diff --git a/docs/gateway/configuration.md b/docs/gateway/configuration.md
index 1d270974d..e01f76a8a 100644
--- a/docs/gateway/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/gateway/configuration.md
@@ -2336,6 +2336,11 @@ Select the model via `agents.defaults.model.primary` (provider/model).
 }
 ```
 
+Tool calling note (OpenAI-compatible servers):
+- Some servers only support tool calling via `POST /v1/chat/completions` when the client sends
+  `tools` + `tool_choice`. If your `openai-completions` model never emits tool calls, set
+  `compat: { openaiCompletionsTools: true }` on that model entry to force Moltbot to include tools.
+
 ### OpenCode Zen (multi-model proxy)
 
 OpenCode Zen is a multi-model gateway with per-model endpoints. Moltbot uses
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.splitsdktools.test.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.splitsdktools.test.ts
index fc746e7aa..098afd721 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.splitsdktools.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner.splitsdktools.test.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ describe("splitSdkTools", () => {
     const { builtInTools, customTools } = splitSdkTools({
       tools,
       sandboxEnabled: true,
+      modelApi: "openai-responses",
     });
     expect(builtInTools).toEqual([]);
     expect(customTools.map((tool) => tool.name)).toEqual([
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ describe("splitSdkTools", () => {
     const { builtInTools, customTools } = splitSdkTools({
       tools,
       sandboxEnabled: false,
+      modelApi: "openai-responses",
     });
     expect(builtInTools).toEqual([]);
     expect(customTools.map((tool) => tool.name)).toEqual([
@@ -144,4 +146,21 @@ describe("splitSdkTools", () => {
       "browser",
     ]);
   });
+
+  it("can route tools to builtInTools for openai-completions when enabled", () => {
+    const { builtInTools, customTools } = splitSdkTools({
+      tools,
+      sandboxEnabled: false,
+      modelApi: "openai-completions",
+      openaiCompletionsTools: true,
+    });
+    expect(builtInTools.map((tool) => tool.name)).toEqual([
+      "read",
+      "exec",
+      "edit",
+      "write",
+      "browser",
+    ]);
+    expect(customTools).toEqual([]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
index dc68561c2..18846d44e 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
@@ -378,9 +378,16 @@ export async function compactEmbeddedPiSessionDirect(
         model,
       });
 
+      const openaiCompletionsTools =
+        model.api === "openai-completions" &&
+        (model.compat as { openaiCompletionsTools?: unknown } | undefined)
+          ?.openaiCompletionsTools === true;
+
       const { builtInTools, customTools } = splitSdkTools({
         tools,
         sandboxEnabled: !!sandbox?.enabled,
+        modelApi: model.api,
+        openaiCompletionsTools,
       });
 
       let session: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createAgentSession>>["session"];
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
index 46a53bd8f..8bc38188d 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts
@@ -432,9 +432,16 @@ export async function runEmbeddedAttempt(
         model: params.model,
       });
 
+      const openaiCompletionsTools =
+        params.model.api === "openai-completions" &&
+        (params.model.compat as { openaiCompletionsTools?: unknown } | undefined)
+          ?.openaiCompletionsTools === true;
+
       const { builtInTools, customTools } = splitSdkTools({
         tools,
         sandboxEnabled: !!sandbox?.enabled,
+        modelApi: params.model.api,
+        openaiCompletionsTools,
       });
 
       // Add client tools (OpenResponses hosted tools) to customTools
diff --git a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/tool-split.ts b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/tool-split.ts
index 13e440a20..56c3937e5 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/tool-split.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/tool-split.ts
@@ -2,15 +2,36 @@ import type { AgentTool } from "@mariozechner/pi-agent-core";
 
 import { toToolDefinitions } from "../pi-tool-definition-adapter.js";
 
-// We always pass tools via `customTools` so our policy filtering, sandbox integration,
-// and extended toolset remain consistent across providers.
 type AnyAgentTool = AgentTool;
 
-export function splitSdkTools(options: { tools: AnyAgentTool[]; sandboxEnabled: boolean }): {
+function isOpenAiCompletionsToolsEnabled(options: {
+  modelApi?: string;
+  openaiCompletionsTools?: boolean;
+}): boolean {
+  return options.modelApi === "openai-completions" && options.openaiCompletionsTools === true;
+}
+
+export function splitSdkTools(options: {
+  tools: AnyAgentTool[];
+  sandboxEnabled: boolean;
+  modelApi?: string;
+  openaiCompletionsTools?: boolean;
+}): {
   builtInTools: AnyAgentTool[];
   customTools: ReturnType<typeof toToolDefinitions>;
 } {
   const { tools } = options;
+  // Default behavior: route all tools through `customTools` so our policy filtering,
+  // sandbox integration, and extended toolset remain consistent across providers.
+  //
+  // Some OpenAI-compatible servers (notably local vLLM) only support tool calling on
+  // /v1/chat/completions when tools are passed via the SDK tool path.
+  if (isOpenAiCompletionsToolsEnabled(options)) {
+    return {
+      builtInTools: tools,
+      customTools: [],
+    };
+  }
   return {
     builtInTools: [],
     customTools: toToolDefinitions(tools),
diff --git a/src/config/types.models.ts b/src/config/types.models.ts
index 11b6c64cb..99c2c9167 100644
--- a/src/config/types.models.ts
+++ b/src/config/types.models.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ export type ModelCompatConfig = {
   supportsDeveloperRole?: boolean;
   supportsReasoningEffort?: boolean;
   maxTokensField?: "max_completion_tokens" | "max_tokens";
+  /**
+   * For some OpenAI-compatible servers (e.g. local vLLM), tool calling is only
+   * supported via `POST /v1/chat/completions` with `tools` + `tool_choice`.
+   *
+   * When enabled for an `openai-completions` model, Moltbot routes the agent's
+   * toolset through the SDK tool path so tools are included in the request.
+   */
+  openaiCompletionsTools?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type ModelProviderAuthMode = "api-key" | "aws-sdk" | "oauth" | "token";
diff --git a/src/config/zod-schema.core.ts b/src/config/zod-schema.core.ts
index 4a8c80bcc..ff19bf63c 100644
--- a/src/config/zod-schema.core.ts
+++ b/src/config/zod-schema.core.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export const ModelCompatSchema = z
     maxTokensField: z
       .union([z.literal("max_completion_tokens"), z.literal("max_tokens")])
       .optional(),
+    openaiCompletionsTools: z.boolean().optional(),
   })
   .strict()
   .optional();