guillaumegay13 · Sep 23, 2026 · Sep 23, 2026
diff --git a/errors.mdx b/errors.mdx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Your harness key is fine, but provider credentials are missing or unusable. See
 | Code | What |
 |------|------|
 | [M100: Provider API key missing](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) | Routing picked a provider you haven't connected |
-| [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | Harness has zero providers connected |
+| [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | Harness has no default model yet, or no provider connected |
 | [M102: Provider subscription credentials unusable](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102) | Subscription OAuth/token exists but cannot be refreshed |
 
 ## Limits (M200–M204)

diff --git a/errors/M100.mdx b/errors/M100.mdx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Routing picked a provider that has no key on file for this harness. The gateway
 
 ## Related
 
-- [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
+- [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
 - [M102: Provider subscription credentials unusable](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102)
 - [M003: Invalid key format](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M003)
 - [Routing](/llm-gateway/docs/llm-gateway)

diff --git a/errors/M101.mdx b/errors/M101.mdx
@@ -1,29 +1,37 @@
 ---
-title: "M101: No providers configured"
+title: "M101: No model to route to"
 sidebarTitle: "M101"
-description: "M101 is returned when the authenticated harness has no providers configured."
+description: "M101 is returned when the authenticated harness has no model it can route to: no default model picked yet, or no provider connected."
 icon: "plug-zap"
 keywords:
-  ["M101", "Manifest M101", "no providers configured", "first-time setup", "empty agent", "empty harness", "Manifest routing", "connect provider", "OpenRouter setup"]
+  ["M101", "Manifest M101", "no model to route to", "no default model", "no providers configured", "first-time setup", "empty harness", "Manifest routing", "connect provider", "OpenRouter setup"]
 canonical: "https://manifest.build/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101"
 ---
 
 ## What you saw
 
 ```text
-[🦚 Manifest M101] You're connected, but no providers are set up yet. Add one here: https://app.manifest.build/...
+[🦚 Manifest M101] This harness has no model to route to yet. Pick a default model here: https://app.manifest.build/...
 See https://manifest.build/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101
 ```
 
+Earlier versions word it: "You're connected, but no providers are set up yet."
+
 ## Why it happened
 
-You'll usually see this on a fresh harness. Your key works, but no provider credentials are connected yet (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, an Ollama instance, anything).
+Your key works, but the harness has nothing to send the request to. On a fresh harness this usually means one of two things:
+
+- No default model is picked yet, even though providers are connected.
+- No provider is connected at all (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, an Ollama instance, anything).
+
+It also happens when the tier's model left your model list and no fallback is left.
 
 ## How to fix it
 
-1. Open the dashboard link in the error message.
-2. The page offers one card per connection type. Pick **Usage-based** to paste an API key, or **Subscriptions** to reuse a plan you already pay for. OpenRouter or OpenAI with an API key is the fastest path.
-3. Retry the request.
+1. Open the dashboard link in the error message. It goes to the harness's **Routing** page.
+2. If no provider is connected, connect one from the **Providers** section: **Usage-based** to paste an API key, or **Subscriptions** to reuse a plan you already pay for. OpenRouter or OpenAI with an API key is the fastest path.
+3. Pick a default model for the harness.
+4. Retry the request.
 
 ## Related
 

diff --git a/errors/M102.mdx b/errors/M102.mdx
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ When fallback routes are configured, the gateway records the M102 hop and contin
 ## Related
 
 - [M100: Provider API key missing](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100)
-- [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
+- [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
 - [Subscription-based providers](/llm-gateway/docs/providers/subscription-based-providers)
 - [API key providers](/llm-gateway/docs/providers/api-key-providers)
 - [Routing](/llm-gateway/docs/llm-gateway)

diff --git a/integrations/n8n.mdx b/integrations/n8n.mdx
@@ -124,4 +124,4 @@ Your routing decides whether the route answers with buffered JSON or a stream. T
 | Credential test fails with a connection error                  | n8n cannot reach the Base URL. See [Reaching a self-hosted instance](#reaching-a-self-hosted-instance-from-n8n).                  |
 | Credential test fails with `401`                               | The key is not a valid `mnfst_` harness key. Copy it again from the harness **Settings** page.                                      |
 | Every call returns `404`                                       | The Base URL ends in `/v1`. Remove it.                                                                                             |
-| The model list shows only `auto`, or calls fail with [M100](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) or [M101](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | No provider is connected to the harness yet. Connect one on the harness's **Providers** tab.                |
+| The model list shows only `auto`, or calls fail with [M100](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) or [M101](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | No provider is connected yet, or no default model is picked. Connect one on the **Providers** tab, then pick a default model on **Routing**. |
diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/errors.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/errors.mdx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Your harness key is fine, but provider credentials are missing or unusable. See
 | Code | What |
 |------|------|
 | [M100: Provider API key missing](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) | Routing picked a provider you haven't connected |
-| [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | Harness has zero providers connected |
+| [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | Harness has no default model yet, or no provider connected |
 | [M102: Provider subscription credentials unusable](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102) | Subscription OAuth/token exists but cannot be refreshed |
 
 ## Limits (M200–M204)

diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100.mdx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Routing picked a provider that has no key on file for this harness. The gateway
 
