diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-model-selection.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-model-selection.ts
index 5559b4874..ce33bda61 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-model-selection.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-model-selection.ts
@@ -25,10 +25,17 @@ export interface ModelSelectionResult {
 export function resolvePreferredModelConfig(
   unitType: string,
   autoModeStartModel: { provider: string; id: string } | null,
+  /** When false, only return explicit per-phase model configs — do not
+   *  synthesize a routing ceiling from dynamic_routing.tier_models (#3962). */
+  isAutoMode = true,
 ) {
   const explicitConfig = resolveModelWithFallbacksForUnit(unitType);
   if (explicitConfig) return explicitConfig;
 
+  // In interactive mode, don't synthesize a routing-based model config.
+  // The user's session model (/model) should be used as-is (#3962).
+  if (!isAutoMode) return undefined;
+
   const routingConfig = resolveDynamicRoutingConfig();
   if (!routingConfig.enabled || !routingConfig.tier_models) return undefined;
 
@@ -66,7 +73,7 @@ export async function selectAndApplyModel(
    *  Dynamic routing only applies in auto-mode where cost optimization is expected. (#3962) */
   isAutoMode = true,
 ): Promise<ModelSelectionResult> {
-  const modelConfig = resolvePreferredModelConfig(unitType, autoModeStartModel);
+  const modelConfig = resolvePreferredModelConfig(unitType, autoModeStartModel, isAutoMode);
   let routing: { tier: string; modelDowngraded: boolean } | null = null;
   let appliedModel: Model<Api> | null = null;
 
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-start.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-start.ts
index 88881a394..159916abd 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-start.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto-start.ts
@@ -780,13 +780,28 @@ export async function bootstrapAutoSession(
 
     // Show dynamic routing status so users know upfront if models will be
     // downgraded for simple tasks (#3962).
+    // Use the same effective logic as selectAndApplyModel: check flat-rate
+    // provider suppression and resolve the actual ceiling model.
     const routingConfig = resolveDynamicRoutingConfig();
     const startModelLabel = s.autoModeStartModel
       ? `${s.autoModeStartModel.provider}/${s.autoModeStartModel.id}`
       : ctx.model ? `${ctx.model.provider}/${ctx.model.id}` : "default";
-    if (routingConfig.enabled) {
+
+    // Flat-rate providers (e.g. GitHub Copilot, claude-code) suppress routing
+    // at dispatch time (#3453) — reflect that in the banner.
+    const { isFlatRateProvider } = await import("./auto-model-selection.js");
+    const effectiveProvider = s.autoModeStartModel?.provider ?? ctx.model?.provider;
+    const effectivelyEnabled = routingConfig.enabled
+      && !(effectiveProvider && isFlatRateProvider(effectiveProvider));
+
+    // The actual ceiling may come from tier_models.heavy, not the start model.
+    const effectiveCeiling = (routingConfig.enabled && routingConfig.tier_models?.heavy)
+      ? routingConfig.tier_models.heavy
+      : startModelLabel;
+
+    if (effectivelyEnabled) {
       ctx.ui.notify(
-        `Dynamic routing: enabled — simple tasks may use cheaper models (ceiling: ${startModelLabel})`,
+        `Dynamic routing: enabled — simple tasks may use cheaper models (ceiling: ${effectiveCeiling})`,
         "info",
       );
     } else {
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/interactive-routing-bypass.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/interactive-routing-bypass.test.ts
index 8e2a10250..f209ecc8d 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/interactive-routing-bypass.test.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/interactive-routing-bypass.test.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,36 @@ describe("interactive routing bypass (#3962)", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  test("resolvePreferredModelConfig skips routing synthesis when isAutoMode is false", () => {
+    // resolvePreferredModelConfig should accept isAutoMode and bail early
+    // before synthesizing a routing ceiling from tier_models (#3962 codex review)
+    assert.ok(
+      modelSelectionSrc.includes("function resolvePreferredModelConfig"),
+      "resolvePreferredModelConfig should exist",
+    );
+    // The function should check isAutoMode before routing synthesis
+    const fnIdx = modelSelectionSrc.indexOf("function resolvePreferredModelConfig");
+    const fnBody = modelSelectionSrc.slice(fnIdx, fnIdx + 600);
+    assert.ok(
+      fnBody.includes("isAutoMode"),
+      "resolvePreferredModelConfig should accept isAutoMode parameter",
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      fnBody.includes("if (!isAutoMode) return undefined"),
+      "should return undefined (skip routing synthesis) when not in auto-mode",
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("selectAndApplyModel threads isAutoMode to resolvePreferredModelConfig", () => {
+    // The call to resolvePreferredModelConfig inside selectAndApplyModel
+    // should pass isAutoMode as the third argument
+    const callSite = "resolvePreferredModelConfig(unitType, autoModeStartModel, isAutoMode)";
+    assert.ok(
+      modelSelectionSrc.includes(callSite),
+      "selectAndApplyModel should pass isAutoMode to resolvePreferredModelConfig",
+    );
+  });
+
   test("guided-flow passes isAutoMode=false", () => {
     // guided-flow.ts should explicitly pass isAutoMode as false
     assert.ok(
@@ -149,4 +179,29 @@ describe("auto-mode start routing banner (#3962)", () => {
       "banner should reference the start/ceiling model",
     );
   });
+
+  test("banner accounts for flat-rate provider suppression", () => {
+    // The banner should check isFlatRateProvider to accurately reflect
+    // whether routing will actually be active at dispatch time (#3962 codex review)
+    assert.ok(
+      autoStartSrc.includes("isFlatRateProvider"),
+      "banner should check flat-rate provider status",
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      autoStartSrc.includes("effectivelyEnabled"),
+      "banner should compute effective routing state, not just raw config",
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("banner uses effective ceiling from tier_models.heavy when configured", () => {
+    // The actual ceiling may come from tier_models.heavy, not the start model
+    assert.ok(
+      autoStartSrc.includes("tier_models?.heavy"),
+      "banner should check tier_models.heavy for the effective ceiling",
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      autoStartSrc.includes("effectiveCeiling"),
+      "banner should compute the effective ceiling model",
+    );
+  });
 });