && categoryConfig.temperature !== undefined) {
         base.temperature = categoryConfig.temperature
       }
+      if (base.variant === undefined && categoryConfig.variant !== undefined) {
+        base.variant = categoryConfig.variant
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -118,11 +129,16 @@ export function createBuiltinAgents(
   disabledAgents: BuiltinAgentName[] = [],
   agentOverrides: AgentOverrides = {},
   directory?: string,
-  systemDefaultModel?: string
+  systemDefaultModel?: string,
+  categories?: CategoriesConfig
 ): Record<string, AgentConfig> {
   const result: Record<string, AgentConfig> = {}
   const availableAgents: AvailableAgent[] = []
 
+  const mergedCategories = categories
+    ? { ...DEFAULT_CATEGORIES, ...categories }
+    : DEFAULT_CATEGORIES
+
   for (const [name, source] of Object.entries(agentSources)) {
     const agentName = name as BuiltinAgentName
 
@@ -133,7 +149,7 @@ export function createBuiltinAgents(
     const override = agentOverrides[agentName]
     const model = override?.model
 
-    let config = buildAgent(source, model)
+    let config = buildAgent(source, model, mergedCategories)
 
     if (agentName === "librarian" && directory && config.prompt) {
       const envContext = createEnvContext()
diff --git a/src/config/schema.test.ts b/src/config/schema.test.ts
index f75a1d415..9f04ba578 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.test.ts
+++ b/src/config/schema.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
-import { AgentOverrideConfigSchema, BuiltinCategoryNameSchema, OhMyOpenCodeConfigSchema } from "./schema"
+import { AgentOverrideConfigSchema, BuiltinCategoryNameSchema, CategoryConfigSchema, OhMyOpenCodeConfigSchema } from "./schema"
 
 describe("disabled_mcps schema", () => {
   test("should accept built-in MCP names", () => {
@@ -174,6 +174,33 @@ describe("AgentOverrideConfigSchema", () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe("variant field", () => {
+    test("accepts variant as optional string", () => {
+      // #given
+      const config = { variant: "high" }
+
+      // #when
+      const result = AgentOverrideConfigSchema.safeParse(config)
+
+      // #then
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+      if (result.success) {
+        expect(result.data.variant).toBe("high")
+      }
+    })
+
+    test("rejects non-string variant", () => {
+      // #given
+      const config = { variant: 123 }
+
+      // #when
+      const result = AgentOverrideConfigSchema.safeParse(config)
+
+      // #then
+      expect(result.success).toBe(false)
+    })
+  })
+
   describe("skills field", () => {
     test("accepts skills as optional string array", () => {
       // #given
@@ -303,6 +330,33 @@ describe("AgentOverrideConfigSchema", () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe("CategoryConfigSchema", () => {
+  test("accepts variant as optional string", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = { model: "openai/gpt-5.2", variant: "xhigh" }
+
+    // #when
+    const result = CategoryConfigSchema.safeParse(config)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    if (result.success) {
+      expect(result.data.variant).toBe("xhigh")
+    }
+  })
+
+  test("rejects non-string variant", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = { model: "openai/gpt-5.2", variant: 123 }
+
+    // #when
+    const result = CategoryConfigSchema.safeParse(config)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
 describe("BuiltinCategoryNameSchema", () => {
   test("accepts all builtin category names", () => {
     // #given
diff --git a/src/config/schema.ts b/src/config/schema.ts
index 2d5515393..dba799cb8 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.ts
+++ b/src/config/schema.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ export const BuiltinCommandNameSchema = z.enum([
 export const AgentOverrideConfigSchema = z.object({
   /** @deprecated Use `category` instead. Model is inherited from category defaults. */
   model: z.string().optional(),
+  variant: z.string().optional(),
   /** Category name to inherit model and other settings from CategoryConfig */
   category: z.string().optional(),
   /** Skill names to inject into agent prompt */
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ export const SisyphusAgentConfigSchema = z.object({
 
