diff --git a/src/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php b/src/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
index 52c0cd5f..d202b154 100644
--- a/src/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
+++ b/src/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ abstract class AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory implements
      */
     private const MODELS_CACHE_KEY = 'models';
 
+    /**
+     * Request-local cache for explicit model metadata lookups.
+     *
+     * @since n.e.x.t
+     *
+     * @var array<string, ModelMetadata|null>
+     */
+    private array $explicitModelMetadataCache = [];
+
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      *
@@ -47,7 +56,7 @@ abstract class AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory implements
     final public function listModelMetadata(): array
     {
         $modelsMetadata = $this->getModelMetadataMap();
-        return array_values($modelsMetadata);
+        return array_values($this->applyExplicitModelMetadataOverrides($modelsMetadata));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -57,6 +66,10 @@ final public function listModelMetadata(): array
      */
     final public function hasModelMetadata(string $modelId): bool
     {
+        if ($this->getExplicitModelMetadata($modelId) !== null) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         $modelsMetadata = $this->getModelMetadataMap();
         return isset($modelsMetadata[$modelId]);
     }
@@ -68,6 +81,11 @@ final public function hasModelMetadata(string $modelId): bool
      */
     final public function getModelMetadata(string $modelId): ModelMetadata
     {
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->getExplicitModelMetadata($modelId);
+        if ($explicitModelMetadata !== null) {
+            return $explicitModelMetadata;
+        }
+
         $modelsMetadata = $this->getModelMetadataMap();
         if (!isset($modelsMetadata[$modelId])) {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException(
@@ -77,6 +95,43 @@ final public function getModelMetadata(string $modelId): ModelMetadata
         return $modelsMetadata[$modelId];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Applies explicit metadata overrides to listed model metadata.
+     *
+     * @since n.e.x.t
+     *
+     * @param array<string, ModelMetadata> $modelsMetadata Map of model ID to model metadata.
+     * @return array<string, ModelMetadata> Map of model ID to model metadata with explicit overrides applied.
+     */
+    private function applyExplicitModelMetadataOverrides(array $modelsMetadata): array
+    {
+        foreach (array_keys($modelsMetadata) as $modelId) {
+            $explicitModelMetadata = $this->getExplicitModelMetadata($modelId);
+            if ($explicitModelMetadata !== null) {
+                $modelsMetadata[$modelId] = $explicitModelMetadata;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $modelsMetadata;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets explicit model metadata using request-local memoization.
+     *
+     * @since n.e.x.t
+     *
+     * @param string $modelId The explicit model ID.
+     * @return ModelMetadata|null The model metadata, or null to fall back to listing provider models.
+     */
+    private function getExplicitModelMetadata(string $modelId): ?ModelMetadata
+    {
+        if (!array_key_exists($modelId, $this->explicitModelMetadataCache)) {
+            $this->explicitModelMetadataCache[$modelId] = $this->createModelMetadataForExplicitModelId($modelId);
+        }
+
+        return $this->explicitModelMetadataCache[$modelId];
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the map of model ID to model metadata for all models from the provider.
      *
@@ -114,6 +169,22 @@ protected function getBaseCacheKey(): string
         return 'ai_client_' . AiClient::VERSION . '_' . md5(static::class);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates metadata for an explicit model ID without listing provider models.
+     *
+     * Providers whose APIs accept arbitrary/current model IDs can override this to avoid a live list-models request
+     * when callers already know the model ID they want to instantiate.
+     *
+     * @since n.e.x.t
+     *
+     * @param string $modelId The explicit model ID.
+     * @return ModelMetadata|null The model metadata, or null to fall back to listing provider models.
+     */
+    protected function createModelMetadataForExplicitModelId(string $modelId): ?ModelMetadata
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sends the API request to list models from the provider and returns the map of model ID to model metadata.
      *
diff --git a/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectoryTest.php b/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectoryTest.php
index 0313453c..60243350 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectoryTest.php
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 
 use InvalidArgumentException;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use WordPress\AiClient\AiClient;
 use WordPress\AiClient\Providers\Models\DTO\ModelMetadata;
+use WordPress\AiClient\Tests\mocks\MockCache;
 
 /**
  * @covers \WordPress\AiClient\Providers\ApiBasedImplementation\AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory
@@ -28,6 +30,13 @@ protected function setUp(): void
         ];
     }
 
