diff --git a/api/routes.py b/api/routes.py
index f032916..60a45bc 100644
--- a/api/routes.py
+++ b/api/routes.py
@@ -888,8 +888,21 @@ def _handle_chat_sync(handler, body):
         with CHAT_LOCK:
             from api.config import resolve_model_provider
             _model, _provider, _base_url = resolve_model_provider(s.model)
+            # Resolve API key via Hermes runtime provider (matches gateway behaviour)
+            _api_key = None
+            try:
+                from hermes_cli.runtime_provider import resolve_runtime_provider
+                _rt = resolve_runtime_provider()
+                _api_key = _rt.get("api_key")
+                # Also use runtime provider/base_url if the webui config didn't resolve them
+                if not _provider:
+                    _provider = _rt.get("provider")
+                if not _base_url:
+                    _base_url = _rt.get("base_url")
+            except Exception as _e:
+                print(f"[webui] WARNING: resolve_runtime_provider failed: {_e}", flush=True)
             agent = AIAgent(model=_model, provider=_provider, base_url=_base_url,
-                           platform='cli', quiet_mode=True,
+                           api_key=_api_key, platform='cli', quiet_mode=True,
                            enabled_toolsets=CLI_TOOLSETS, session_id=s.session_id)
             workspace_ctx = f"[Workspace: {s.workspace}]\n"
             workspace_system_msg = (
diff --git a/api/streaming.py b/api/streaming.py
index c22aea4..7ff21e9 100644
--- a/api/streaming.py
+++ b/api/streaming.py
@@ -113,6 +113,19 @@ def _run_agent_streaming(session_id, msg_text, model, workspace, stream_id, atta
                 raise ImportError("AIAgent not available -- check that hermes-agent is on sys.path")
             resolved_model, resolved_provider, resolved_base_url = resolve_model_provider(model)
 
+            # Resolve API key via Hermes runtime provider (matches gateway behaviour)
+            resolved_api_key = None
+            try:
+                from hermes_cli.runtime_provider import resolve_runtime_provider
+                _rt = resolve_runtime_provider()
+                resolved_api_key = _rt.get("api_key")
+                if not resolved_provider:
+                    resolved_provider = _rt.get("provider")
+                if not resolved_base_url:
+                    resolved_base_url = _rt.get("base_url")
+            except Exception as _e:
+                print(f"[webui] WARNING: resolve_runtime_provider failed: {_e}", flush=True)
+
             # Read per-profile config at call time (not module-level snapshot)
             from api.config import get_config as _get_config
             _cfg = _get_config()
@@ -140,6 +153,7 @@ def _run_agent_streaming(session_id, msg_text, model, workspace, stream_id, atta
                 model=resolved_model,
                 provider=resolved_provider,
                 base_url=resolved_base_url,
+                api_key=resolved_api_key,
                 platform='cli',
                 quiet_mode=True,
                 enabled_toolsets=_toolsets,