diff --git a/changelog.d/fixes/10857-hide-auto-models-when-routing-disabled.md b/changelog.d/fixes/10857-hide-auto-models-when-routing-disabled.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39da596ee3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/fixes/10857-hide-auto-models-when-routing-disabled.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- **fix(catalog):** `/v1/models` no longer advertises the built-in `auto/*` ids while auto routing is disabled — they were listed but rejected at request time with `Auto routing is disabled` ([#10831](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/issues/10831), [#10857](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/pull/10857)) — thanks @ntdat812
diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/models/catalog.ts b/src/app/api/v1/models/catalog.ts
index d4797775db..a864ca3608 100644
--- a/src/app/api/v1/models/catalog.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/models/catalog.ts
@@ -189,7 +189,11 @@ export async function getUnifiedModelsResponse(
       { corsHeaders, diagnosticHeaders },
       buildCatalogPayload,
       {
-        hideAutoCombos: settingsForAuth?.hideAutoCombos === true,
+        // #10831: a disabled router hides auto/* just as hideAutoCombos does, so
+        // the two collapse into one cache dimension — the resulting catalogs are
+        // identical and do not need separate entries.
+        hideAutoCombos:
+          settingsForAuth?.hideAutoCombos === true || settingsForAuth?.autoRoutingEnabled === false,
         hideNoThinkVariants: settingsForAuth?.hideNoThinkVariants === true,
       }
     );
@@ -301,7 +305,11 @@ async function buildUnifiedModelsResponseCore(
     // #9418: Opt-in filter — skip the entire auto/* synthesis loop when the operator
     // does not want built-in virtual combos advertised in the catalog. User-defined
     // combos are unaffected; routing still works for ids sent explicitly.
-    const hideAuto = settings.hideAutoCombos === true;
+    // #10831: also drop them when auto routing is switched off. Unlike
+    // hideAutoCombos — which only unadvertises ids that still route when sent
+    // explicitly — a disabled router rejects every auto/* id with a 400, so
+    // listing them offers the client a choice that cannot succeed.
+    const hideAuto = settings.hideAutoCombos === true || settings.autoRoutingEnabled === false;
     const shouldHidePaid = (providerKey: string, modelId: string, pricing?: unknown): boolean => {
       if (!hidePaid) return false;
       const provider = aliasToProviderId[providerKey] || providerKey;
diff --git a/tests/unit/catalog-auto-routing-disabled-10831.test.ts b/tests/unit/catalog-auto-routing-disabled-10831.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f2f96ef95f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/catalog-auto-routing-disabled-10831.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/**
+ * #10831 — when auto routing is switched off, `auto/*` ids must not be
+ * advertised in `/v1/models`.
+ *
+ * Unlike `hideAutoCombos` (#9418), which only unadvertises ids that still route
+ * when a client sends them explicitly, `autoRoutingEnabled: false` makes the
+ * router reject every `auto/*` id with
+ * "Auto routing is disabled. Enable it in Settings > Routing." (see
+ * src/sse/handlers/autoRouting.ts). Listing them therefore offers the picker a
+ * choice that can only fail.
+ */
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+const TEST_DATA_DIR = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "omniroute-auto-routing-10831-"));
+process.env.DATA_DIR = TEST_DATA_DIR;
+
+const core = await import("../../src/lib/db/core.ts");
+const settingsDb = await import("../../src/lib/db/settings.ts");
+const providersDb = await import("../../src/lib/db/providers.ts");
+const v1ModelsCatalog = await import("../../src/app/api/v1/models/catalog.ts");
+
+async function fetchCatalog(): Promise<Array<{ id: string }>> {
+  const res = await v1ModelsCatalog.getUnifiedModelsResponse(
+    new Request("http://localhost/api/v1/models", { method: "GET" })
+  );
+  if (res.status !== 200) {
+    const body = await res.text();
+    assert.fail(`Expected 200, got ${res.status}: ${body.slice(0, 500)}`);
+  }
+  const body = (await res.json()) as { data: Array<{ id: string }> };
+  return body.data;
+}
+
+const isAutoId = (m: { id: string }) => m.id.startsWith("auto/");
+
+test.after(() => {
+  core.resetDbInstance();
+  try {
+    fs.rmSync(TEST_DATA_DIR, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  } catch {
+    /* best-effort */
+  }
+});
+
+test("autoRoutingEnabled=false removes auto/* ids from /v1/models", async () => {
+  await providersDb.createProviderConnection({
+    provider: "openai",
+    authType: "apikey",
+    name: "openai-main",
+    apiKey: "sk-test",
+    isActive: true,
+  });
+
+  // Baseline: routing on, ids advertised.
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({ autoRoutingEnabled: true, hideAutoCombos: false });
+  const on = await fetchCatalog();
+  const autoWhenOn = on.filter(isAutoId).map((m) => m.id);
+  assert.equal(
+    autoWhenOn.length > 0,
+    true,
+    `expected auto/* ids while auto routing is enabled, got ${autoWhenOn.length}`
+  );
+
+  // Routing off: none may remain.
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({ autoRoutingEnabled: false, hideAutoCombos: false });
+  const off = await fetchCatalog();
+  const leaked = off.filter(isAutoId).map((m) => m.id);
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    leaked,
+    [],
+    `auto/* ids leaked while auto routing is disabled: ${leaked.join(", ")}`
+  );
+
+  // Everything else must survive — this is a filter, not a catalog wipe.
+  const hasProviderModel = off.some((m) => m.id.startsWith("openai/") || m.id.startsWith("oa/"));
+  assert.equal(hasProviderModel, true, "provider models must remain when auto routing is disabled");
+});
+
+test("re-enabling auto routing brings auto/* ids back (cache key varies on the flag)", async () => {
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({ autoRoutingEnabled: false, hideAutoCombos: false });
+  const off = await fetchCatalog();
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    off.filter(isAutoId).map((m) => m.id),
+    []
+  );
+
+  await settingsDb.updateSettings({ autoRoutingEnabled: true, hideAutoCombos: false });
+  const back = await fetchCatalog();
+  assert.equal(
+    back.filter(isAutoId).length > 0,
+    true,
+    "auto/* ids must return once auto routing is re-enabled — a stale cached catalog would fail here"
+  );
+});