diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/realtime_conversation.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/realtime_conversation.rs
index 03e1d40318..b07eb37171 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/realtime_conversation.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/realtime_conversation.rs
@@ -555,6 +555,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn build_realtime_session_config(
     voice: Option<RealtimeVoice>,
 ) -> CodexResult<RealtimeSessionConfig> {
     let config = sess.get_config().await;
+    let provider = sess.provider().await;
     let prompt = prepare_realtime_backend_prompt(
         prompt,
         config.experimental_realtime_ws_backend_prompt.clone(),
@@ -573,8 +574,12 @@ pub(crate) async fn build_realtime_session_config(
         (false, true) => prompt,
         (false, false) => format!("{prompt}\n\n{startup_context}"),
     };
+    let provider_pins_model = provider
+        .query_params
+        .as_ref()
+        .is_some_and(|query_params| query_params.contains_key("model"));
     let model = config.experimental_realtime_ws_model.clone().or_else(|| {
-        (config.realtime.version == RealtimeWsVersion::V2)
+        (config.realtime.version == RealtimeWsVersion::V2 && !provider_pins_model)
             .then(|| DEFAULT_REALTIME_MODEL.to_string())
     });
     let event_parser = match config.realtime.version {
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/realtime_conversation.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/realtime_conversation.rs
index 5357749071..81a111b3a8 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/realtime_conversation.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/realtime_conversation.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ use core_test_support::wait_for_event_match;
 use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 use serde_json::Value;
 use serde_json::json;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::fs;
 use std::process::Command;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -530,6 +531,92 @@ async fn conversation_start_v1_without_model_override_preserves_provider_default
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn conversation_start_v2_with_provider_model_preserves_provider_default() -> Result<()> {
+    skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));
+
+    let api_server = start_mock_server().await;
+    let realtime_server = start_websocket_server(vec![
+        vec![],
+        vec![vec![json!({
+            "type": "session.updated",
+            "session": { "id": "sess_v2_provider", "instructions": "backend prompt" }
+        })]],
+    ])
+    .await;
+
+    let realtime_ws_base_url = realtime_server.uri().to_string();
+    let mut builder = test_codex().with_config(move |config| {
+        config.experimental_realtime_ws_backend_prompt = Some("backend prompt".to_string());
+        config.experimental_realtime_ws_base_url = Some(realtime_ws_base_url);
+        config.model_provider.supports_websockets = true;
+        config.model_provider.query_params = Some(HashMap::from([(
+            "model".to_string(),
+            "provider-realtime-model".to_string(),
+        )]));
+    });
+    let test = builder.build(&api_server).await?;
+    assert!(
+        realtime_server
+            .wait_for_handshakes(/*expected*/ 1, Duration::from_secs(2))
+            .await
+    );
+
+    test.codex
+        .submit(Op::RealtimeConversationStart(ConversationStartParams {
+            prompt: "backend prompt".to_string(),
+            session_id: None,
+            transport: None,
+        }))
+        .await?;
+
+    let started = wait_for_event_match(&test.codex, |msg| match msg {
+        EventMsg::RealtimeConversationStarted(started) => Some(Ok(started.clone())),
+        EventMsg::Error(err) => Some(Err(err.clone())),
+        _ => None,
+    })
+    .await
+    .unwrap_or_else(|err: ErrorEvent| panic!("conversation start failed: {err:?}"));
+    assert_eq!(started.version, RealtimeConversationVersion::V2);
+
+    let session_updated = wait_for_event_match(&test.codex, |msg| match msg {
+        EventMsg::RealtimeConversationRealtime(RealtimeConversationRealtimeEvent {
+            payload: RealtimeEvent::SessionUpdated { session_id, .. },
+        }) => Some(session_id.clone()),
+        _ => None,
+    })
+    .await;
+    assert_eq!(session_updated, "sess_v2_provider");
+
+    let connections = realtime_server.connections();
+    assert_eq!(connections.len(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(
+        realtime_server.handshakes()[1].uri(),
+        "/v1/realtime?model=provider-realtime-model"
+    );
+    let expected_session_update = json!({
+        "type": "session.update",
+        "session": session_update_session_json(RealtimeSessionConfig {
+            instructions: "backend prompt".to_string(),
+            model: None,
+            session_id: started.session_id.clone(),
+            event_parser: RealtimeEventParser::RealtimeV2,
+            session_mode: RealtimeSessionMode::Conversational,
+        })?
+    });
+    assert_eq!(connections[1][0].body_json(), expected_session_update);
+
+    test.codex.submit(Op::RealtimeConversationClose).await?;
+    let _closed = wait_for_event_match(&test.codex, |msg| match msg {
+        EventMsg::RealtimeConversationClosed(closed) => Some(closed.clone()),
+        _ => None,
+    })
+    .await;
+
+    realtime_server.shutdown().await;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 async fn conversation_webrtc_start_posts_generated_session() -> Result<()> {
     skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));