diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
index 95f3e6c778..6bc23ad7d6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ describe('loadCliConfig model selection', () => {
       argv,
     );
 
-    expect(config.getModel()).toBe('auto');
+    expect(config.getModel()).toBe(DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL);
   });
 
   it('always prefers model from argv', async () => {
@@ -1640,12 +1640,12 @@ describe('loadCliConfig useRipgrep', () => {
   });
 
   describe('loadCliConfig useModelRouter', () => {
-    it('should be true by default when useModelRouter is not set in settings', async () => {
+    it('should be false by default when useModelRouter is not set in settings', async () => {
       process.argv = ['node', 'script.js'];
       const argv = await parseArguments({} as Settings);
       const settings: Settings = {};
       const config = await loadCliConfig(settings, [], 'test-session', argv);
-      expect(config.getUseModelRouter()).toBe(true);
+      expect(config.getUseModelRouter()).toBe(false);
     });
 
     it('should be true when useModelRouter is set to true in settings', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
index 1bb1a3b70d..9dd1e32386 100755
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
     );
   }
 
-  const useModelRouter = settings.experimental?.useModelRouter ?? true;
+  const useModelRouter = settings.experimental?.useModelRouter ?? false;
   const defaultModel = useModelRouter
     ? DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL_AUTO
     : DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL;
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts
index 67757637ec..4088151049 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.test.ts
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ describe('SettingsSchema', () => {
       ).toBe('Experimental');
       expect(
         getSettingsSchema().experimental.properties.useModelRouter.default,
-      ).toBe(true);
+      ).toBe(false);
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
index 6716825812..3ad7e6c2dc 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/settingsSchema.ts
@@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ const SETTINGS_SCHEMA = {
         label: 'Use Model Router',
         category: 'Experimental',
         requiresRestart: true,
-        default: true,
+        default: false,
         description:
           'Enable model routing to route requests to the best model based on complexity.',
         showInDialog: true,