+    protected function tearDown(): void
+    {
+        AiClient::setCache(null);
+
+        parent::tearDown();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Tests listModelMetadata() method.
      *
@@ -69,6 +78,150 @@ public function testGetModelMetadata(): void
         $this->assertSame($this->mockModels['model-1'], $directory->getModelMetadata('model-1'));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Tests getModelMetadata() returns explicit metadata without listing models.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testGetModelMetadataReturnsExplicitMetadataWithoutListingModels(): void
+    {
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests explicit model metadata is preferred over cached metadata.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testGetModelMetadataPrefersExplicitMetadataOverCachedMetadata(): void
+    {
+        $cache = new MockCache();
+        $cacheKey = 'ai_client_' . AiClient::VERSION . '_' . md5(MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory::class) . '_models';
+        $cachedModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $cachedModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $cache->seed($cacheKey, ['explicit-model' => $cachedModelMetadata]);
+        AiClient::setCache($cache);
+
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests cached metadata misses can still fall back to explicit metadata.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testGetModelMetadataUsesExplicitMetadataAfterCachedMetadataMiss(): void
+    {
+        $cache = new MockCache();
+        $cacheKey = 'ai_client_' . AiClient::VERSION . '_' . md5(MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory::class) . '_models';
+        $otherModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $otherModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('other-model');
+        $cache->seed($cacheKey, ['other-model' => $otherModelMetadata]);
+        AiClient::setCache($cache);
+
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests hasModelMetadata() returns true for explicit metadata without listing models.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testHasModelMetadataReturnsTrueForExplicitMetadataWithoutListingModels(): void
+    {
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $this->assertTrue($directory->hasModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests listModelMetadata() applies explicit metadata overrides to listed models.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testListModelMetadataAppliesExplicitMetadataOverrides(): void
+    {
+        $listedModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $listedModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory(
+            ['explicit-model' => $listedModelMetadata],
+            $explicitModelMetadata
+        );
+
+        $models = $directory->listModelMetadata();
+
+        $this->assertCount(1, $models);
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $models[0]);
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(1, $directory->getExplicitModelMetadataLookupCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests listModelMetadata() applies explicit metadata overrides to cached models.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testListModelMetadataAppliesExplicitMetadataOverridesToCachedModels(): void
+    {
+        $cache = new MockCache();
+        $cacheKey = 'ai_client_' . AiClient::VERSION . '_' . md5(MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory::class) . '_models';
+
+        $cachedModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $cachedModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $cache->seed($cacheKey, ['explicit-model' => $cachedModelMetadata]);
+        AiClient::setCache($cache);
+
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $models = $directory->listModelMetadata();
+
+        $this->assertCount(1, $models);
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $models[0]);
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests explicit model metadata is memoized for a directory instance.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testExplicitModelMetadataIsMemoized(): void
+    {
+        $explicitModelMetadata = $this->createStub(ModelMetadata::class);
+        $explicitModelMetadata->method('getId')->willReturn('explicit-model');
+        $directory = new MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory([], $explicitModelMetadata);
+
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame($explicitModelMetadata, $directory->getModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertTrue($directory->hasModelMetadata('explicit-model'));
+        $this->assertSame(1, $directory->getExplicitModelMetadataLookupCount());
+        $this->assertSame(0, $directory->getListRequestCount());
+    }
+
     /**
      * Tests getModelMetadata() method with non-existent model.
      *
diff --git a/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php b/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
index 3635c069..28ea0683 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Providers/ApiBasedImplementation/MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory.php
@@ -17,14 +17,30 @@ class MockApiBasedModelMetadataDirectory extends AbstractApiBasedModelMetadataDi
      */
     private array $mockModels;
 
+    /**
+     * @var ModelMetadata|null
+     */
+    private ?ModelMetadata $explicitModelMetadata;
+
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     */
+    private int $listRequestCount = 0;
+
+    /**
+     * @var int
+     */
+    private int $explicitModelMetadataLookupCount = 0;
+
     /**
      * Constructor.
      *
      * @param array<string, ModelMetadata> $mockModels
      */
-    public function __construct(array $mockModels = [])
+    public function __construct(array $mockModels = [], ?ModelMetadata $explicitModelMetadata = null)
     {
         $this->mockModels = $mockModels;
+        $this->explicitModelMetadata = $explicitModelMetadata;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -32,6 +48,42 @@ public function __construct(array $mockModels = [])
      */
     protected function sendListModelsRequest(): array
     {
+        ++$this->listRequestCount;
+
         return $this->mockModels;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @inheritdoc
+     */
+    protected function createModelMetadataForExplicitModelId(string $modelId): ?ModelMetadata
+    {
+        ++$this->explicitModelMetadataLookupCount;
+
+        if ($this->explicitModelMetadata !== null && $this->explicitModelMetadata->getId() === $modelId) {
+            return $this->explicitModelMetadata;
+        }
+
+        return parent::createModelMetadataForExplicitModelId($modelId);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the number of list request callbacks.
+     *
+     * @return int
+     */
+    public function getListRequestCount(): int
+    {
+        return $this->listRequestCount;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the number of explicit model metadata lookups.
+     *
+     * @return int
+     */
+    public function getExplicitModelMetadataLookupCount(): int
+    {
+        return $this->explicitModelMetadataLookupCount;
+    }
 }