diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
index 4e5dea2..7333315 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -49,55 +49,62 @@ program
   .description('Launch interactive TUI connected to the gateway')
   .option('-g, --gateway <url>', 'Gateway URL', 'http://localhost:4000')
   .option('-c, --conversation <id>', 'Resume a conversation by ID')
-  .action(async (opts: { gateway: string; conversation?: string }) => {
-    const { loadSession, validateSession, signIn, saveSession } = await import('./auth.js');
+  .option('-m, --model <modelId>', 'Model ID to use (e.g. gpt-4o, llama3.2)')
+  .option('-p, --provider <provider>', 'Provider to use (e.g. openai, ollama)')
+  .action(
+    async (opts: { gateway: string; conversation?: string; model?: string; provider?: string }) => {
+      const { loadSession, validateSession, signIn, saveSession } = await import('./auth.js');
 
-    // Try loading saved session
-    let session = loadSession(opts.gateway);
+      // Try loading saved session
+      let session = loadSession(opts.gateway);
 
-    if (session) {
-      const valid = await validateSession(opts.gateway, session.cookie);
-      if (!valid) {
-        console.log('Session expired. Please sign in again.');
-        session = null;
+      if (session) {
+        const valid = await validateSession(opts.gateway, session.cookie);
+        if (!valid) {
+          console.log('Session expired. Please sign in again.');
+          session = null;
+        }
       }
-    }
 
-    // No valid session — prompt for credentials
-    if (!session) {
-      const readline = await import('node:readline');
-      const rl = readline.createInterface({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stdout });
-      const ask = (q: string): Promise<string> => new Promise((resolve) => rl.question(q, resolve));
+      // No valid session — prompt for credentials
+      if (!session) {
+        const readline = await import('node:readline');
+        const rl = readline.createInterface({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stdout });
+        const ask = (q: string): Promise<string> =>
+          new Promise((resolve) => rl.question(q, resolve));
 
-      console.log(`Sign in to ${opts.gateway}`);
-      const email = await ask('Email: ');
-      const password = await ask('Password: ');
-      rl.close();
+        console.log(`Sign in to ${opts.gateway}`);
+        const email = await ask('Email: ');
+        const password = await ask('Password: ');
+        rl.close();
 
-      try {
-        const auth = await signIn(opts.gateway, email, password);
-        saveSession(opts.gateway, auth);
-        session = auth;
-        console.log(`Signed in as ${auth.email}\n`);
-      } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
-        process.exit(1);
+        try {
+          const auth = await signIn(opts.gateway, email, password);
+          saveSession(opts.gateway, auth);
+          session = auth;
+          console.log(`Signed in as ${auth.email}\n`);
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
+          process.exit(1);
+        }
       }
-    }
 
-    // Dynamic import to avoid loading React/Ink for other commands
-    const { render } = await import('ink');
-    const React = await import('react');
-    const { TuiApp } = await import('./tui/app.js');
+      // Dynamic import to avoid loading React/Ink for other commands
+      const { render } = await import('ink');
+      const React = await import('react');
+      const { TuiApp } = await import('./tui/app.js');
 
-    render(
-      React.createElement(TuiApp, {
-        gatewayUrl: opts.gateway,
-        conversationId: opts.conversation,
-        sessionCookie: session.cookie,
-      }),
-    );
-  });
+      render(
+        React.createElement(TuiApp, {
+          gatewayUrl: opts.gateway,
+          conversationId: opts.conversation,
+          sessionCookie: session.cookie,
+          initialModel: opts.model,
+          initialProvider: opts.provider,
+        }),
+      );
+    },
+  );
 
 // ─── prdy ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
index 3a6698f..56372be 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/app.tsx
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import { Box, Text, useInput, useApp } from 'ink';
 import TextInput from 'ink-text-input';
 import Spinner from 'ink-spinner';
 import { io, type Socket } from 'socket.io-client';
+import { fetchAvailableModels, type ModelInfo } from './gateway-api.js';
 
 interface Message {
-  role: 'user' | 'assistant';
+  role: 'user' | 'assistant' | 'system';
   content: string;
 }
 
