diff --git a/codex-rs/app-server/tests/common/models_cache.rs b/codex-rs/app-server/tests/common/models_cache.rs
index 14b4e8d45..00359b28d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/app-server/tests/common/models_cache.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/app-server/tests/common/models_cache.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fn preset_to_info(preset: &ModelPreset, priority: i32) -> ModelInfo {
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/codex-api/tests/models_integration.rs b/codex-rs/codex-api/tests/models_integration.rs
index 8442133b4..b33f8b308 100644
--- a/codex-rs/codex-api/tests/models_integration.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/codex-api/tests/models_integration.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ async fn models_client_hits_models_endpoint() {
             effective_context_window_percent: 95,
             experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
             input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+            prefer_websockets: false,
         }],
     };
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
index ee4bc6f42..0999c3291 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
@@ -340,8 +340,9 @@ impl ModelClient {
     ///
     /// This combines provider capability and feature gating; both must be true for websocket paths
     /// to be eligible.
-    fn responses_websocket_enabled(&self) -> bool {
-        self.state.provider.supports_websockets && self.state.enable_responses_websockets
+    fn responses_websocket_enabled(&self, model_info: &ModelInfo) -> bool {
+        self.state.provider.supports_websockets
+            && (self.state.enable_responses_websockets || model_info.prefer_websockets)
     }
 
     fn responses_websockets_v2_enabled(&self) -> bool {
@@ -612,9 +613,11 @@ impl ModelClientSession {
     pub async fn prewarm_websocket(
         &mut self,
         otel_manager: &OtelManager,
+        model_info: &ModelInfo,
         turn_metadata_header: Option<&str>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), ApiError> {
-        if !self.client.responses_websocket_enabled() || self.client.disable_websockets() {
+        if !self.client.responses_websocket_enabled(model_info) || self.client.disable_websockets()
+        {
             return Ok(());
         }
         if self.connection.is_some() {
@@ -881,8 +884,8 @@ impl ModelClientSession {
         let wire_api = self.client.state.provider.wire_api;
         match wire_api {
             WireApi::Responses => {
-                let websocket_enabled =
-                    self.client.responses_websocket_enabled() && !self.client.disable_websockets();
+                let websocket_enabled = self.client.responses_websocket_enabled(model_info)
+                    && !self.client.disable_websockets();
 
                 if websocket_enabled {
                     match self
@@ -898,7 +901,7 @@ impl ModelClientSession {
                     {
                         WebsocketStreamOutcome::Stream(stream) => return Ok(stream),
                         WebsocketStreamOutcome::FallbackToHttp => {
-                            self.try_switch_fallback_transport(otel_manager);
+                            self.try_switch_fallback_transport(otel_manager, model_info);
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -922,8 +925,12 @@ impl ModelClientSession {
     /// the HTTP transport.
     ///
     /// Returns `true` if this call activated fallback, or `false` if fallback was already active.
-    pub(crate) fn try_switch_fallback_transport(&mut self, otel_manager: &OtelManager) -> bool {
-        let websocket_enabled = self.client.responses_websocket_enabled();
+    pub(crate) fn try_switch_fallback_transport(
+        &mut self,
+        otel_manager: &OtelManager,
+        model_info: &ModelInfo,
+    ) -> bool {
+        let websocket_enabled = self.client.responses_websocket_enabled(model_info);
         let activated = self.activate_http_fallback(websocket_enabled);
         if activated {
             warn!("falling back to HTTP");
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
index cd653793a..7ee094b56 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
@@ -1128,6 +1128,9 @@ impl Session {
             ),
         };
 
