diff --git a/strix/llm/multi_provider_setup.py b/strix/llm/multi_provider_setup.py
index 1e2e096..b8c472f 100644
--- a/strix/llm/multi_provider_setup.py
+++ b/strix/llm/multi_provider_setup.py
@@ -1,11 +1,26 @@
 """Multi-provider routing setup.
 
-Wraps the SDK's :class:`MultiProvider` and registers a custom Anthropic
-route so models named ``anthropic/<model>`` go through
-:class:`AnthropicCachingLitellmModel` (which injects ``cache_control``
-on the system message). Every other prefix
-(``openai/`` / ``gemini/`` / ``openrouter/`` / ``litellm/...``) falls
-through to the SDK's built-in litellm routing.
+Wraps the SDK's :class:`MultiProvider` and threads Strix's
+``LLM_API_KEY`` / ``LLM_API_BASE`` into the underlying provider chain.
+
+Routing:
+
+- ``anthropic/<model>`` → :class:`AnthropicCachingLitellmModel` so
+  prompt caching kicks in (we inject ``cache_control`` on the system
+  message before the litellm call).
+- ``openai/<model>`` (and bare model names) → SDK-native
+  :class:`OpenAIProvider`, instantiated with our settings credentials so
+  ``LLM_API_KEY`` works without forcing the user to also export
+  ``OPENAI_API_KEY``. Keeps the Responses API as the default transport
+  for genuine OpenAI usage.
+- Every other prefix (``litellm/...``, ``any-llm/...``, …) falls through
+  to whatever the SDK does natively.
+
+Real-OpenAI vs OpenAI-compatible differentiation is by
+``Settings.llm.api_base`` presence. If the user pointed at a non-default
+base URL they're almost certainly on an OpenAI-compatible endpoint that
+doesn't speak the Responses API, so we flip ``openai_use_responses=False``
+to make the inner provider use chat-completions transport instead.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -16,6 +31,7 @@ from agents.exceptions import UserError
 from agents.models.interface import Model, ModelProvider
 from agents.models.multi_provider import MultiProvider, MultiProviderMap
 
+from strix.config import load_settings
 from strix.llm.anthropic_cache_wrapper import AnthropicCachingLitellmModel
 
 
@@ -45,11 +61,29 @@ class _AnthropicCachingProvider(ModelProvider):
 def build_multi_provider() -> MultiProvider:
     """Build the configured MultiProvider.
 
-    Registers the ``anthropic/`` route through our caching wrapper so
-    prompt caching kicks in; everything else falls through to the SDK's
-    built-in routing.
+    Registers the ``anthropic/`` route through our caching wrapper and
+    threads ``Settings.llm`` credentials into the SDK-native
+    :class:`OpenAIProvider` so ``openai/<model>`` works with our single
+    ``LLM_API_KEY`` env var. ``Settings.llm.api_base`` (when set) flips
+    the OpenAI provider to chat-completions transport — the de-facto
+    signal that the user is hitting an OpenAI-compatible endpoint that
+    doesn't implement the Responses API.
     """
     pmap = MultiProviderMap()  # type: ignore[no-untyped-call]
     pmap.add_provider("anthropic", _AnthropicCachingProvider())
-    logger.debug("MultiProvider built with anthropic/ caching route")
-    return MultiProvider(provider_map=pmap)
+
+    llm = load_settings().llm
+    use_responses = llm.api_base is None  # default endpoint → real OpenAI
+    logger.debug(
+        "MultiProvider built with anthropic/ cached + openai/ native "
+        "(api_key=%s, base_url=%s, use_responses=%s)",
+        "set" if llm.api_key else "unset",
+        llm.api_base or "default",
+        use_responses,
+    )
+    return MultiProvider(
+        provider_map=pmap,
+        openai_api_key=llm.api_key,
+        openai_base_url=llm.api_base,
+        openai_use_responses=use_responses,
+    )