@@ -13,12 +14,29 @@ interface TuiAppProps {
   gatewayUrl: string;
   conversationId?: string;
   sessionCookie?: string;
+  initialModel?: string;
+  initialProvider?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Parse a slash command from user input.
+ * Returns null if the input is not a slash command.
+ */
+function parseSlashCommand(value: string): { command: string; args: string[] } | null {
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  if (!trimmed.startsWith('/')) return null;
+  const parts = trimmed.slice(1).split(/\s+/);
+  const command = parts[0]?.toLowerCase() ?? '';
+  const args = parts.slice(1);
+  return { command, args };
 }
 
 export function TuiApp({
   gatewayUrl,
   conversationId: initialConversationId,
   sessionCookie,
+  initialModel,
+  initialProvider,
 }: TuiAppProps) {
   const { exit } = useApp();
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<Message[]>([]);
@@ -27,8 +45,33 @@ export function TuiApp({
   const [connected, setConnected] = useState(false);
   const [conversationId, setConversationId] = useState(initialConversationId);
   const [currentStreamText, setCurrentStreamText] = useState('');
+
+  // Model/provider state
+  const [currentModel, setCurrentModel] = useState<string | undefined>(initialModel);
+  const [currentProvider, setCurrentProvider] = useState<string | undefined>(initialProvider);
+  const [availableModels, setAvailableModels] = useState<ModelInfo[]>([]);
+
   const socketRef = useRef<Socket | null>(null);
 
+  // Fetch available models on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    fetchAvailableModels(gatewayUrl, sessionCookie)
+      .then((models) => {
+        setAvailableModels(models);
+        // If no model/provider specified and models are available, show the default
+        if (!initialModel && !initialProvider && models.length > 0) {
+          const first = models[0];
+          if (first) {
+            setCurrentModel(first.id);
+            setCurrentProvider(first.provider);
+          }
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // Non-fatal: TUI works without model list
+      });
+  }, [gatewayUrl, sessionCookie, initialModel, initialProvider]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const socket = io(`${gatewayUrl}/chat`, {
       transports: ['websocket'],
@@ -86,9 +129,164 @@ export function TuiApp({
     };
   }, [gatewayUrl]);
 
+  /**
+   * Handle /model and /provider slash commands.
+   * Returns true if the input was a handled slash command (should not be sent to gateway).
+   */
+  const handleSlashCommand = useCallback(
+    (value: string): boolean => {
+      const parsed = parseSlashCommand(value);
+      if (!parsed) return false;
+
+      const { command, args } = parsed;
+
+      if (command === 'model') {
+        if (args.length === 0) {
+          // List available models
+          if (availableModels.length === 0) {
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content:
+                  'No models available (could not reach gateway). Use /model <modelId> to set one manually.',
+              },
+            ]);
+          } else {
+            const lines = availableModels.map(
+              (m) =>
+                `  ${m.provider}/${m.id}${m.id === currentModel && m.provider === currentProvider ? ' (active)' : ''}`,
+            );
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content: `Available models:\n${lines.join('\n')}`,
+              },
+            ]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          // Switch model: /model <modelId> or /model <provider>/<modelId>
+          const arg = args[0]!;
+          const slashIdx = arg.indexOf('/');
+          let newProvider: string | undefined;
+          let newModelId: string;
+
+          if (slashIdx !== -1) {
+            newProvider = arg.slice(0, slashIdx);
+            newModelId = arg.slice(slashIdx + 1);
+          } else {
+            newModelId = arg;
+            // Try to find provider from available models list
+            const match = availableModels.find((m) => m.id === newModelId);
+            newProvider = match?.provider ?? currentProvider;
+          }
+
+          setCurrentModel(newModelId);
+          if (newProvider) setCurrentProvider(newProvider);
+
+          setMessages((msgs) => [
+            ...msgs,
+            {
+              role: 'system',
+              content: `Switched to model: ${newProvider ? `${newProvider}/` : ''}${newModelId}. Takes effect on next message.`,
+            },
+          ]);
+        }
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      if (command === 'provider') {
+        if (args.length === 0) {
+          // List providers from available models
+          const providers = [...new Set(availableModels.map((m) => m.provider))];
+          if (providers.length === 0) {
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content:
+                  'No providers available (could not reach gateway). Use /provider <name> to set one manually.',
+              },
+            ]);
+          } else {
+            const lines = providers.map((p) => `  ${p}${p === currentProvider ? ' (active)' : ''}`);
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content: `Available providers:\n${lines.join('\n')}`,
+              },
+            ]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          const newProvider = args[0]!;
+          setCurrentProvider(newProvider);
+          // If switching provider, auto-select first model for that provider
+          const providerModels = availableModels.filter((m) => m.provider === newProvider);
+          if (providerModels.length > 0 && providerModels[0]) {
+            setCurrentModel(providerModels[0].id);
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content: `Switched to provider: ${newProvider} (model: ${providerModels[0]!.id}). Takes effect on next message.`,
+              },
+            ]);
+          } else {
+            setMessages((msgs) => [
+              ...msgs,
+              {
+                role: 'system',
+                content: `Switched to provider: ${newProvider}. Takes effect on next message.`,
+              },
+            ]);
+          }
+        }
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      if (command === 'help') {
+        setMessages((msgs) => [
+          ...msgs,
+          {
+            role: 'system',
+            content: [
+              'Available commands:',
+              '  /model              — list available models',
+              '  /model <id>         — switch model (e.g. /model gpt-4o)',
+              '  /model <p>/<id>     — switch model with provider (e.g. /model ollama/llama3.2)',
+              '  /provider           — list available providers',
+              '  /provider <name>    — switch provider (e.g. /provider ollama)',
+              '  /help               — show this help',
+            ].join('\n'),
+          },
+        ]);
+        return true;
+      }
+
+      // Unknown slash command — let the user know
+      setMessages((msgs) => [
+        ...msgs,
+        {
+          role: 'system',
+          content: `Unknown command: /${command}. Type /help for available commands.`,
+        },
+      ]);
+      return true;
+    },
+    [availableModels, currentModel, currentProvider],
+  );
+
   const handleSubmit = useCallback(
     (value: string) => {
       if (!value.trim() || isStreaming) return;
+
+      setInput('');
+
+      // Handle slash commands first
+      if (handleSlashCommand(value)) return;
+
       if (!socketRef.current?.connected) {
         setMessages((msgs) => [
           ...msgs,
@@ -98,14 +296,15 @@ export function TuiApp({
       }
 
