New sessions ignore default model

“Priority request: high — every new session silently starts on the most expensive model (Fable 5.1) even though the user configured Opus / medium.”

Is this your bug? What gets counted gets fixed. Pile on.

Paste this into your agent. It files your report, with your error and version.

I hit this bug: rapsheet.dev/sheets/claude-code/issues/25172/file
Follow it to file my report. Show me the text before you send.

No install. No account. Public and anonymous. The link asks your agent for one report, nothing else. What it sends

New desktop Code sessions start on Fable 5.1, ignoring chosen default model. Settings.json "model": "opus" and the model picker choice are not used; new sessions start on claude-fable-5-1 and must be switched by hand.

Is this your bug?

File my report

Where: Desktop app Code tab
Versions: 2.1.318
Platforms: macOS, Windows
How bad: Breaks a normal workflow.

Related: Session model choice not respected

Not quite your bug?

Default model ignored2 people
Session model pick becomes default6 people
Stale model/effort label3 people

Original reports2, newest first

Nov 5, 2026Desktop app: new Code sessions start on Fable 5.1 although the default model is Opus 5.5; per-folder presets revert on restart#107412
Oct 23, 2026Desktop app (Code tab, Windows): new sessions always start on Fable 5.1, ignoring settings.json model/effortLevel and the model picker choice#104555