diff --git a/internal/service/model_service.go b/internal/service/model_service.go
index b78e4708da..768fe0dae5 100644
--- a/internal/service/model_service.go
+++ b/internal/service/model_service.go
@@ -53,9 +53,14 @@ func newModelDriverForBaseURL(driver modelModule.ModelDriver, providerName, regi
 		return driver, nil
 	}
 
-	newDriver := driver.NewInstance(map[string]string{
+	baseURLByRegion := map[string]string{
 		region: baseURL,
-	})
+	}
+	if region == "" {
+		baseURLByRegion["default"] = baseURL
+	}
+
+	newDriver := driver.NewInstance(baseURLByRegion)
 	if newDriver == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("provider %s does not support custom base_url", providerName)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/service/model_service_test.go b/internal/service/model_service_test.go
index c6edbadedd..85a3a0425c 100644
--- a/internal/service/model_service_test.go
+++ b/internal/service/model_service_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func (s *stubModelDriver) Name() string {
 	return "stub"
 }
 
-func TestNewModelDriverForBaseURLPreservesEmptyRegion(t *testing.T) {
+func TestNewModelDriverForBaseURLAddsDefaultFallbackForEmptyRegion(t *testing.T) {
 	expected := &stubModelDriver{}
 	var gotBaseURL map[string]string
 	driver := &stubModelDriver{
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ func TestNewModelDriverForBaseURLPreservesEmptyRegion(t *testing.T) {
 	if gotBaseURL[""] != "http://localhost:1234" {
 		t.Fatalf("expected empty-region base URL, got %#v", gotBaseURL)
 	}
-	if _, ok := gotBaseURL["default"]; ok {
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected default region key in base URL map: %#v", gotBaseURL)
+	if gotBaseURL["default"] != "http://localhost:1234" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default-region fallback base URL, got %#v", gotBaseURL)
 	}
 }