diff --git a/nanobot/config/schema.py b/nanobot/config/schema.py
index 0f1f06c69..1cab02763 100644
--- a/nanobot/config/schema.py
+++ b/nanobot/config/schema.py
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class ModelPresetConfig(Base):
     context_window_tokens: int = 65_536
     temperature: float = 0.1
     reasoning_effort: str | None = None
+    fallback_models: list[str] = Field(default_factory=list)
 
     def to_generation_settings(self) -> Any:
         from nanobot.providers.base import GenerationSettings
diff --git a/nanobot/providers/factory.py b/nanobot/providers/factory.py
index 3473afff3..e4822b7f8 100644
--- a/nanobot/providers/factory.py
+++ b/nanobot/providers/factory.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 from nanobot.config.schema import Config, ModelPresetConfig
 from nanobot.providers.base import LLMProvider
+from nanobot.providers.fallback_provider import FallbackProvider
 from nanobot.providers.registry import find_by_name
 
 
@@ -27,15 +28,16 @@ def _resolve_model_preset(
     return preset if preset is not None else config.resolve_preset(preset_name)
 
 
-def make_provider(
+def _make_provider_core(
     config: Config,
     *,
     preset_name: str | None = None,
     preset: ModelPresetConfig | None = None,
+    model: str | None = None,
 ) -> LLMProvider:
-    """Create the LLM provider implied by config."""
+    """Create a plain LLM provider without failover wrapping."""
     resolved = _resolve_model_preset(config, preset_name=preset_name, preset=preset)
-    model = resolved.model
+    model = model or resolved.model
     provider_name = config.get_provider_name(model, preset=resolved)
     p = config.get_provider(model, preset=resolved)
     spec = find_by_name(provider_name) if provider_name else None
@@ -102,6 +104,34 @@ def make_provider(
     return provider
 
 
+def make_provider(
+    config: Config,
+    *,
+    preset_name: str | None = None,
+    preset: ModelPresetConfig | None = None,
+    model: str | None = None,
+) -> LLMProvider:
+    """Create the LLM provider implied by config.
+
+    When *model* is given, it overrides the resolved/preset model — used by
+    the failover path to create providers for fallback models.
+    """
+    resolved = _resolve_model_preset(config, preset_name=preset_name, preset=preset)
+    provider = _make_provider_core(config, preset_name=preset_name, preset=preset, model=model)
+
+    if resolved.fallback_models:
+        fb_preset = resolved.model_copy(update={"provider": "auto", "fallback_models": []})
+        provider = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=provider,
+            fallback_models=resolved.fallback_models,
+            provider_factory=lambda m: _make_provider_core(
+                config, preset_name=preset_name, preset=fb_preset, model=m
+            ),
+        )
+
+    return provider
+
+
 def provider_signature(
     config: Config,
     *,
diff --git a/nanobot/providers/fallback_provider.py b/nanobot/providers/fallback_provider.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0b137890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nanobot/providers/fallback_provider.py
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+"""Provider wrapper that transparently fails over to fallback models on error."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import time
+from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
+from typing import Any
+
+from loguru import logger
+
+from nanobot.providers.base import LLMProvider, LLMResponse
+
+# Circuit breaker tuned to match OpenAICompatProvider's Responses API breaker.
+_PRIMARY_FAILURE_THRESHOLD = 3
+_PRIMARY_COOLDOWN_S = 60
+
+
+class FallbackProvider(LLMProvider):
+    """Wrap a primary provider and transparently failover to fallback models.
+
+    When the primary model returns an error and no content has been streamed yet,
+    the wrapper tries each fallback model in order.  Each fallback model may
+    reside on a different provider — a factory callable creates the underlying
+    provider on-the-fly.
+
+    Key design:
+    - Failover is request-scoped (the wrapper itself is stateless between turns).
+    - Skipped when content was already streamed to avoid duplicate output.
+    - Recursive failover is prevented by the factory returning plain providers.
