Secrets: harden SecretRef-safe models.json persistence (#38955)

docs/cli/agent.md

@@ -22,3 +22,7 @@ openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Summarize logs"
 openclaw agent --session-id 1234 --message "Summarize inbox" --thinking medium
 openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Generate report" --deliver --reply-channel slack --reply-to "#reports"
 ```
+
+## Notes
+
+- When this command triggers `models.json` regeneration, SecretRef-managed provider credentials are persisted as non-secret markers (for example env var names or `secretref-managed`), not resolved secret plaintext.

docs/cli/models.md

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Notes:
 - `models set <model-or-alias>` accepts `provider/model` or an alias.
 - Model refs are parsed by splitting on the **first** `/`. If the model ID includes `/` (OpenRouter-style), include the provider prefix (example: `openrouter/moonshotai/kimi-k2`).
 - If you omit the provider, OpenClaw treats the input as an alias or a model for the **default provider** (only works when there is no `/` in the model ID).
+- `models status` may show `marker(<value>)` in auth output for non-secret placeholders (for example `OPENAI_API_KEY`, `secretref-managed`, `minimax-oauth`, `qwen-oauth`, `ollama-local`) instead of masking them as secrets.
 
 ### `models status`
 

docs/cli/secrets.md

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Use `openclaw secrets` to manage SecretRefs and keep the active runtime snapshot
 Command roles:
 
 - `reload`: gateway RPC (`secrets.reload`) that re-resolves refs and swaps runtime snapshot only on full success (no config writes).
-- `audit`: read-only scan of configuration/auth stores and legacy residues for plaintext, unresolved refs, and precedence drift.
+- `audit`: read-only scan of configuration/auth/generated-model stores and legacy residues for plaintext, unresolved refs, and precedence drift.
 - `configure`: interactive planner for provider setup, target mapping, and preflight (TTY required).
 - `apply`: execute a saved plan (`--dry-run` for validation only), then scrub targeted plaintext residues.
 
@@ -62,8 +62,13 @@ Scan OpenClaw state for:
 - plaintext secret storage
 - unresolved refs
 - precedence drift (`auth-profiles.json` credentials shadowing `openclaw.json` refs)
+- generated `agents/*/agent/models.json` residues (provider `apiKey` values and sensitive provider headers)
 - legacy residues (legacy auth store entries, OAuth reminders)
 
+Header residue note:
+
+- Sensitive provider header detection is name-heuristic based (common auth/credential header names and fragments such as `authorization`, `x-api-key`, `token`, `secret`, `password`, and `credential`).
+
 ```bash
 openclaw secrets audit
 openclaw secrets audit --check

docs/concepts/models.md

@@ -212,6 +212,10 @@ is merged by default unless `models.mode` is set to `replace`.
 
 Merge mode precedence for matching provider IDs:
 
-- Non-empty `apiKey`/`baseUrl` already present in the agent `models.json` win.
+- Non-empty `baseUrl` already present in the agent `models.json` wins.
+- Non-empty `apiKey` in the agent `models.json` wins only when that provider is not SecretRef-managed in current config/auth-profile context.
+- SecretRef-managed provider `apiKey` values are refreshed from source markers (`ENV_VAR_NAME` for env refs, `secretref-managed` for file/exec refs) instead of persisting resolved secrets.
 - Empty or missing agent `apiKey`/`baseUrl` fall back to config `models.providers`.
 - Other provider fields are refreshed from config and normalized catalog data.
+
+This marker-based persistence applies whenever OpenClaw regenerates `models.json`, including command-driven paths like `openclaw agent`.

docs/gateway/configuration-reference.md

@@ -2004,7 +2004,9 @@ OpenClaw uses the pi-coding-agent model catalog. Add custom providers via `model
 - Use `authHeader: true` + `headers` for custom auth needs.
 - Override agent config root with `OPENCLAW_AGENT_DIR` (or `PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR`).
 - Merge precedence for matching provider IDs:
-  - Non-empty agent `models.json` `apiKey`/`baseUrl` win.
+  - Non-empty agent `models.json` `baseUrl` values win.
+  - Non-empty agent `apiKey` values win only when that provider is not SecretRef-managed in current config/auth-profile context.
+  - SecretRef-managed provider `apiKey` values are refreshed from source markers (`ENV_VAR_NAME` for env refs, `secretref-managed` for file/exec refs) instead of persisting resolved secrets.
   - Empty or missing agent `apiKey`/`baseUrl` fall back to `models.providers` in config.
   - Matching model `contextWindow`/`maxTokens` use the higher value between explicit config and implicit catalog values.
   - Use `models.mode: "replace"` when you want config to fully rewrite `models.json`.

docs/gateway/secrets.md

@@ -372,11 +372,16 @@ openclaw secrets audit --check
 
 Findings include:
 
-- plaintext values at rest (`openclaw.json`, `auth-profiles.json`, `.env`)
+- plaintext values at rest (`openclaw.json`, `auth-profiles.json`, `.env`, and generated `agents/*/agent/models.json`)
+- plaintext sensitive provider header residues in generated `models.json` entries
 - unresolved refs
 - precedence shadowing (`auth-profiles.json` taking priority over `openclaw.json` refs)
 - legacy residues (`auth.json`, OAuth reminders)
 
+Header residue note:
+
+- Sensitive provider header detection is name-heuristic based (common auth/credential header names and fragments such as `authorization`, `x-api-key`, `token`, `secret`, `password`, and `credential`).
+
 ### `secrets configure`
 
 Interactive helper that:

docs/reference/secretref-credential-surface.md

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Scope intent:
 [//]: # "secretref-supported-list-start"
 
 - `models.providers.*.apiKey`
+- `models.providers.*.headers.*`
 - `skills.entries.*.apiKey`
 - `agents.defaults.memorySearch.remote.apiKey`
 - `agents.list[].memorySearch.remote.apiKey`
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ Notes:
 - Auth-profile plan targets require `agentId`.
 - Plan entries target `profiles.*.key` / `profiles.*.token` and write sibling refs (`keyRef` / `tokenRef`).
 - Auth-profile refs are included in runtime resolution and audit coverage.
+- For SecretRef-managed model providers, generated `agents/*/agent/models.json` entries persist non-secret markers (not resolved secret values) for `apiKey`/header surfaces.
 - For web search:
   - In explicit provider mode (`tools.web.search.provider` set), only the selected provider key is active.
   - In auto mode (`tools.web.search.provider` unset), `tools.web.search.apiKey` and provider-specific keys are active.

docs/reference/secretref-user-supplied-credentials-matrix.json

@@ -426,6 +426,13 @@
       "secretShape": "secret_input",
       "optIn": true
     },
+    {
+      "id": "models.providers.*.headers.*",
+      "configFile": "openclaw.json",
+      "path": "models.providers.*.headers.*",
+      "secretShape": "secret_input",
+      "optIn": true
+    },
     {
       "id": "skills.entries.*.apiKey",
       "configFile": "openclaw.json",