diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-router.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-router.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbb1dc19f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/model-router.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,246 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { mkdtempSync } from "node:fs";
+import { rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+
+import { Database } from "../db.js";
+import { queryUsageEvents } from "../usage-events.js";
+import {
+  routeModel,
+  routeModelAndEmit,
+  isMechanicalRoutableContext,
+  type RouteModelInput,
+} from "../model-router.js";
+import {
+  resolveTaskExecutionModel,
+  resolveTaskPlanningModel,
+  resolveTaskValidatorModel,
+  routeTaskExecutionModel,
+  routeTaskPlanningModel,
+  routeTaskValidatorModel,
+} from "../model-resolution.js";
+import type { Settings } from "../types.js";
+
+const DEFAULT = { provider: "anthropic", modelId: "claude-opus-4-8" } as const;
+const CHEAP = { provider: "anthropic", modelId: "claude-haiku-4-5" } as const;
+
+const routerSettings: Partial<Settings> = {
+  modelRouterEnabled: true,
+  modelRouterCheapProvider: CHEAP.provider,
+  modelRouterCheapModelId: CHEAP.modelId,
+  // give the default-pair lanes a concrete value
+  defaultProvider: DEFAULT.provider,
+  defaultModelId: DEFAULT.modelId,
+};
+
+function baseInput(overrides: Partial<RouteModelInput> = {}): RouteModelInput {
+  return {
+    lane: "execution",
+    defaultPair: { ...DEFAULT },
+    settings: routerSettings,
+    context: { traits: ["dependabot"] },
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("isMechanicalRoutableContext", () => {
+  it("matches dependabot/renovate sources", () => {
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ source: "dependabot" })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ source: "renovate" })).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it("matches mechanical traits and labels", () => {
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ traits: ["lint-only"] })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ labels: ["dependencies"] })).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it("matches conservative title keywords", () => {
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ title: "Bump lodash from 4.17.20 to 4.17.21" })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ title: "chore(deps): update eslint" })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ title: "Lint-only fix for unused imports" })).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it("does NOT match normal work (conservative default)", () => {
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ title: "Implement OAuth login flow" })).toBe(false);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({ traits: ["needs-review"] })).toBe(false);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext(undefined)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isMechanicalRoutableContext({})).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("routeModel — core selection layer", () => {
+  it("allowlisted step → cheap tier with escalation seam to the default pair", () => {
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput());
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(true);
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("cheap-tier");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(CHEAP);
+    expect(d.counterfactual).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+    expect(d.escalation).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+  });
+
+  it("normal task → default pair (not routable)", () => {
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ context: { title: "Build a feature" } }));
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(false);
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("not-routable");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+    expect(d.counterfactual).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+  });
+
+  it("column-agent override wins — router defers even for an allowlisted step", () => {
+    const override = { provider: "openai", modelId: "gpt-5" };
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ overridePair: override }));
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(false);
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("override");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(override);
+    // counterfactual is still the default-pair, not the override
+    expect(d.counterfactual).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+  });
+
+  it("a project-policy-restricted model is NEVER selected even if it is the best pick", () => {
+    const isPermitted = (p: { provider?: string; modelId?: string }) =>
+      !(p.provider === CHEAP.provider && p.modelId === CHEAP.modelId);
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ isPermitted }));
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(false);