+        let prewarm_model_info = models_manager
+            .get_model_info(session_configuration.collaboration_mode.model(), &config)
+            .await;
         let prewarm_cwd = session_configuration.cwd.clone();
         let turn_metadata_header = resolve_turn_metadata_header_with_timeout(
             async move { build_turn_metadata_header(prewarm_cwd.as_path(), None).await },
@@ -1137,6 +1140,7 @@ impl Session {
         let startup_regular_task = RegularTask::with_startup_prewarm(
             services.model_client.clone(),
             services.otel_manager.clone(),
+            prewarm_model_info,
             turn_metadata_header,
         );
         state.set_startup_regular_task(startup_regular_task);
@@ -4293,7 +4297,8 @@ async fn run_sampling_request(
         // Use the configured provider-specific stream retry budget.
         let max_retries = turn_context.provider.stream_max_retries();
         if retries >= max_retries
-            && client_session.try_switch_fallback_transport(&turn_context.otel_manager)
+            && client_session
+                .try_switch_fallback_transport(&turn_context.otel_manager, &turn_context.model_info)
         {
             sess.send_event(
                 &turn_context,
@@ -6261,7 +6266,8 @@ mod tests {
                 session_configuration.provider.clone(),
                 session_configuration.session_source.clone(),
                 config.model_verbosity,
-                config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets)
+                model_info.prefer_websockets
+                    || config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets)
                     || config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsocketsV2),
                 config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsocketsV2),
                 config.features.enabled(Feature::EnableRequestCompression),
@@ -6396,7 +6402,8 @@ mod tests {
                 session_configuration.provider.clone(),
                 session_configuration.session_source.clone(),
                 config.model_verbosity,
-                config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets)
+                model_info.prefer_websockets
+                    || config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets)
                     || config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsocketsV2),
                 config.features.enabled(Feature::ResponsesWebsocketsV2),
                 config.features.enabled(Feature::EnableRequestCompression),
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/models_manager/model_info.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/models_manager/model_info.rs
index b062a93a1..6a29cd96f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/models_manager/model_info.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/models_manager/model_info.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ pub(crate) fn model_info_from_slug(slug: &str) -> ModelInfo {
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/tasks/regular.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/tasks/regular.rs
index 2bc9002b5..8782d7ced 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/tasks/regular.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/tasks/regular.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::codex::run_turn;
 use crate::state::TaskKind;
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use codex_otel::OtelManager;
+use codex_protocol::openai_models::ModelInfo;
 use codex_protocol::user_input::UserInput;
 use futures::future::BoxFuture;
 use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
@@ -37,13 +38,14 @@ impl RegularTask {
     pub(crate) fn with_startup_prewarm(
         model_client: ModelClient,
         otel_manager: OtelManager,
+        model_info: ModelInfo,
         turn_metadata_header: BoxFuture<'static, Option<String>>,
     ) -> Self {
         let prewarmed_session_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
             let mut client_session = model_client.new_session();
             let turn_metadata_header = turn_metadata_header.await;
             match client_session
-                .prewarm_websocket(&otel_manager, turn_metadata_header.as_deref())
+                .prewarm_websocket(&otel_manager, &model_info, turn_metadata_header.as_deref())
                 .await
             {
                 Ok(()) => Some(client_session),
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/client_websockets.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/client_websockets.rs
index d1ebc6377..c4f63f844 100755
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/client_websockets.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/client_websockets.rs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ async fn responses_websocket_preconnect_reuses_connection() {
     let harness = websocket_harness(&server).await;
     let mut client_session = harness.client.new_session();
     client_session
-        .prewarm_websocket(&harness.otel_manager, None)
+        .prewarm_websocket(&harness.otel_manager, &harness.model_info, None)
         .await
         .expect("websocket prewarm failed");
     let prompt = prompt_with_input(vec![message_item("hello")]);
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ async fn responses_websocket_preconnect_is_reused_even_with_header_changes() {
     let harness = websocket_harness(&server).await;
     let mut client_session = harness.client.new_session();
     client_session
-        .prewarm_websocket(&harness.otel_manager, None)
+        .prewarm_websocket(&harness.otel_manager, &harness.model_info, None)
         .await
         .expect("websocket prewarm failed");
     let prompt = prompt_with_input(vec![message_item("hello")]);
@@ -158,6 +158,36 @@ async fn responses_websocket_preconnect_is_reused_even_with_header_changes() {
     server.shutdown().await;
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn responses_websocket_prewarm_uses_model_preference_when_feature_disabled() {
+    skip_if_no_network!();
+
+    let server = start_websocket_server(vec![vec![vec![
+        ev_response_created("resp-1"),
+        ev_completed("resp-1"),
+    ]]])
+    .await;
+
+    let harness = websocket_harness_with_options(&server, false, false, false, true).await;
+    let mut client_session = harness.client.new_session();
+    client_session
+        .prewarm_websocket(&harness.otel_manager, &harness.model_info, None)
+        .await
+        .expect("websocket prewarm failed");
+
+    // Prewarm should only perform the handshake, not send response.create.
+    assert_eq!(server.handshakes().len(), 1);
+    assert_eq!(server.single_connection().len(), 0);
+
+    let prompt = prompt_with_input(vec![message_item("hello")]);
+    stream_until_complete(&mut client_session, &harness, &prompt).await;
+
+    assert_eq!(server.handshakes().len(), 1);
+    assert_eq!(server.single_connection().len(), 1);
+
+    server.shutdown().await;
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 #[traced_test]
 async fn responses_websocket_emits_websocket_telemetry_events() {
@@ -887,26 +917,32 @@ async fn websocket_harness_with_runtime_metrics(
     server: &WebSocketTestServer,
     runtime_metrics_enabled: bool,
 ) -> WebsocketTestHarness {
-    websocket_harness_with_options(server, runtime_metrics_enabled, false).await
+    websocket_harness_with_options(server, runtime_metrics_enabled, true, false, false).await
 }
 
