diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 0c58fe6..7bcdce0 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: llm.api
 Title: Minimal LLM Chat Interface
-Version: 0.1.2
+Version: 0.1.2.1
 Authors@R: c(
     person("Troy", "Hernandez", role = c("aut", "cre"),
            email = "troy@cornball.ai",
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 752c85a..bcd8181 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -20,5 +20,6 @@ export(mcp_start)
 export(mcp_tools)
 export(mcp_tools_for_api)
 export(mcp_tools_for_claude)
+export(provider_default_model)
 
 S3method(print,mcp_connection)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index afe50a9..ba175e3 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+# llm.api 0.1.2.1
+
+* New exported helper `provider_default_model(provider)`. Returns the
+  model id `chat()` falls back to when no model is specified, so client
+  code can display the resolved model upfront without duplicating the
+  lookup table or reaching into internals.
+
 # llm.api 0.1.2
 
 * `chat()` now returns `$thinking` and `$finish_reason`. Reasoning models
diff --git a/R/providers.R b/R/providers.R
index 26097a6..011d02a 100644
--- a/R/providers.R
+++ b/R/providers.R
@@ -69,6 +69,24 @@
   )
 }
 
+#' Default model for a provider
+#'
+#' Returns the model name `chat()` falls back to when the caller
+#' doesn't specify one. Useful for client code that wants to display
+#' the resolved model upfront (e.g., in a status line) without
+#' duplicating the lookup table.
+#'
+#' @param provider Character. One of `"openai"`, `"anthropic"`,
+#'   `"moonshot"`, `"ollama"`.
+#' @return Character. The default model id for that provider.
+#' @export
+#' @examples
+#' provider_default_model("anthropic")
+#' provider_default_model("moonshot")
+provider_default_model <- function(provider) {
+  .get_provider_config(provider)$default_model
+}
+
 #' Chat with OpenAI
 #'
 #' Convenience wrapper for 'OpenAI' models.
diff --git a/inst/tinytest/test_providers.R b/inst/tinytest/test_providers.R
index 47ad1fd..7ee6291 100644
--- a/inst/tinytest/test_providers.R
+++ b/inst/tinytest/test_providers.R
@@ -76,3 +76,12 @@ expect_null(cfg$api_key)
 
 # Unknown provider errors
 expect_error(llm.api:::.get_provider_config("unknown"), pattern = "Unknown provider")
+
+# provider_default_model() exposes the default model id for each
+# supported provider so client code (e.g., status lines) can resolve it
+# upfront without reaching into internals.
+expect_equal(provider_default_model("openai"), "gpt-4o-mini")
+expect_equal(provider_default_model("anthropic"), "claude-sonnet-4-6")
+expect_equal(provider_default_model("moonshot"), "kimi-k2")
+expect_equal(provider_default_model("ollama"), "llama3.2")
+expect_error(provider_default_model("nonsense"), pattern = "Unknown provider")
diff --git a/man/provider_default_model.Rd b/man/provider_default_model.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99abd6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/provider_default_model.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+% tinyrox says don't edit this manually, but it can't stop you!
+\name{provider_default_model}
+\alias{provider_default_model}
+\title{Default model for a provider}
+\usage{
+provider_default_model(provider)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{provider}{Character. One of `"openai"`, `"anthropic"`,
+`"moonshot"`, `"ollama"`.}
+}
+\value{
+Character. The default model id for that provider.
+}
+\description{
+Returns the model name `chat()` falls back to when the caller
+doesn't specify one. Useful for client code that wants to display
+the resolved model upfront (e.g., in a status line) without
+duplicating the lookup table.
+}
+\examples{
+provider_default_model("anthropic")
+provider_default_model("moonshot")
+}