 export const CategoryConfigSchema = z.object({
   model: z.string(),
+  variant: z.string().optional(),
   temperature: z.number().min(0).max(2).optional(),
   top_p: z.number().min(0).max(1).optional(),
   maxTokens: z.number().optional(),
diff --git a/src/features/background-agent/types.ts b/src/features/background-agent/types.ts
index a77766f8a..8c384211b 100644
--- a/src/features/background-agent/types.ts
+++ b/src/features/background-agent/types.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export interface BackgroundTask {
   error?: string
   progress?: TaskProgress
   parentModel?: { providerID: string; modelID: string }
-  model?: { providerID: string; modelID: string }
+  model?: { providerID: string; modelID: string; variant?: string }
   /** Agent name used for concurrency tracking */
   concurrencyKey?: string
   /** Parent session's agent name for notification */
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export interface LaunchInput {
   parentMessageID: string
   parentModel?: { providerID: string; modelID: string }
   parentAgent?: string
-  model?: { providerID: string; modelID: string }
+  model?: { providerID: string; modelID: string; variant?: string }
   skills?: string[]
   skillContent?: string
 }
diff --git a/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.test.ts b/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.test.ts
index 022ffe1e1..ec470988d 100644
--- a/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.test.ts
@@ -210,4 +210,26 @@ describe("keyword-detector session filtering", () => {
     expect(output.message.variant).toBe("max")
     expect(toastCalls).toContain("Ultrawork Mode Activated")
   })
+
+  test("should not override existing variant", async () => {
+    // #given - main session set with pre-existing variant
+    setMainSession("main-123")
+
+    const toastCalls: string[] = []
+    const hook = createKeywordDetectorHook(createMockPluginInput({ toastCalls }))
+    const output = {
+      message: { variant: "low" } as Record<string, unknown>,
+      parts: [{ type: "text", text: "ultrawork mode" }],
+    }
+
+    // #when - ultrawork keyword triggers
+    await hook["chat.message"](
+      { sessionID: "main-123" },
+      output
+    )
+
+    // #then - existing variant should remain
+    expect(output.message.variant).toBe("low")
+    expect(toastCalls).toContain("Ultrawork Mode Activated")
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.ts b/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.ts
index e79f17b43..48145ceda 100644
--- a/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/keyword-detector/index.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ export function createKeywordDetectorHook(ctx: PluginInput, collector?: ContextC
       if (hasUltrawork) {
         log(`[keyword-detector] Ultrawork mode activated`, { sessionID: input.sessionID })
 
-        output.message.variant = "max"
+        if (output.message.variant === undefined) {
+          output.message.variant = "max"
+        }
 
         ctx.client.tui
           .showToast({
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 995c5ea48..4380e1a87 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ import {
   createContextInjectorMessagesTransformHook,
 } from "./features/context-injector";
 import { createGoogleAntigravityAuthPlugin } from "./auth/antigravity";
+import { applyAgentVariant, resolveAgentVariant } from "./shared/agent-variant";
+import { createFirstMessageVariantGate } from "./shared/first-message-variant";
 import {
   discoverUserClaudeSkills,
   discoverProjectClaudeSkills,
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ const OhMyOpenCodePlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
 
   const pluginConfig = loadPluginConfig(ctx.directory, ctx);
   const disabledHooks = new Set(pluginConfig.disabled_hooks ?? []);
+  const firstMessageVariantGate = createFirstMessageVariantGate();
   const isHookEnabled = (hookName: HookName) => !disabledHooks.has(hookName);
 
   const modelCacheState = createModelCacheState();
@@ -316,6 +319,17 @@ const OhMyOpenCodePlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
     },
 
     "chat.message": async (input, output) => {
+      const message = (output as { message: { variant?: string } }).message
+      if (firstMessageVariantGate.shouldOverride(input.sessionID)) {
+        const variant = resolveAgentVariant(pluginConfig, input.agent)
+        if (variant !== undefined) {
+          message.variant = variant
+        }
+        firstMessageVariantGate.markApplied(input.sessionID)
+      } else {
+        applyAgentVariant(pluginConfig, input.agent, message)
+      }
+
       await keywordDetector?.["chat.message"]?.(input, output);
       await claudeCodeHooks["chat.message"]?.(input, output);
       await contextInjector["chat.message"]?.(input, output);
@@ -422,6 +436,7 @@ const OhMyOpenCodePlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
         if (!sessionInfo?.parentID) {
           setMainSession(sessionInfo?.id);
         }
+        firstMessageVariantGate.markSessionCreated(sessionInfo);
       }
 