 async fn websocket_harness_with_v2(
     server: &WebSocketTestServer,
     websocket_v2_enabled: bool,
 ) -> WebsocketTestHarness {
-    websocket_harness_with_options(server, false, websocket_v2_enabled).await
+    websocket_harness_with_options(server, false, true, websocket_v2_enabled, false).await
 }
 
 async fn websocket_harness_with_options(
     server: &WebSocketTestServer,
     runtime_metrics_enabled: bool,
+    websocket_enabled: bool,
     websocket_v2_enabled: bool,
+    prefer_websockets: bool,
 ) -> WebsocketTestHarness {
     let provider = websocket_provider(server);
     let codex_home = TempDir::new().unwrap();
     let mut config = load_default_config_for_test(&codex_home).await;
     config.model = Some(MODEL.to_string());
-    config.features.enable(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets);
+    if websocket_enabled {
+        config.features.enable(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets);
+    } else {
+        config.features.disable(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets);
+    }
     if runtime_metrics_enabled {
         config.features.enable(Feature::RuntimeMetrics);
     }
@@ -914,7 +950,8 @@ async fn websocket_harness_with_options(
         config.features.enable(Feature::ResponsesWebsocketsV2);
     }
     let config = Arc::new(config);
-    let model_info = ModelsManager::construct_model_info_offline(MODEL, &config);
+    let mut model_info = ModelsManager::construct_model_info_offline(MODEL, &config);
+    model_info.prefer_websockets = prefer_websockets;
     let conversation_id = ThreadId::new();
     let auth_manager = AuthManager::from_auth_for_testing(CodexAuth::from_api_key("Test API Key"));
     let exporter = InMemoryMetricExporter::default();
@@ -944,7 +981,7 @@ async fn websocket_harness_with_options(
         provider.clone(),
         SessionSource::Exec,
         config.model_verbosity,
-        true,
+        websocket_enabled,
         websocket_v2_enabled,
         false,
         runtime_metrics_enabled,
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/model_switching.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/model_switching.rs
index b76dcb046..fddd3d282 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/model_switching.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/model_switching.rs
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ async fn model_change_from_image_to_text_strips_prior_image_content() -> Result<
         visibility: ModelVisibility::List,
         supported_in_api: true,
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
         priority: 1,
         upgrade: None,
         base_instructions: "base instructions".to_string(),
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/models_cache_ttl.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/models_cache_ttl.rs
index 11cdd369e..59c7dde7d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/models_cache_ttl.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/models_cache_ttl.rs
@@ -351,5 +351,6 @@ fn test_remote_model(slug: &str, priority: i32) -> ModelInfo {
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     }
 }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/personality.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/personality.rs
index 4fdedd079..5673e317f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/personality.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/personality.rs
@@ -613,6 +613,7 @@ async fn ignores_remote_personality_if_remote_models_disabled() -> anyhow::Resul
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     };
 
