diff --git a/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/chathandler/chat_handler.go b/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/chathandler/chat_handler.go
index 06db1fe2..191b4026 100644
--- a/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/chathandler/chat_handler.go
+++ b/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/chathandler/chat_handler.go
@@ -192,7 +192,14 @@ func (h *ChatHandler) CreateChatCompletion(
 
 	// Get provider based on the requested model
 	observability.AddSpanEvent(ctx, "selecting_provider")
-	selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err := h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	isAPIKeyAuth := strings.EqualFold(reqCtx.GetHeader("X-Auth-Method"), "apikey")
+	var selectedProviderModel *domainmodel.ProviderModel
+	var selectedProvider *domainmodel.Provider
+	if isAPIKeyAuth {
+		selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicIDIncludingInactive(ctx, request.Model)
+	} else {
+		selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		observability.RecordError(ctx, err)
 		return nil, platformerrors.AsError(ctx, platformerrors.LayerHandler, err, "failed to select provider model")
@@ -220,7 +227,6 @@ func (h *ChatHandler) CreateChatCompletion(
 	// Check if we should use the instruct model instead
 	// This happens when enable_thinking is explicitly false and the model has an instruct model configured
 	// Skip instruct fallback for API key authentication (API users should get the model they requested)
-	isAPIKeyAuth := strings.EqualFold(reqCtx.GetHeader("X-Auth-Method"), "apikey")
 	if !isAPIKeyAuth && request.EnableThinking != nil && !*request.EnableThinking && selectedProviderModel.InstructModelID != nil && !imageRequested {
 		instructModel, instructProvider, err := h.providerHandler.GetProviderModelByID(ctx, *selectedProviderModel.InstructModelID)
 		if err == nil && instructModel != nil && instructProvider != nil {
diff --git a/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/messageshandler/messages_handler.go b/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/messageshandler/messages_handler.go
index 7425ac50..3c8de7c1 100644
--- a/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/messageshandler/messages_handler.go
+++ b/services/llm-api/internal/interfaces/httpserver/handlers/messageshandler/messages_handler.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/otel/codes"
 
 	"jan-server/services/llm-api/internal/domain/conversation"
+	domainmodel "jan-server/services/llm-api/internal/domain/model"
 	"jan-server/services/llm-api/internal/domain/tokenusage"
 	"jan-server/services/llm-api/internal/infrastructure/inference"
 	"jan-server/services/llm-api/internal/infrastructure/metrics"
@@ -74,7 +75,15 @@ func (h *MessagesHandler) CreateMessage(ctx context.Context, reqCtx *gin.Context
 
 	// Get provider for the requested model
 	observability.AddSpanEvent(ctx, "selecting_provider")
-	selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err := h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	isAPIKeyAuth := strings.EqualFold(reqCtx.GetHeader("X-Auth-Method"), "apikey")
+	var selectedProviderModel *domainmodel.ProviderModel
+	var selectedProvider *domainmodel.Provider
+	var err error
+	if isAPIKeyAuth {
+		selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicIDIncludingInactive(ctx, request.Model)
+	} else {
+		selectedProviderModel, selectedProvider, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		observability.RecordError(ctx, err)
 		return h.writeErrorResponse(reqCtx, http.StatusBadRequest, "invalid_request_error", fmt.Sprintf("Model not found: %s", request.Model))
@@ -450,7 +459,14 @@ func (h *MessagesHandler) CountTokens(ctx context.Context, reqCtx *gin.Context,
 	)
 
 	// Get provider for the requested model to validate it exists
-	selectedProviderModel, _, err := h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	isAPIKeyAuth := strings.EqualFold(reqCtx.GetHeader("X-Auth-Method"), "apikey")
+	var selectedProviderModel *domainmodel.ProviderModel
+	var err error
+	if isAPIKeyAuth {
+		selectedProviderModel, _, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicIDIncludingInactive(ctx, request.Model)
+	} else {
+		selectedProviderModel, _, err = h.providerHandler.SelectProviderModelForModelPublicID(ctx, request.Model)
+	}
 	if err != nil || selectedProviderModel == nil {
 		return h.writeErrorResponse(reqCtx, http.StatusBadRequest, "invalid_request_error", fmt.Sprintf("Model not found: %s", request.Model))
 	}