diff --git a/docs/architecture/framework/model-catalog.mdx b/docs/architecture/framework/model-catalog.mdx
index 73b73a0d54..a159ae8867 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/framework/model-catalog.mdx
+++ b/docs/architecture/framework/model-catalog.mdx
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ providers := modelCatalog.GetProvidersForModel("claude-3-5-sonnet")
 Validate if a model is allowed for a specific provider based on an allowed models list. This method is used internally by governance and load balancing plugins.
 
 ```go
-// ["*"] wildcard - uses catalog to determine support
+// ["*"] wildcard on a native provider - uses catalog to determine support
+// (custom providers allow any model with a wildcard)
 isAllowed := modelCatalog.IsModelAllowedForProvider(
     schemas.OpenRouter,
     "gpt-4o",
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ isAllowed := modelCatalog.IsModelAllowedForProvider(
 
 **Behavior**:
 
-- **`["*"]` wildcard**: Delegates to `GetProvidersForModel` (includes cross-provider logic) - this is the "allow all via catalog" mode
+- **`["*"]` wildcard**: For **custom** (OpenAI-compatible) providers, allows any model unconditionally — the catalog can't enumerate a custom backend's models. For **native** providers, delegates to `GetProvidersForModel` (includes cross-provider logic) so a wildcard still only permits models the catalog knows the provider serves.
 - **Non-empty explicit list**: Checks for both direct matches and provider-prefixed entries
 - **Empty slice (`[]string{}` / empty `schemas.WhiteList`)**: Returns `false` (deny-all) - mirrors the config deny-by-default semantics
 
diff --git a/framework/modelcatalog/models.go b/framework/modelcatalog/models.go
index b28454669c..780e8ede61 100644
--- a/framework/modelcatalog/models.go
+++ b/framework/modelcatalog/models.go
@@ -196,21 +196,21 @@ func (mc *ModelCatalog) GetProvidersForModel(model string) []schemas.ModelProvid
 // provider given an explicit allowedModels list (used by VK governance
 // checks, not by the static keyconfig allow set).
 //
-//   - allowedModels=["*"]: defer to GetProvidersForModel (with custom-provider
-//     fast path when list-models is disabled).
+//   - allowedModels=["*"]: custom providers are allowed unconditionally (the catalog
+//     can't enumerate a custom backend's models); native providers are cross-checked
+//     against the catalog via GetProvidersForModel.
 //   - allowedModels=[]: deny-by-default.
 //   - explicit allowedModels: direct or provider-prefixed match against the
 //     provider's catalog.
 func (mc *ModelCatalog) IsModelAllowedForProvider(provider schemas.ModelProvider, model string, providerConfig *configstore.ProviderConfig, allowedModels schemas.WhiteList) bool {
-	isCustomProvider := false
-	hasListModelsEndpointDisabled := false
-	if providerConfig != nil && providerConfig.CustomProviderConfig != nil {
-		isCustomProvider = true
-		hasListModelsEndpointDisabled = !providerConfig.CustomProviderConfig.IsOperationAllowed(schemas.ListModelsRequest)
-	}
+	isCustomProvider := providerConfig != nil && providerConfig.CustomProviderConfig != nil
 
 	if allowedModels.IsUnrestricted() {
-		if isCustomProvider && hasListModelsEndpointDisabled {
+		// A custom provider serves whatever its backend exposes, which the catalog can't fully
+		// enumerate even with list-models on, so a wildcard means "all models on this provider"
+		// (the operator's GUI selection), not just catalog-known ones. Native providers stay
+		// catalog-cross-checked so a wildcard can't spray a model to providers that don't serve it.