     let _models_mock = mount_models_once(
@@ -729,6 +730,7 @@ async fn remote_model_friendly_personality_instructions_with_feature() -> anyhow
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     };
 
     let _models_mock = mount_models_once(
@@ -840,6 +842,7 @@ async fn user_turn_personality_remote_model_template_includes_update_message() -
         effective_context_window_percent: 95,
         experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
     };
 
     let _models_mock = mount_models_once(
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/remote_models.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/remote_models.rs
index d0a0ca386..0af662f07 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/remote_models.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/remote_models.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ async fn remote_models_remote_model_uses_unified_exec() -> Result<()> {
         visibility: ModelVisibility::List,
         supported_in_api: true,
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
         priority: 1,
         upgrade: None,
         base_instructions: "base instructions".to_string(),
@@ -379,6 +380,7 @@ async fn remote_models_apply_remote_base_instructions() -> Result<()> {
         visibility: ModelVisibility::List,
         supported_in_api: true,
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
         priority: 1,
         upgrade: None,
         base_instructions: remote_base.to_string(),
@@ -862,6 +864,7 @@ fn test_remote_model_with_policy(
         visibility,
         supported_in_api: true,
         input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+        prefer_websockets: false,
         priority,
         upgrade: None,
         base_instructions: "base instructions".to_string(),
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/rmcp_client.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/rmcp_client.rs
index 82d4d13a6..a1bf72b10 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/rmcp_client.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/rmcp_client.rs
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ async fn stdio_image_responses_are_sanitized_for_text_only_model() -> anyhow::Re
                 effective_context_window_percent: 95,
                 experimental_supported_tools: Vec::new(),
                 input_modalities: vec![InputModality::Text],
+                prefer_websockets: false,
             }],
         },
     )
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/view_image.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/view_image.rs
index cabee944d..0e30d682b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/view_image.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/view_image.rs
@@ -560,6 +560,7 @@ async fn view_image_tool_returns_unsupported_message_for_text_only_model() -> an
         visibility: ModelVisibility::List,
         supported_in_api: true,
         input_modalities: vec![InputModality::Text],
+        prefer_websockets: false,
         priority: 1,
         upgrade: None,
         base_instructions: "base instructions".to_string(),
diff --git a/codex-rs/protocol/src/openai_models.rs b/codex-rs/protocol/src/openai_models.rs
index 36298e9ca..f8e61fd57 100644
--- a/codex-rs/protocol/src/openai_models.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/protocol/src/openai_models.rs
@@ -249,6 +249,9 @@ pub struct ModelInfo {
     /// Input modalities accepted by the backend for this model.
     #[serde(default = "default_input_modalities")]
     pub input_modalities: Vec<InputModality>,
+    /// When true, this model should use websocket transport even when websocket features are off.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub prefer_websockets: bool,
 }
 
 impl ModelInfo {
@@ -506,6 +509,7 @@ mod tests {
             effective_context_window_percent: 95,
             experimental_supported_tools: vec![],
             input_modalities: default_input_modalities(),
+            prefer_websockets: false,
         }
     }