       setMessages((msgs) => [...msgs, { role: 'user', content: value }]);
-      setInput('');
 
       socketRef.current.emit('message', {
         conversationId,
         content: value,
+        provider: currentProvider,
+        modelId: currentModel,
       });
     },
-    [conversationId, isStreaming],
+    [conversationId, isStreaming, currentModel, currentProvider, handleSlashCommand],
   );
 
   useInput((ch, key) => {
@@ -114,6 +313,12 @@ export function TuiApp({
     }
   });
 
+  const modelLabel = currentModel
+    ? currentProvider
+      ? `${currentProvider}/${currentModel}`
+      : currentModel
+    : null;
+
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" padding={1}>
       <Box marginBottom={1}>
@@ -123,15 +328,29 @@ export function TuiApp({
         <Text> </Text>
         <Text dimColor>{connected ? `connected` : 'connecting...'}</Text>
         {conversationId && <Text dimColor> | {conversationId.slice(0, 8)}</Text>}
+        {modelLabel && (
+          <>
+            <Text dimColor> | </Text>
+            <Text color="yellow">{modelLabel}</Text>
+          </>
+        )}
       </Box>
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
         {messages.map((msg, i) => (
           <Box key={i} marginBottom={1}>
-            <Text bold color={msg.role === 'user' ? 'green' : 'cyan'}>
-              {msg.role === 'user' ? '> ' : '  '}
-            </Text>
-            <Text wrap="wrap">{msg.content}</Text>
+            {msg.role === 'system' ? (
+              <Text dimColor italic>
+                {msg.content}
+              </Text>
+            ) : (
+              <>
+                <Text bold color={msg.role === 'user' ? 'green' : 'cyan'}>
+                  {msg.role === 'user' ? '> ' : '  '}
+                </Text>
+                <Text wrap="wrap">{msg.content}</Text>
+              </>
+            )}
           </Box>
         ))}
 
@@ -162,7 +381,7 @@ export function TuiApp({
           value={input}
           onChange={setInput}
           onSubmit={handleSubmit}
-          placeholder={isStreaming ? 'waiting...' : 'type a message'}
+          placeholder={isStreaming ? 'waiting...' : 'type a message or /help'}
         />
       </Box>
     </Box>
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts b/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7d5693
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/tui/gateway-api.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/**
+ * Minimal gateway REST API client for the TUI.
+ */
+
+export interface ModelInfo {
+  id: string;
+  provider: string;
+  name: string;
+}
+
+export interface ProviderInfo {
+  id: string;
+  name: string;
+  available: boolean;
+  models: ModelInfo[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fetch the list of available models from the gateway.
+ * Returns an empty array on network or auth errors so the TUI can still function.
+ */
+export async function fetchAvailableModels(
+  gatewayUrl: string,
+  sessionCookie?: string,
+): Promise<ModelInfo[]> {
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`${gatewayUrl}/api/providers/models`, {
+      headers: {
+        ...(sessionCookie ? { Cookie: sessionCookie } : {}),
+        Origin: gatewayUrl,
+      },
+    });
+    if (!res.ok) return [];
+    const data = (await res.json()) as ModelInfo[];
+    return Array.isArray(data) ? data : [];
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fetch the list of providers (with their models) from the gateway.
+ * Returns an empty array on network or auth errors.
+ */
+export async function fetchProviders(
+  gatewayUrl: string,
+  sessionCookie?: string,
+): Promise<ProviderInfo[]> {
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`${gatewayUrl}/api/providers`, {
+      headers: {
+        ...(sessionCookie ? { Cookie: sessionCookie } : {}),
+        Origin: gatewayUrl,
+      },
+    });
+    if (!res.ok) return [];
+    const data = (await res.json()) as ProviderInfo[];
+    return Array.isArray(data) ? data : [];
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}