+		if isCustomProvider {
 			return true
 		}
 		return slices.Contains(mc.GetProvidersForModel(model), provider)
diff --git a/framework/modelcatalog/models_test.go b/framework/modelcatalog/models_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5067ba3481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/modelcatalog/models_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package modelcatalog
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	bifrost "github.com/maximhq/bifrost/core"
+	"github.com/maximhq/bifrost/core/schemas"
+	"github.com/maximhq/bifrost/framework/configstore"
+	"github.com/maximhq/bifrost/framework/modelcatalog/datasheet"
+	"github.com/maximhq/bifrost/framework/modelcatalog/keyconfig"
+	"github.com/maximhq/bifrost/framework/modelcatalog/live"
+)
+
+// emptyCatalog builds a ModelCatalog with empty (but valid) backing stores, so
+// GetProvidersForModel resolves to "no provider serves this model" — enough to
+// exercise the wildcard allow/deny logic without seeding a datasheet.
+func emptyCatalog() *ModelCatalog {
+	logger := bifrost.NewNoOpLogger()
+	return &ModelCatalog{
+		logger:    logger,
+		datasheet: datasheet.New(nil, logger, datasheet.Config{}),
+		live:      live.New(logger),
+		keyconf:   keyconfig.New(logger),
+	}
+}
+
+func customProviderConfig() *configstore.ProviderConfig {
+	return &configstore.ProviderConfig{
+		CustomProviderConfig: &schemas.CustomProviderConfig{},
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardCustomProvider pins the patched behavior: a ["*"]
+// allow-list permits ANY model on a custom provider, including one the catalog has never heard
+// of (an empty catalog here) — fixing the spurious model_blocked 403 on internal models.
+func TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardCustomProvider(t *testing.T) {
+	mc := emptyCatalog()
+	allowed := mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(
+		schemas.ModelProvider("my-custom"), "glm-4.6", customProviderConfig(), schemas.WhiteList{"*"})
+	if !allowed {
+		t.Fatal("wildcard on a custom provider must allow an uncatalogued model")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardNativeProviderUnserved pins the asymmetry: a wildcard on
+// a NATIVE provider is still catalog-cross-checked, so a model no provider serves is denied (a
+// wildcard must not spray a model to a provider that doesn't serve it).
+func TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardNativeProviderUnserved(t *testing.T) {
+	mc := emptyCatalog()
+	allowed := mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(
+		schemas.OpenAI, "model-no-one-serves", nil, schemas.WhiteList{"*"})
+	if allowed {
+		t.Fatal("wildcard on a native provider must still be catalog-cross-checked (deny when unserved)")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardNativeProviderServed is the positive native case: a
+// wildcard on a native provider that DOES serve the model (per the catalog) is allowed. Guards
+// against a regression that denied all native wildcard requests.
+func TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_WildcardNativeProviderServed(t *testing.T) {
+	mc := emptyCatalog()
+	mc.live.Upsert(schemas.OpenAI, "test-key", false, []string{"gpt-4o"})
+	allowed := mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(
+		schemas.OpenAI, "gpt-4o", nil, schemas.WhiteList{"*"})
+	if !allowed {
+		t.Fatal("wildcard on a native provider that serves the model must be allowed")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_EmptyDenies pins deny-by-default: an empty allow-list denies
+// regardless of provider type.
+func TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_EmptyDenies(t *testing.T) {
+	mc := emptyCatalog()
+	if mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(schemas.ModelProvider("my-custom"), "glm-4.6", customProviderConfig(), schemas.WhiteList{}) {
+		t.Fatal("empty allow-list must deny on a custom provider")
+	}
+	if mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(schemas.OpenAI, "gpt-4o", nil, schemas.WhiteList{}) {
+		t.Fatal("empty allow-list must deny on a native provider")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_ExplicitMatch pins explicit allow-listing: a model named in the
+// list is allowed (direct match) without needing the catalog.
+func TestIsModelAllowedForProvider_ExplicitMatch(t *testing.T) {
+	mc := emptyCatalog()
+	if !mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(schemas.ModelProvider("my-custom"), "glm-4.6", customProviderConfig(), schemas.WhiteList{"glm-4.6"}) {
+		t.Fatal("explicitly allow-listed model must be allowed")
+	}
+	if mc.IsModelAllowedForProvider(schemas.ModelProvider("my-custom"), "other", customProviderConfig(), schemas.WhiteList{"glm-4.6"}) {
+		t.Fatal("a model not in the explicit allow-list must be denied")
+	}
+}