       if (event.type === "session.deleted") {
@@ -431,6 +446,7 @@ const OhMyOpenCodePlugin: Plugin = async (ctx) => {
         }
         if (sessionInfo?.id) {
           clearSessionAgent(sessionInfo.id);
+          firstMessageVariantGate.clear(sessionInfo.id);
           await skillMcpManager.disconnectSession(sessionInfo.id);
           await lspManager.cleanupTempDirectoryClients();
         }
diff --git a/src/plugin-handlers/config-handler.ts b/src/plugin-handlers/config-handler.ts
index 95e08d9b4..a25900f0a 100644
--- a/src/plugin-handlers/config-handler.ts
+++ b/src/plugin-handlers/config-handler.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ export function createConfigHandler(deps: ConfigHandlerDeps) {
       pluginConfig.disabled_agents,
       pluginConfig.agents,
       ctx.directory,
-      config.model as string | undefined
+      config.model as string | undefined,
+      pluginConfig.categories
     );
 
     // Claude Code agents: Do NOT apply permission migration
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-variant.test.ts b/src/shared/agent-variant.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7af36ccb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/agent-variant.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import type { OhMyOpenCodeConfig } from "../config"
+import { applyAgentVariant, resolveAgentVariant } from "./agent-variant"
+
+describe("resolveAgentVariant", () => {
+  test("returns undefined when agent name missing", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = {} as OhMyOpenCodeConfig
+
+    // #when
+    const variant = resolveAgentVariant(config)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(variant).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  test("returns agent override variant", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = {
+      agents: {
+        Sisyphus: { variant: "low" },
+      },
+    } as OhMyOpenCodeConfig
+
+    // #when
+    const variant = resolveAgentVariant(config, "Sisyphus")
+
+    // #then
+    expect(variant).toBe("low")
+  })
+
+  test("returns category variant when agent uses category", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = {
+      agents: {
+        Sisyphus: { category: "ultrabrain" },
+      },
+      categories: {
+        ultrabrain: { model: "openai/gpt-5.2", variant: "xhigh" },
+      },
+    } as OhMyOpenCodeConfig
+
+    // #when
+    const variant = resolveAgentVariant(config, "Sisyphus")
+
+    // #then
+    expect(variant).toBe("xhigh")
+  })
+})
+
+describe("applyAgentVariant", () => {
+  test("sets variant when message is undefined", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = {
+      agents: {
+        Sisyphus: { variant: "low" },
+      },
+    } as OhMyOpenCodeConfig
+    const message: { variant?: string } = {}
+
+    // #when
+    applyAgentVariant(config, "Sisyphus", message)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(message.variant).toBe("low")
+  })
+
+  test("does not override existing variant", () => {
+    // #given
+    const config = {
+      agents: {
+        Sisyphus: { variant: "low" },
+      },
+    } as OhMyOpenCodeConfig
+    const message = { variant: "max" }
+
+    // #when
+    applyAgentVariant(config, "Sisyphus", message)
+
+    // #then
+    expect(message.variant).toBe("max")
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/agent-variant.ts b/src/shared/agent-variant.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec3e7ec50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/agent-variant.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import type { OhMyOpenCodeConfig } from "../config"
+
+export function resolveAgentVariant(
+  config: OhMyOpenCodeConfig,
+  agentName?: string
+): string | undefined {
+  if (!agentName) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+
+  const agentOverrides = config.agents as
+    | Record<string, { variant?: string; category?: string }>
+    | undefined
+  const agentOverride = agentOverrides?.[agentName]
+  if (!agentOverride) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+
+  if (agentOverride.variant) {
+    return agentOverride.variant
+  }
+
+  const categoryName = agentOverride.category
+  if (!categoryName) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+
+  return config.categories?.[categoryName]?.variant
+}
+
+export function applyAgentVariant(
+  config: OhMyOpenCodeConfig,
+  agentName: string | undefined,
+  message: { variant?: string }
+): void {
+  const variant = resolveAgentVariant(config, agentName)
+  if (variant !== undefined && message.variant === undefined) {
+    message.variant = variant
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/first-message-variant.test.ts b/src/shared/first-message-variant.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f7fa5259
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/first-message-variant.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { createFirstMessageVariantGate } from "./first-message-variant"
+
+describe("createFirstMessageVariantGate", () => {
+  test("marks new sessions and clears after apply", () => {
+    // #given
+    const gate = createFirstMessageVariantGate()
+
+    // #when
+    gate.markSessionCreated({ id: "session-1" })
+
+    // #then