 ## Related
 
-- [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
+- [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
 - [M102: Provider subscription credentials unusable](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102)
 - [M003: Invalid key format](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M003)
 - [Routing](/llm-gateway/docs/llm-gateway)

diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101.mdx
@@ -1,29 +1,37 @@
 ---
-title: "M101: No providers configured"
+title: "M101: No model to route to"
 sidebarTitle: "M101"
-description: "M101 is returned when the authenticated harness has no providers configured."
+description: "M101 is returned when the authenticated harness has no model it can route to: no default model picked yet, or no provider connected."
 icon: "plug-zap"
 keywords:
-  ["M101", "Manifest M101", "no providers configured", "first-time setup", "empty agent", "empty harness", "Manifest routing", "connect provider", "OpenRouter setup"]
+  ["M101", "Manifest M101", "no model to route to", "no default model", "no providers configured", "first-time setup", "empty harness", "Manifest routing", "connect provider", "OpenRouter setup"]
 canonical: "https://manifest.build/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101"
 ---
 
 ## What you saw
 
 ```text
-[🦚 Manifest M101] You're connected, but no providers are set up yet. Add one here: https://app.manifest.build/...
+[🦚 Manifest M101] This harness has no model to route to yet. Pick a default model here: https://app.manifest.build/...
 See https://manifest.build/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101
 ```
 
+Earlier versions word it: "You're connected, but no providers are set up yet."
+
 ## Why it happened
 
-You'll usually see this on a fresh harness. Your key works, but no provider credentials are connected yet (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, an Ollama instance, anything).
+Your key works, but the harness has nothing to send the request to. On a fresh harness this usually means one of two things:
+
+- No default model is picked yet, even though providers are connected.
+- No provider is connected at all (OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, an Ollama instance, anything).
+
+It also happens when the tier's model left your model list and no fallback is left.
 
 ## How to fix it
 
-1. Open the dashboard link in the error message.
-2. The page offers one card per connection type. Pick **Usage-based** to paste an API key, or **Subscriptions** to reuse a plan you already pay for. OpenRouter or OpenAI with an API key is the fastest path.
-3. Retry the request.
+1. Open the dashboard link in the error message. It goes to the harness's **Routing** page.
+2. If no provider is connected, connect one from the **Providers** section: **Usage-based** to paste an API key, or **Subscriptions** to reuse a plan you already pay for. OpenRouter or OpenAI with an API key is the fastest path.
+3. Pick a default model for the harness.
+4. Retry the request.
 
 ## Related
 

diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M102.mdx
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ When fallback routes are configured, the gateway records the M102 hop and contin
 ## Related
 
 - [M100: Provider API key missing](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100)
-- [M101: No providers configured](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
+- [M101: No model to route to](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101)
 - [Subscription-based providers](/llm-gateway/docs/providers/subscription-based-providers)
 - [API key providers](/llm-gateway/docs/providers/api-key-providers)
 - [Routing](/llm-gateway/docs/llm-gateway)

diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/integrations/n8n.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/integrations/n8n.mdx
@@ -124,4 +124,4 @@ Your routing decides whether the route answers with buffered JSON or a stream. T
 | Credential test fails with a connection error                  | n8n cannot reach the Base URL. See [Reaching a self-hosted instance](#reaching-a-self-hosted-instance-from-n8n).                  |
 | Credential test fails with `401`                               | The key is not a valid `mnfst_` harness key. Copy it again from the harness **Settings** page.                                      |
 | Every call returns `404`                                       | The Base URL ends in `/v1`. Remove it.                                                                                             |
-| The model list shows only `auto`, or calls fail with [M100](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) or [M101](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | No provider is connected to the harness yet. Connect one on the harness's **Providers** tab.                |
+| The model list shows only `auto`, or calls fail with [M100](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M100) or [M101](/llm-gateway/docs/errors/M101) | No provider is connected yet, or no default model is picked. Connect one on the **Providers** tab, then pick a default model on **Routing**. |
diff --git a/llm-gateway/docs/self-hosted.mdx b/llm-gateway/docs/self-hosted.mdx
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ You can also do all of this from the terminal. See the [CLI](/llm-gateway/docs/c
   | --- | --- |
   | `M003` | The token isn't a harness key — it doesn't start with `mnfst_` |
   | `M005` | Well-formed key, but this instance doesn't know it. Copying the literal `mnfst_YOUR_KEY_HERE` above gets you this — replace it with the real key |
-  | `M101` | The key is fine; no provider is connected yet |
+  | `M101` | The key is fine; no default model is picked yet, or no provider is connected |
   | `M100` | Routing picked a provider that has no API key on file |
 </Note>
 

diff --git a/self-hosted.mdx b/self-hosted.mdx
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ You can also do all of this from the terminal. See the [CLI](/llm-gateway/docs/c
   | --- | --- |
   | `M003` | The token isn't a harness key — it doesn't start with `mnfst_` |
   | `M005` | Well-formed key, but this instance doesn't know it. Copying the literal `mnfst_YOUR_KEY_HERE` above gets you this — replace it with the real key |
-  | `M101` | The key is fine; no provider is connected yet |
+  | `M101` | The key is fine; no default model is picked yet, or no provider is connected |
   | `M100` | Routing picked a provider that has no API key on file |
 </Note>