diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.test.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.test.ts
index f0a5d093..05050304 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
-import { shouldLoadAvailableProviders } from './providerAvailability';
+import { requiresProviderAuth, shouldLoadAvailableProviders } from './providerAvailability';
 import {
   getOAuthAuthMethods,
   normalizeAuthType,
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ describe('ProvidersPage available provider loading', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('ProvidersPage provider authentication', () => {
+  test('does not require credentials for a custom provider defined in config', () => {
+    expect(requiresProviderAuth(true, false, true)).toBe(false);
+    expect(requiresProviderAuth(true, false, false)).toBe(true);
+    expect(requiresProviderAuth(true, true, false)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('provider auth method helpers', () => {
   test('normalizeAuthType recognizes oauth and api labels', () => {
     expect(normalizeAuthType({ type: 'oauth', label: 'Login with Cursor' })).toBe('oauth');
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.tsx
index e680b506..6a4655f5 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/ProvidersPage.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import type { ModelMetadata } from '@/types';
 import { getCurrentIntlLocale, useI18n } from '@/lib/i18n';
 import { runtimeFetch } from '@/lib/runtime-fetch';
 import { opencodeClient } from '@/lib/opencode/client';
-import { shouldLoadAvailableProviders } from './providerAvailability';
+import { requiresProviderAuth, shouldLoadAvailableProviders } from './providerAvailability';
 import {
   getOAuthAuthMethods,
   parseAuthPayload,
@@ -324,7 +324,8 @@ export const ProvidersPage: React.FC = () => {
       ? provider.env.filter((entry): entry is string => typeof entry === 'string' && entry.trim().length > 0)
       : [];
     const hasCreds = Boolean(sources.auth.exists) || envEntries.length > 0;
-    if (!hasCreds) {
+    const isCustomProvider = Boolean(provider && isConfigDefinedCustomProvider(provider, sources));
+    if (requiresProviderAuth(true, hasCreds, isCustomProvider)) {
       setShowAuthPanel(true);
     }
   }, [selectedProviderId, providerSources, providers]);
@@ -773,8 +774,12 @@ export const ProvidersPage: React.FC = () => {
   const hasStoredAuth = Boolean(selectedSources?.auth.exists);
   const hasEnvCredentials = providerEnv.length > 0;
   const hasCredentials = hasStoredAuth || hasEnvCredentials;
-  const authStatusIncomplete = sourcesLoaded && !hasCredentials;
-  const showModelsSection = providerModels.length > 0 && (!sourcesLoaded || hasCredentials);
+  const authStatusIncomplete = requiresProviderAuth(
+    sourcesLoaded,
+    hasCredentials,
+    isEditableCustomProvider,
+  );
+  const showModelsSection = providerModels.length > 0 && !authStatusIncomplete;
   const incompleteAuthHint = !showApiKeyAuth && oauthAuthMethods.length > 0
     ? t('settings.providers.page.auth.useReconnectHint')
     : t('settings.providers.page.auth.incompleteHint');
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/providerAvailability.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/providerAvailability.ts
index ea6f0386..c2eabab4 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/providerAvailability.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/sections/providers/providerAvailability.ts
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
 export const shouldLoadAvailableProviders = (isAddMode: boolean): boolean => isAddMode;
+
+export const requiresProviderAuth = (
+  sourcesLoaded: boolean,
+  hasCredentials: boolean,
+  isConfigDefinedCustomProvider: boolean,
+): boolean => sourcesLoaded && !hasCredentials && !isConfigDefinedCustomProvider;