diff --git a/server/.env.example b/server/.env.example
index f528ace..fd18c1d 100644
--- a/server/.env.example
+++ b/server/.env.example
@@ -2,5 +2,9 @@
 # LLM features are disabled when this is not set.
 OPENROUTER_API_KEY=
 
-# Optional: override the default model
-# LLM_MODEL=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free
+# Primary model (free tier)
+LLM_MODEL=arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free
+
+# Fallback model — used automatically when primary hits rate limit (429)
+# Costs per-token. Remove or leave empty to disable fallback.
+# LLM_FALLBACK_MODEL=openai/gpt-oss-120b
diff --git a/server/src/config/__tests__/llmConfig.test.ts b/server/src/config/__tests__/llmConfig.test.ts
index d9b09a3..d41e249 100644
--- a/server/src/config/__tests__/llmConfig.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/config/__tests__/llmConfig.test.ts
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ describe('llmConfig', () => {
   });
 
   it('returns default config values', () => {
+    delete process.env.LLM_MODEL;
+    delete process.env.LLM_FALLBACK_MODEL;
     const config = getLlmConfig();
-    expect(config.model).toBe('arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free');
+    expect(config.model).toBe('');
+    expect(config.fallbackModel).toBeNull();
     expect(config.maxTokens).toBe(200);
     expect(config.temperature).toBe(0.8);
     expect(config.requestsPerMinute).toBe(20);
-    expect(config.requestsPerDay).toBe(1000);
     expect(config.timeoutMs).toBe(15000);
     expect(config.enabled).toBe(false);
   });
@@ -43,4 +45,24 @@ describe('llmConfig', () => {
     const config = getLlmConfig();
     expect(config.model).toBe('custom/model:free');
   });
+
+  it('requires LLM_MODEL from environment (no hardcoded default)', () => {
+    delete process.env.LLM_MODEL;
+    const config = getLlmConfig();
+    expect(config.model).toBe('');
+  });
+
+  it('reads fallback model from environment', () => {
+    process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY = 'key';
+    process.env.LLM_MODEL = 'free/model:free';
+    process.env.LLM_FALLBACK_MODEL = 'openai/gpt-oss-120b';
+    const config = getLlmConfig();
+    expect(config.fallbackModel).toBe('openai/gpt-oss-120b');
+  });
+
+  it('fallbackModel is null when not set', () => {
+    delete process.env.LLM_FALLBACK_MODEL;
+    const config = getLlmConfig();
+    expect(config.fallbackModel).toBeNull();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/server/src/config/llmConfig.ts b/server/src/config/llmConfig.ts
index d1a2d87..e60f271 100644
--- a/server/src/config/llmConfig.ts
+++ b/server/src/config/llmConfig.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 export interface LlmConfig {
   apiKey: string;
   model: string;
+  fallbackModel: string | null;
   maxTokens: number;
   temperature: number;
   requestsPerMinute: number;
-  requestsPerDay: number;
   timeoutMs: number;
   enabled: boolean;
 }
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ export function getLlmConfig(): LlmConfig {
   const apiKey = process.env.OPENROUTER_API_KEY ?? '';
   return {
     apiKey,
-    model: process.env.LLM_MODEL ?? 'arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free',
+    model: process.env.LLM_MODEL ?? '',
+    fallbackModel: process.env.LLM_FALLBACK_MODEL ?? null,
     maxTokens: 200,
     temperature: 0.8,
     requestsPerMinute: 20,
-    requestsPerDay: 1000,
     timeoutMs: 15000,
     enabled: apiKey.length > 0,
   };
diff --git a/server/src/llm/__tests__/openRouterClient.test.ts b/server/src/llm/__tests__/openRouterClient.test.ts
index 860864d..3518c9e 100644
--- a/server/src/llm/__tests__/openRouterClient.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/llm/__tests__/openRouterClient.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type { LlmConfig } from '../../config/llmConfig.js';
 const mockConfig: LlmConfig = {
   apiKey: 'test-key',
   model: 'arcee-ai/trinity-large-preview:free',
+  fallbackModel: null,
   maxTokens: 200,
   temperature: 0.8,
   requestsPerMinute: 60,
diff --git a/server/src/llm/llmService.ts b/server/src/llm/llmService.ts
index bd5eb5d..bb8dd92 100644
--- a/server/src/llm/llmService.ts
+++ b/server/src/llm/llmService.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ export function createLlmService(): LlmService {
   const client = createOpenRouterClient(config);
   const queue = createGenerationQueue(client, {
     requestsPerMinute: config.requestsPerMinute,
-    requestsPerDay: config.requestsPerDay,
   });
 
   return {