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("cheap-forbidden");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(DEFAULT); // fallback path also respects governance
+  });
+
+  it("governance is absolute — a forbidden override is NOT honored, falls through", () => {
+    const override = { provider: "openai", modelId: "gpt-5" };
+    const isPermitted = (p: { provider?: string }) => p.provider !== "openai";
+    // override forbidden + not routable → default
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ overridePair: override, isPermitted, context: { title: "x" } }));
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("not-routable");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+  });
+
+  it("router disabled → byte-identical to the default pair", () => {
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ settings: { ...routerSettings, modelRouterEnabled: false } }));
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(false);
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("disabled");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+    expect(d.escalation).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("cheap tier unconfigured → default pair", () => {
+    const d = routeModel(
+      baseInput({ settings: { modelRouterEnabled: true } }),
+    );
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("cheap-unconfigured");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(DEFAULT);
+  });
+
+  it("no usable default pair → reason no-default", () => {
+    const d = routeModel(baseInput({ defaultPair: {}, context: { title: "x" } }));
+    expect(d.reason).toBe("no-default");
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual({});
+  });
+});
+
+describe("governed lanes vs ungoverned lanes (model-resolution wrappers)", () => {
+  const task = {};
+
+  it("execution lane: disabled router === resolveTaskExecutionModel (no regression)", () => {
+    const settings = { ...routerSettings, modelRouterEnabled: false };
+    const direct = resolveTaskExecutionModel(task, settings);
+    const routed = routeTaskExecutionModel(task, settings).selection;
+    expect(routed).toEqual(direct);
+  });
+
+  it("planning lane: disabled router === resolveTaskPlanningModel", () => {
+    const settings = { ...routerSettings, modelRouterEnabled: false };
+    expect(routeTaskPlanningModel(task, settings).selection).toEqual(
+      resolveTaskPlanningModel(task, settings),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("validation lane: disabled router === resolveTaskValidatorModel", () => {
+    const settings = { ...routerSettings, modelRouterEnabled: false };
+    expect(routeTaskValidatorModel(task, settings).selection).toEqual(
+      resolveTaskValidatorModel(task, settings),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("each governed lane down-routes an allowlisted step and reports its lane", () => {
+    const opts = { context: { traits: ["dependabot"] } };
+    const exec = routeTaskExecutionModel(task, routerSettings, opts);
+    const plan = routeTaskPlanningModel(task, routerSettings, opts);
+    const val = routeTaskValidatorModel(task, routerSettings, opts);
+    expect(exec.lane).toBe("execution");
+    expect(plan.lane).toBe("planning");
+    expect(val.lane).toBe("validation");
+    for (const d of [exec, plan, val]) {
+      expect(d.routed).toBe(true);
+      expect(d.selection).toEqual(CHEAP);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("each governed lane never returns a forbidden pair", () => {
+    const opts = {
+      context: { traits: ["dependabot"] },
+      isPermitted: (p: { modelId?: string }) => p.modelId !== CHEAP.modelId,
+    };
+    for (const fn of [routeTaskExecutionModel, routeTaskPlanningModel, routeTaskValidatorModel]) {
+      const d = fn(task, routerSettings, opts);
+      expect(d.selection.modelId).not.toBe(CHEAP.modelId);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("ungoverned lanes (settings-only / title summarizer / project default) are untouched — no router wrappers exist for them", async () => {
+    const mod = await import("../model-resolution.js");
+    // Only the three task lanes get router wrappers; ensure no extra ones leaked in.
+    expect(typeof mod.routeTaskExecutionModel).toBe("function");
+    expect(typeof mod.routeTaskPlanningModel).toBe("function");
+    expect(typeof mod.routeTaskValidatorModel).toBe("function");
+    expect((mod as Record<string, unknown>).routeProjectDefaultModel).toBeUndefined();
+    expect((mod as Record<string, unknown>).routeExecutionSettingsModel).toBeUndefined();
+    expect((mod as Record<string, unknown>).routeTitleSummarizerSettingsModel).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("routeModelAndEmit — telemetry with counterfactual", () => {
+  let tmpDir: string;
+  let db: Database;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    tmpDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "kb-model-router-test-"));
+    db = new Database(join(tmpDir, ".fusion"));
+    db.init();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    db.close();