+    expect(gate.shouldOverride("session-1")).toBe(true)
+
+    // #when
+    gate.markApplied("session-1")
+
+    // #then
+    expect(gate.shouldOverride("session-1")).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  test("ignores forked sessions", () => {
+    // #given
+    const gate = createFirstMessageVariantGate()
+
+    // #when
+    gate.markSessionCreated({ id: "session-2", parentID: "session-parent" })
+
+    // #then
+    expect(gate.shouldOverride("session-2")).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/first-message-variant.ts b/src/shared/first-message-variant.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8229066c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/first-message-variant.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+type SessionInfo = {
+  id?: string
+  parentID?: string
+}
+
+export function createFirstMessageVariantGate() {
+  const pending = new Set<string>()
+
+  return {
+    markSessionCreated(info?: SessionInfo) {
+      if (info?.id && !info.parentID) {
+        pending.add(info.id)
+      }
+    },
+    shouldOverride(sessionID?: string) {
+      if (!sessionID) return false
+      return pending.has(sessionID)
+    },
+    markApplied(sessionID?: string) {
+      if (!sessionID) return
+      pending.delete(sessionID)
+    },
+    clear(sessionID?: string) {
+      if (!sessionID) return
+      pending.delete(sessionID)
+    },
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/index.ts b/src/shared/index.ts
index bb3601ed6..df7903799 100644
--- a/src/shared/index.ts
+++ b/src/shared/index.ts
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ export * from "./opencode-version"
 export * from "./permission-compat"
 export * from "./external-plugin-detector"
 export * from "./zip-extractor"
+export * from "./agent-variant"
diff --git a/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.test.ts b/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.test.ts
index fcf0b278d..cd45bf2d7 100644
--- a/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.test.ts
+++ b/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.test.ts
@@ -207,6 +207,70 @@ describe("sisyphus-task", () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe("category variant", () => {
+    test("passes variant to background model payload", async () => {
+      // #given
+      const { createSisyphusTask } = require("./tools")
+      let launchInput: any
+
+      const mockManager = {
+        launch: async (input: any) => {
+          launchInput = input
+          return {
+            id: "task-variant",
+            sessionID: "session-variant",
+            description: "Variant task",
+            agent: "Sisyphus-Junior",
+            status: "running",
+          }
+        },
+      }
+
+      const mockClient = {
+        app: { agents: async () => ({ data: [] }) },
+        session: {
+          create: async () => ({ data: { id: "test-session" } }),
+          prompt: async () => ({ data: {} }),
+          messages: async () => ({ data: [] }),
+        },
+      }
+
+      const tool = createSisyphusTask({
+        manager: mockManager,
+        client: mockClient,
+        userCategories: {
+          ultrabrain: { model: "openai/gpt-5.2", variant: "xhigh" },
+        },
+      })
+
+      const toolContext = {
+        sessionID: "parent-session",
+        messageID: "parent-message",
+        agent: "Sisyphus",
+        abort: new AbortController().signal,
+      }
+
+      // #when
+      await tool.execute(
+        {
+          description: "Variant task",
+          prompt: "Do something",
+          category: "ultrabrain",
+          run_in_background: true,
+          skills: [],
+        },
+        toolContext
+      )
+
+      // #then
+      expect(launchInput.model).toEqual({
+        providerID: "openai",
+        modelID: "gpt-5.2",
+        variant: "xhigh",
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
   describe("skills parameter", () => {
     test("SISYPHUS_TASK_DESCRIPTION documents skills parameter", () => {
       // #given / #when / #then
diff --git a/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.ts b/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.ts
index c082f8b1b..58fc9e9b9 100644
--- a/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.ts
+++ b/src/tools/sisyphus-task/tools.ts
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ ${textContent || "(No text output)"}`
       }
 
       let agentToUse: string
-      let categoryModel: { providerID: string; modelID: string } | undefined
+      let categoryModel: { providerID: string; modelID: string; variant?: string } | undefined
       let categoryPromptAppend: string | undefined
 
       if (args.category) {
@@ -325,7 +325,12 @@ ${textContent || "(No text output)"}`
         }
 
         agentToUse = SISYPHUS_JUNIOR_AGENT
-        categoryModel = parseModelString(resolved.config.model)
+        const parsedModel = parseModelString(resolved.config.model)
+        categoryModel = parsedModel
+          ? (resolved.config.variant
+            ? { ...parsedModel, variant: resolved.config.variant }
+            : parsedModel)
+          : undefined
         categoryPromptAppend = resolved.promptAppend || undefined
       } else {
         agentToUse = args.subagent_type!.trim()