+    - Primary provider is circuit-broken after repeated failures to avoid
+      wasting requests on a known-bad endpoint.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        primary: LLMProvider,
+        fallback_models: list[str],
+        provider_factory: Callable[[str], LLMProvider],
+    ):
+        self._primary = primary
+        self._fallback_models = list(fallback_models)
+        self._provider_factory = provider_factory
+        self._has_fallbacks = bool(fallback_models)
+        self._primary_failures = 0
+        self._primary_tripped_at: float | None = None
+
+    @property
+    def generation(self):
+        return self._primary.generation
+
+    @generation.setter
+    def generation(self, value):
+        self._primary.generation = value
+
+    def get_default_model(self) -> str:
+        return self._primary.get_default_model()
+
+    def _primary_available(self) -> bool:
+        """Return True if the primary provider is not currently tripped."""
+        if self._primary_tripped_at is None:
+            return True
+        if time.monotonic() - self._primary_tripped_at >= _PRIMARY_COOLDOWN_S:
+            # Half-open: allow one probe attempt.
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    async def chat(self, **kwargs: Any) -> LLMResponse:
+        if not self._has_fallbacks:
+            return await self._primary.chat(**kwargs)
+        return await self._try_with_fallback(
+            lambda p, kw: p.chat(**kw), kwargs, has_streamed=None
+        )
+
+    async def chat_stream(self, **kwargs: Any) -> LLMResponse:
+        if not self._has_fallbacks:
+            return await self._primary.chat_stream(**kwargs)
+
+        has_streamed: list[bool] = [False]
+        original_delta = kwargs.get("on_content_delta")
+
+        async def _tracking_delta(text: str) -> None:
+            if text:
+                has_streamed[0] = True
+            if original_delta:
+                await original_delta(text)
+
+        kwargs["on_content_delta"] = _tracking_delta
+        return await self._try_with_fallback(
+            lambda p, kw: p.chat_stream(**kw), kwargs, has_streamed=has_streamed
+        )
+
+    async def _try_with_fallback(
+        self,
+        call: Callable[[LLMProvider, dict[str, Any]], Awaitable[LLMResponse]],
+        kwargs: dict[str, Any],
+        has_streamed: list[bool] | None,
+    ) -> LLMResponse:
+        primary_model = kwargs.get("model") or self._primary.get_default_model()
+
+        if self._primary_available():
+            response = await call(self._primary, kwargs)
+            if response.finish_reason != "error":
+                self._primary_failures = 0
+                self._primary_tripped_at = None
+                return response
+
+            if has_streamed is not None and has_streamed[0]:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Primary model error but content already streamed; skipping failover"
+                )
+                return response
+
+            self._primary_failures += 1
+            if self._primary_failures >= _PRIMARY_FAILURE_THRESHOLD:
+                self._primary_tripped_at = time.monotonic()
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Primary model '{}' circuit open after {} consecutive failures",
+                    primary_model, self._primary_failures,
+                )
+        else:
+            logger.debug("Primary model '{}' circuit open; skipping", primary_model)
+
+        last_response: LLMResponse | None = None
+        primary_skipped = not self._primary_available()
+        for idx, fallback_model in enumerate(self._fallback_models):
+            if has_streamed is not None and has_streamed[0]:
+                break
+            if idx == 0 and primary_skipped:
+                logger.info(
+                    "Primary model '{}' circuit open, trying fallback '{}'",
+                    primary_model, fallback_model,
+                )
+            elif idx == 0:
+                logger.info(
+                    "Primary model '{}' failed, trying fallback '{}'",
+                    primary_model, fallback_model,
+                )
+            else:
+                logger.info(
+                    "Fallback '{}' also failed, trying next fallback '{}'",
+                    self._fallback_models[idx - 1], fallback_model,
+                )
+            try:
+                fallback_provider = self._provider_factory(fallback_model)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Failed to create provider for fallback '{}': {}", fallback_model, exc
+                )
+                continue
+
+            original_model = kwargs.get("model")
+            kwargs["model"] = fallback_model
+            try:
+                fallback_response = await call(fallback_provider, kwargs)
+            finally:
+                if original_model is not None:
+                    kwargs["model"] = original_model
+                else:
+                    kwargs.pop("model", None)
+
+            if fallback_response.finish_reason != "error":
+                logger.info(
+                    "Fallback '{}' succeeded after primary '{}' failed",
+                    fallback_model, primary_model,
+                )
+                return fallback_response
+
+            last_response = fallback_response
+            logger.warning(
+                "Fallback '{}' also failed: {}",
+                fallback_model,
+                (fallback_response.content or "")[:120],
+            )
+
+        logger.warning(
+            "All {} fallback model(s) failed",
+            len(self._fallback_models),
+        )
+        # Return the last error response we saw (primary or last fallback).