+    await rm(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("emits a routing decision with the counterfactual model into usage_events", () => {
+    const d = routeModelAndEmit(db, { ...baseInput(), taskId: "t1", nodeId: "n1" });
+    expect(d.routed).toBe(true);
+
+    const rows = queryUsageEvents(db, { kind: "session_start" });
+    expect(rows).toHaveLength(1);
+    const row = rows[0];
+    expect(row.category).toBe("model-router");
+    expect(row.provider).toBe(CHEAP.provider);
+    expect(row.model).toBe(CHEAP.modelId);
+    expect(row.taskId).toBe("t1");
+    expect(row.nodeId).toBe("n1");
+    // The counterfactual model that WOULD have run absent the router:
+    expect(row.meta?.routed).toBe(true);
+    expect(row.meta?.reason).toBe("cheap-tier");
+    expect(row.meta?.counterfactualProvider).toBe(DEFAULT.provider);
+    expect(row.meta?.counterfactualModelId).toBe(DEFAULT.modelId);
+  });
+
+  it("emits the counterfactual even when not routed (default pair selected)", () => {
+    routeModelAndEmit(db, { ...baseInput({ context: { title: "real work" } }), taskId: "t2" });
+    const rows = queryUsageEvents(db, { kind: "session_start" });
+    expect(rows).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(rows[0].provider).toBe(DEFAULT.provider);
+    expect(rows[0].meta?.routed).toBe(false);
+    expect(rows[0].meta?.counterfactualModelId).toBe(DEFAULT.modelId);
+  });
+
+  it("emission is fail-soft and does not alter the decision when db is undefined", () => {
+    const d = routeModelAndEmit(undefined, baseInput());
+    expect(d.selection).toEqual(CHEAP);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.ts b/packages/core/src/index.ts
index 329086268c..d336658c3d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.ts
@@ -1120,8 +1120,26 @@ export {
   resolveTitleSummarizerSettingsModel,
   resolveValidatorSettingsModel,
   TEST_MODE_RESOLVED,
+  routeTaskExecutionModel,
+  routeTaskPlanningModel,
+  routeTaskValidatorModel,
 } from "./model-resolution.js";
-export type { ResolvedModelSelection } from "./model-resolution.js";
+export type { ResolvedModelSelection, RouterLaneOptions } from "./model-resolution.js";
+export {
+  routeModel,
+  routeModelAndEmit,
+  isMechanicalRoutableContext,
+} from "./model-router.js";
+export type {
+  RouterLane,
+  RouterReason,
+  RouterPair,
+  RouterTaskContext,
+  RouteModelInput,
+  RouterDecision,
+  RouterEscalation,
+  ModelGovernancePredicate,
+} from "./model-router.js";
 
 // ── Memory Compaction ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/model-resolution.ts b/packages/core/src/model-resolution.ts
index 85b527c567..6159ea1752 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/model-resolution.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/model-resolution.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 import type { Settings } from "./types.js";
+import type {
+  ModelGovernancePredicate,
+  RouterDecision,
+  RouterLane,
+  RouterTaskContext,
+} from "./model-router.js";
+import { routeModel } from "./model-router.js";
 
 export interface ResolvedModelSelection {
   provider?: string;
@@ -183,3 +190,73 @@ export function resolveTaskPlanningModel(
     settings,
   );
 }
+
+// ── Fusion Model Router lane wrappers (U17 / KTD9) ─────────────────────────
+//
+// These are the **governed** session-start lanes: execution, planning, and
+// validation. Each first resolves the lane's default pair exactly as today (the
+// router's counterfactual), then hands it to the selection layer. The router is
+// OFF by default — when disabled it returns the default pair byte-identically,
+// so these wrappers are safe drop-ins. The non-routed resolvers above remain
+// untouched; the settings-only resolvers, `resolveProjectDefaultModel`, and
+// `resolveTitleSummarizerSettingsModel` are **ungoverned** (no task signal /
+// non-session purpose) and the router never touches them.
+
+/** Options shared by the router-aware lane resolvers. */
+export interface RouterLaneOptions {
+  /** Per-task per-lane override pair (e.g. a column-agent binding). When complete,
+   *  the router defers to it. */
+  overridePair?: ResolvedModelSelection | null;
+  /** Classification signal for the conservative v0 allowlist. */
+  context?: RouterTaskContext;
+  /** Governance gate — the router never returns a pair this rejects. */
+  isPermitted?: ModelGovernancePredicate;
+}
+
+function routeLane(
+  lane: RouterLane,
+  defaultPair: ResolvedModelSelection,
+  settings: Partial<Settings> | undefined,
+  options: RouterLaneOptions | undefined,
+): RouterDecision {
+  return routeModel({
+    lane,
+    defaultPair,
+    overridePair: options?.overridePair ?? null,
+    context: options?.context,
+    settings,
+    isPermitted: options?.isPermitted,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Router-aware execution-lane resolution. Returns the full {@link RouterDecision}
+ * (selection + counterfactual + reason) so the caller can emit telemetry and wire
+ * the escalation seam. With the router disabled, `decision.selection` equals
+ * {@link resolveTaskExecutionModel}.
