diff --git a/src/pipeline.rs b/src/pipeline.rs
index 741a0c0..e979372 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.rs
+++ b/src/pipeline.rs
@@ -313,6 +313,42 @@ impl Pipeline {
                 }
             }
         }
+        // Capability widening: a tier chain built of tools-less local models
+        // must not kill an agent request. When the filtered chain is empty on
+        // an AUTO route, widen to any pool model that satisfies the required
+        // capabilities — preferring the routing table's own medium→high order
+        // (an agentic request is worth a capable model), then the rest of the
+        // pool. Coding agents (OpenCode, Cline, …) always send tools; without
+        // this every low-tier verdict was a hard failure.
+        if final_candidates.is_empty() {
+            let mut widened: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+            for tier in ["medium", "high"] {
+                for id in live.routing.candidates(tier) {
+                    if !widened.contains(&id) {
+                        widened.push(id);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            for id in live.registry.ids() {
+                if !widened.contains(id) {
+                    widened.push(id.clone());
+                }
+            }
+            for id in widened {
+                if let Some(prov) = live.registry.get(&id) {
+                    if needs_tools && !prov.caps().tools {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    final_candidates.push(id);
+                }
+            }
+            if !final_candidates.is_empty() {
+                tracing::info!(
+                    chosen = %final_candidates[0],
+                    "capability widening: tier chain had no model with the required capabilities"
+                );
+            }
+        }
         if final_candidates.is_empty() {
             return Err(GatewayError::UpstreamUnavailable(
                 "No healthy model available that satisfies required capabilities (e.g. tools)"