[Bug]: Ideation doesn't use custom models

[Material-Scientist]

Operating System

Linux

Run Mode

Docker

App Version

0.11.0

Bug Description

Can't use ideation feature with custom models; defaults to Claude, and exits with code 1.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Click on ideation
2. Click on Generate ideas
3. Click on Developer experience
4. Click on Documentation gaps

Expected Behavior

Should use custom model that was set in defaults

Actual Behavior

Tries to use Claude

Screenshots

Relevant Logs

automaker-server stderr:

ERROR [ClaudeProvider] executeQuery() error during execution: {
  type: 'execution',
  message: 'Claude Code process exited with code 1',
  isRateLimit: false,
  retryAfter: undefined,
  stack: 'Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1\n' +
    '    at ProcessTransport.getProcessExitError (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13248:14)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess.exitHandler (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13373:28)\n' +
    '    at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:26)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:35)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12)'
}
ERROR [IdeationService] Failed to generate suggestions: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
    at ClaudeProvider.executeQuery (/automaker/apps/server/src/providers/claude-provider.ts:156:29)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:103:5)
    at async IdeationService.generateSuggestions (/automaker/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts:687:24)
    at async <anonymous> (/automaker/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts:37:27) {
  originalError: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
      at ProcessTransport.getProcessExitError (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13248:14)
      at ChildProcess.exitHandler (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13373:28)
      at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:26)
      at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:35)
      at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12),
  type: 'execution'
}
ERROR [Ideation] ❌ Failed to generate suggestions: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
    at ClaudeProvider.executeQuery (/automaker/apps/server/src/providers/claude-provider.ts:156:29)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:103:5)
    at async IdeationService.generateSuggestions (/automaker/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts:687:24)
    at async <anonymous> (/automaker/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts:37:27) {
  originalError: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
      at ProcessTransport.getProcessExitError (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13248:14)
      at ChildProcess.exitHandler (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13373:28)
      at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:26)
      at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:35)
      at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12),
  type: 'execution'
}

automaker-server stdout:

OPTIONS /api/ideation/suggestions/generate 204
INFO  [ideation:suggestions-generate] Generating 10 suggestions for prompt: dx-documentation
INFO  [Server] Event received: {
  type: 'ideation:suggestions',
  hasPayload: true,
  payloadKeys: [ 'type', 'promptId', 'category' ],
  wsReadyState: 1,
  wsOpen: true
}
INFO  [Server] Sending event to client: {
  type: 'ideation:suggestions',
  messageLength: 106,
  sessionId: undefined
}
[MemoryLoader] Initialized memory folder at /root/data/test/.automaker/memory
[ContextLoader] Selected memory files: gotchas
[ContextLoader] Loaded 1 memory file(s)
[ModelResolver] resolveModelString called with modelKey: "sonnet", defaultModel: "claude-opus-4-5-20251101"
[ModelResolver] Resolved Claude model alias: "sonnet" -> "claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929"
[ModelResolver] resolveModelString called with modelKey: "claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929", defaultModel: "claude-opus-4-5-20251101"
[ModelResolver] Using full Claude model string: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929
INFO  [Server] Event received: {
  type: 'ideation:suggestions',
  hasPayload: true,
  payloadKeys: [ 'type', 'promptId', 'error' ],
  wsReadyState: 1,
  wsOpen: true
}
INFO  [Server] Sending event to client: {
  type: 'ideation:suggestions',
  messageLength: 137,
  sessionId: undefined
}
POST /api/ideation/suggestions/generate 500

relevant line:

[ModelResolver] resolveModelString called with modelKey: "sonnet", defaultModel: "claude-opus-4-5-20251101"

Additional Context

No response

Checklist

• I have searched existing issues to ensure this bug hasn't been reported already
• I have provided all required information above

[UnknownSz]

Hey, I'm getting similar errors.
Using the GLM 4.7 model, and on Windows.

[Willaiem]

Same, but it also includes Kanban Board. It seems that for some reason Automaker completely ignores what I set as a default model and always tries to use Claude Code.

[jdrly]

Cursor CLI falt out refuse to show up in models, even when connected. The only time that anything shows up is when Claude API and Claude Code is connected

[Material-Scientist]

Still an issue in v0.13.0:
stderr:

ERROR [Ideation] ❌ Failed to generate suggestions: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
    at ClaudeProvider.executeQuery (/automaker/apps/server/src/providers/claude-provider.ts:317:29)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:104:5)
    at async IdeationService.generateSuggestions (/automaker/apps/server/src/services/ideation-service.ts:722:24)
    at async <anonymous> (/automaker/apps/server/src/routes/ideation/routes/suggestions-generate.ts:37:27) {
  originalError: Error: Claude Code process exited with code 1
      at ProcessTransport.getProcessExitError (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13248:14)
      at ChildProcess.exitHandler (file:///automaker/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk/sdk.mjs:13373:28)
      at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:12)
      at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:22)
      at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12),
  type: 'execution'
}

stdout:

[ModelResolver] resolveModelString called with modelKey: "sonnet", defaultModel: "claude-opus-4-5-20251101"

[Shironex]

If u need to use ideation please checkout v0.14.0rc i merged a fix and tested it on all cli providers