+ */
+export function routeTaskExecutionModel(
+  task: TaskModelLike,
+  settings?: Partial<Settings>,
+  options?: RouterLaneOptions,
+): RouterDecision {
+  return routeLane("execution", resolveTaskExecutionModel(task, settings), settings, options);
+}
+
+/** Router-aware planning-lane resolution. See {@link routeTaskExecutionModel}. */
+export function routeTaskPlanningModel(
+  task: TaskModelLike,
+  settings?: Partial<Settings>,
+  options?: RouterLaneOptions,
+): RouterDecision {
+  return routeLane("planning", resolveTaskPlanningModel(task, settings), settings, options);
+}
+
+/** Router-aware validation-lane resolution. See {@link routeTaskExecutionModel}. */
+export function routeTaskValidatorModel(
+  task: TaskModelLike,
+  settings?: Partial<Settings>,
+  options?: RouterLaneOptions,
+): RouterDecision {
+  return routeLane("validation", resolveTaskValidatorModel(task, settings), settings, options);
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/model-router.ts b/packages/core/src/model-router.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c61ec1adab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/model-router.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,332 @@
+/**
+ * Fusion Model Router (U17 / KTD9).
+ *
+ * A **selection layer** that picks a `(provider, model)` pair *before* a session
+ * starts. It is NOT a new executor: it never adds an executor kind, it only
+ * chooses which already-configured CLI/provider runs. Routing is **session-level
+ * only** for this unit — per-request mid-session re-routing is deferred (it needs
+ * its own design pass on streaming continuity / context-window compatibility /
+ * prompt-cache invalidation).
+ *
+ * ## Conservative v0 signal
+ *
+ * There is no validated `complexity`/`difficulty` field on tasks or steps today,
+ * and prompt size is a weak proxy. So v0 does NOT invent a classifier. It routes
+ * only an **allowlist of mechanical traits** (dependabot bumps, lint-only fixes)
+ * to a cheap tier; **everything else resolves to the configured default pair**.
+ * The signal is isolated behind {@link isMechanicalRoutableContext} so a
+ * validated classifier can replace it later without touching the governance,
+ * override, or fallback machinery.
+ *
+ * ## Governance, override, fallback (load-bearing — tested per lane)
+ *
+ * 1. **Override wins.** If a column-agent (or any caller-supplied) override pins a
+ *    pair, the router defers and returns that pair unchanged.
+ * 2. **Governance is absolute.** The router NEVER returns a pair an org/project/
+ *    user model control forbids — including on the fallback path. A forbidden
+ *    cheap pick is dropped and the router falls back; if the default pair is
+ *    itself forbidden the router returns it untouched (governance of the default
+ *    pair is the resolver/caller's job, not the router's to silently rewrite).
+ * 3. **Disabled / unavailable → default pair.** When the router is off, the cheap
+ *    tier is unconfigured, or no pick is available, the result is byte-identical
+ *    to the supplied default pair.
+ *
+ * ## Quality guardrail seam
+ *
+ * A cheap-tier pick carries an `escalation` describing the strong tier to retry
+ * with on cheap-tier failure (see {@link RouterDecision.escalation}). v0 wires
+ * the seam (the default pair is the escalation target) but does not itself run
+ * the retry loop — that lives in the executor/session layer that owns failure
+ * detection.
+ *
+ * ## Telemetry
+ *
+ * Every decision (including the **counterfactual** model that would have run
+ * absent the router) is emitted via the U1 {@link emitUsageEvent} seam so the
+ * Command Center can show adoption and realized cost delta versus always-premium.
+ * Emission is fail-soft and never alters the returned decision.
+ */
+
+import type { Database } from "./db.js";
+import type { Settings } from "./types.js";
+import { emitUsageEvent } from "./usage-events.js";
+import type { ResolvedModelSelection } from "./model-resolution.js";
+
+/** The resolution lanes the router governs. Ungoverned lanes are never touched. */
+export type RouterLane = "execution" | "planning" | "validation";
+
+/**
+ * Why the router produced the pair it did. Surfaced in telemetry `meta` and
+ * usable by callers for diagnostics.
