diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py b/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
index d5f51cce..a117b7d0 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
@@ -1602,7 +1602,7 @@ class AgentManager:
                     "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": proxy_url,
                     # Pin subagent ids; CLI default 'claude-haiku-4-5-20251001'
                     # gets rejected by Pro's surface as "No credentials for provider: anthropic".
-                    # (Free-trial down-routes all of these to Haiku server-side.)
+                    # (Free-trial clamps to its allowed Claude set + weights credits server-side.)
                     "CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL": "claude-sonnet-4-6",
                     "ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL": "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001",
                     "ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "claude-haiku-4-5-20251001",
diff --git a/backend/apps/settings/settings.py b/backend/apps/settings/settings.py
index 09d99c64..b2d89e1c 100644
--- a/backend/apps/settings/settings.py
+++ b/backend/apps/settings/settings.py
@@ -143,6 +143,23 @@ async def update_settings(body: AppSettings):
     for k in SERVER_OWNED_FIELDS:
         setattr(body, k, getattr(old, k, None))
 
+    # If the user connects their own model while the free trial is armed, hand
+    # the wheel back to their provider. Without this, connection_mode (server-
+    # owned, so the loop above just restored it to "free-trial") would keep them
+    # pinned to the forced Haiku lane even though they pasted a real key.
+    if getattr(old, "connection_mode", "own_key") == "free-trial":
+        from backend.apps.subscription.free_trial import _has_own_model
+        if _has_own_model(body):
+            body.connection_mode = "own_key"
+            body.free_trial_token = None
+            body.free_trial_remaining = None
+            try:
+                import asyncio as _aio
+                from backend.apps.nine_router import sync_pro_routing as _spr
+                _aio.create_task(_spr(body))  # drop the now-stale free-trial 9router node
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+
     secret_keys = {"anthropic_api_key", "openai_api_key", "google_api_key", "openrouter_api_key",
                    "claude_subscription_token", "openai_subscription_token", "gemini_subscription_token",
                    "openswarm_bearer_token", "free_trial_token", "installation_id"}
diff --git a/backend/apps/subscription/free_trial.py b/backend/apps/subscription/free_trial.py
index b3273611..622c0945 100644
--- a/backend/apps/subscription/free_trial.py
+++ b/backend/apps/subscription/free_trial.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def _fingerprint(settings_obj) -> str | None:
 
 
 def _has_own_model(s) -> bool:
-    """True if the user already has any real model path; never shadow it."""
+    """True if the user already has any real model path in settings; never shadow it."""
     if any(getattr(s, k, None) for k in (
         "anthropic_api_key", "openai_api_key", "google_api_key", "openrouter_api_key",
         "claude_subscription_token", "openai_subscription_token", "gemini_subscription_token",
@@ -90,6 +90,23 @@ def _has_own_model(s) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+async def _has_connected_subscription() -> bool:
+    """True if 9Router holds a live Claude/ChatGPT/Gemini subscription. Those
+    connections live in 9Router, not settings, so the sync check above misses
+    them; this catches a sub connected while the trial was armed."""
+    try:
+        from backend.apps.nine_router import is_running as _9r_running, get_providers as _9r_providers
+        if not _9r_running():
+            return False
+        conns = await _9r_providers()
+        return any(
+            c.get("isActive") and c.get("provider") in ("claude", "codex", "gemini-cli")
+            for c in conns
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
 def _proxy_base(settings_obj) -> str:
     return (getattr(settings_obj, "openswarm_proxy_url", None) or OPENSWARM_DEFAULT_PROXY_URL).rstrip("/")
 
@@ -117,9 +134,14 @@ async def arm_free_trial(settings_obj) -> dict:
     free-trial mode. Guarded: never arms over a real key/subscription."""
     if not _enabled():
         return {"armed": False, "reason": "disabled"}
-    if getattr(settings_obj, "connection_mode", "own_key") not in ("own_key", "free-trial"):
+    mode = getattr(settings_obj, "connection_mode", "own_key")
+    if mode not in ("own_key", "free-trial"):
         return {"armed": False, "reason": "other_mode"}
-    if _has_own_model(settings_obj):
+    if _has_own_model(settings_obj) or await _has_connected_subscription():
+        # A real model exists now (key, custom provider, or a 9Router sub). If we
+        # were on the free lane, hand the wheel back instead of re-arming.
+        if mode == "free-trial":
+            await clear_free_trial(settings_obj)
         return {"armed": False, "reason": "has_model"}
 
     fp = _fingerprint(settings_obj)