+        if last_response is not None:
+            return last_response
+        # Primary was tripped and we have no fallbacks — synthesize an error.
+        return LLMResponse(
+            content=f"Primary model '{primary_model}' circuit open and no fallbacks available",
+            finish_reason="error",
+        )
diff --git a/tests/agent/test_runner_fallback.py b/tests/agent/test_runner_fallback.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..273bd6d6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/agent/test_runner_fallback.py
@@ -0,0 +1,364 @@
+"""Tests for FallbackProvider model failover."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from nanobot.providers.base import LLMProvider, LLMResponse
+from nanobot.providers.fallback_provider import FallbackProvider
+
+
+def _make_response(
+    content: str = "ok",
+    finish_reason: str = "stop",
+    *,
+    error_kind: str | None = None,
+) -> LLMResponse:
+    return LLMResponse(content=content, finish_reason=finish_reason, error_kind=error_kind)
+
+
+def _error_response(content: str = "api error") -> LLMResponse:
+    return _make_response(content, finish_reason="error", error_kind="server_error")
+
+
+class _FakeProvider(LLMProvider):
+    """Fake provider for testing."""
+
+    def __init__(self, name: str = "fake", response: LLMResponse | None = None):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.name = name
+        self._response = response or _make_response()
+        self.chat_calls: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        self.chat_stream_calls: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+
+    def get_default_model(self) -> str:
+        return f"{self.name}/model"
+
+    async def chat(self, **kwargs: Any) -> LLMResponse:
+        self.chat_calls.append(dict(kwargs))
+        return self._response
+
+    async def chat_stream(self, **kwargs: Any) -> LLMResponse:
+        self.chat_stream_calls.append(dict(kwargs))
+        on_delta = kwargs.get("on_content_delta")
+        if on_delta and self._response.content:
+            await on_delta(self._response.content)
+        return self._response
+
+
+# -- config-level tests --
+
+
+def test_fallback_models_default_empty() -> None:
+    from nanobot.config.schema import ModelPresetConfig
+    p = ModelPresetConfig(model="test/model")
+    assert p.fallback_models == []
+
+
+def test_fallback_models_accepts_list() -> None:
+    from nanobot.config.schema import ModelPresetConfig
+    p = ModelPresetConfig(model="test/primary", fallback_models=["test/a", "test/b"])
+    assert p.fallback_models == ["test/a", "test/b"]
+
+
+def test_fallback_models_from_camel_case() -> None:
+    from nanobot.config.schema import ModelPresetConfig
+    p = ModelPresetConfig.model_validate({
+        "model": "test/primary",
+        "fallbackModels": ["test/a"],
+    })
+    assert p.fallback_models == ["test/a"]
+
+
+# -- FallbackProvider tests --
+
+
+class TestNoFallbackWhenPrimarySucceeds:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _make_response("primary ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock()
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "primary ok"
+        assert result.finish_reason == "stop"
+        factory.assert_not_called()
+
+
+class TestFallbackOnPrimaryError:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_first_fallback_succeeds(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("fallback ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}], model="primary-model")
+        assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+        assert result.finish_reason == "stop"
+        factory.assert_called_once_with("fallback-a")
+        assert primary.chat_calls[0]["model"] == "primary-model"
+        assert fallback.chat_calls[0]["model"] == "fallback-a"
+
+
+class TestNoFallbackWhenContentStreamed:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        factory = MagicMock()
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        async def _delta(text: str) -> None:
+            pass
+
+        result = await fb.chat_stream(
+            messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}],
+            on_content_delta=_delta,
+        )
+        # Primary returns error but content was "streamed" (FakeProvider calls delta)
+        # so failover should be skipped
+        assert result.finish_reason == "error"
+        factory.assert_not_called()
+
+
+class TestFailoverOnTransientError:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_rate_limit(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response("rate limit exceeded"))
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("fallback ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+        assert result.finish_reason == "stop"
+        factory.assert_called_once_with("fallback-a")
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_timeout(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider(
+            "primary",
+            _make_response("timed out", finish_reason="error", error_kind="timeout"),
+        )
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("fallback ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+        assert result.finish_reason == "stop"
+        factory.assert_called_once_with("fallback-a")
+
+
+class TestFallbackTriesModelsInOrder:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response("primary fail"))
+        fallback_a = _FakeProvider("a", _error_response("a fail"))
+        fallback_b = _FakeProvider("b", _make_response("b ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(side_effect=[fallback_a, fallback_b])
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a", "fallback-b"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "b ok"
+        assert factory.call_count == 2
+        factory.assert_any_call("fallback-a")
+        factory.assert_any_call("fallback-b")
+
+
+class TestAllFallbacksFail:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response("primary fail"))
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _error_response("all fail"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.finish_reason == "error"
+        assert "all fail" in result.content
+
+
+class TestFactoryExceptionSkipsModel:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        fallback_b = _FakeProvider("b", _make_response("b ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(side_effect=[ValueError("no key"), fallback_b])
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a", "fallback-b"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "b ok"
+        assert factory.call_count == 2
+
+
+class TestFallbackModelParameter:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        """Fallback calls should use the fallback model name."""
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-model"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}], model="primary-model")
+        assert fallback.chat_calls[0]["model"] == "fallback-model"
+
+
+class TestNoFallbackWhenEmptyList:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        factory = MagicMock()
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=[],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.finish_reason == "error"
+        factory.assert_not_called()
+
+
+class TestChatStreamFailover:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_fallback_succeeds(self) -> None:
+        # Use empty content so on_content_delta is not triggered on the error
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response(""))
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("stream ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        result = await fb.chat_stream(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "stream ok"
+        assert result.finish_reason == "stop"
+
+
+class TestGetDefaultModel:
+    def test(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary")
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["a"],
+            provider_factory=MagicMock(),
+        )
+        assert fb.get_default_model() == "primary/model"
+
+
+class TestCircuitBreaker:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_skips_primary_after_three_failures(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("fallback ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        # 3 failures — primary should still be called each time
+        for _ in range(3):
+            result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+            assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+
+        assert len(primary.chat_calls) == 3
+
+        # 4th call — primary circuit is open, should be skipped
+        primary.chat_calls.clear()
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+        assert len(primary.chat_calls) == 0
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_resets_on_success(self) -> None:
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary", _error_response())
+        fallback = _FakeProvider("fallback", _make_response("fallback ok"))
+        factory = MagicMock(return_value=fallback)
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["fallback-a"],
+            provider_factory=factory,
+        )
+
+        # 2 failures
+        for _ in range(2):
+            await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+
+        # 3rd call: primary succeeds — circuit resets
+        primary._response = _make_response("primary ok")
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "primary ok"
+
+        # 4th call: primary fails again — should still be called (counter reset)
+        primary._response = _error_response()
+        primary.chat_calls.clear()
+        result = await fb.chat(messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}])
+        assert result.content == "fallback ok"
+        assert len(primary.chat_calls) == 1
+
+
+class TestGenerationForwarded:
+    def test(self) -> None:
+        from nanobot.providers.base import GenerationSettings
+        primary = _FakeProvider("primary")
+        primary.generation = GenerationSettings(temperature=0.5, max_tokens=1024)
+        fb = FallbackProvider(
+            primary=primary,
+            fallback_models=["a"],
+            provider_factory=MagicMock(),
+        )
+        assert fb.generation.temperature == 0.5
+        assert fb.generation.max_tokens == 1024