+ */
+export type RouterReason =
+  | "disabled" // router off → default pair
+  | "override" // a column-agent/caller override pinned the pair → defer
+  | "cheap-tier" // an allowlisted mechanical step routed to the cheap tier
+  | "cheap-unconfigured" // router on but no cheap pair configured → default
+  | "cheap-forbidden" // cheap pick forbidden by governance → default
+  | "not-routable" // step not on the mechanical allowlist → default
+  | "no-default"; // no usable default pair to fall back to
+
+/**
+ * A `(provider, model)` pair the router can choose. Mirrors
+ * {@link ResolvedModelSelection} but with both fields concrete when present.
+ */
+export interface RouterPair {
+  provider?: string;
+  modelId?: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Predicate that returns `true` iff a pair is **permitted** by the active model
+ * controls (org/project/user governance). The router NEVER returns a pair for
+ * which this returns `false` on a routed pick. Supplied by the caller because
+ * governance schema lives outside core's resolution layer; when omitted, all
+ * pairs are permitted (no governance configured).
+ */
+export type ModelGovernancePredicate = (pair: RouterPair) => boolean;
+
+/**
+ * The signal the router classifies. Neutral, schema-light fields so the router
+ * does not depend on task schema that does not exist yet — callers populate from
+ * whatever trait/label/source data they have in scope.
+ */
+export interface RouterTaskContext {
+  /** Workflow trait flags on the task/column (e.g. `["dependabot", "lint-only"]`). */
+  traits?: readonly string[];
+  /** Labels on the task / source issue (e.g. `["dependencies", "lint"]`). */
+  labels?: readonly string[];
+  /** How the task was created (e.g. a `dependabot` / `renovate` source). */
+  source?: string | null;
+  /** Task title — used only for conservative keyword matching on the allowlist. */
+  title?: string | null;
+}
+
+export interface RouteModelInput {
+  lane: RouterLane;
+  /**
+   * The pair resolution would return absent the router — the **counterfactual**.
+   * The router falls back to this and emits it as the counterfactual in telemetry.
+   */
+  defaultPair: ResolvedModelSelection;
+  /**
+   * A column-agent (or other) override pair. When it carries both provider and
+   * model, the router defers to it unconditionally (override wins).
+   */
+  overridePair?: ResolvedModelSelection | null;
+  /** The classification signal. */
+  context?: RouterTaskContext;
+  settings?: Partial<Settings>;
+  /** Governance gate. When omitted, all pairs are permitted. */
+  isPermitted?: ModelGovernancePredicate;
+}
+
+/** The strong-tier retry target for the quality guardrail. */
+export interface RouterEscalation {
+  provider?: string;
+  modelId?: string;
+}
+
+export interface RouterDecision {
+  /** The pair to actually use. */
+  selection: ResolvedModelSelection;
+  /** True iff the router down-routed to the cheap tier. */
+  routed: boolean;
+  reason: RouterReason;
+  lane: RouterLane;
+  /** What would have run absent the router (always the supplied default pair). */
+  counterfactual: ResolvedModelSelection;
+  /**
+   * Quality-guardrail seam: the strong tier to retry with if the cheap-tier pick
+   * fails. Present only when `routed` is true. v0 sets this to the counterfactual.
+   */
+  escalation?: RouterEscalation;
+}
+
+const DEPENDABOT_SOURCES: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
+  "dependabot",
+  "renovate",
+  "renovatebot",
+]);
+
+const MECHANICAL_TRAITS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
+  "dependabot",
+  "dependency-bump",
+  "deps",
+  "lint-only",
+  "lint-fix",
+  "lint",
+  "formatting",
+  "format-only",
+]);
+
+const MECHANICAL_LABELS: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set([
+  "dependencies",
+  "dependabot",
+  "deps",
+  "lint",
+  "lint-only",
+  "formatting",
+  "style",
+]);
+
+function normalize(s: string | null | undefined): string {
+  return (s ?? "").trim().toLowerCase();
+}
+
+function hasComplete(pair: ResolvedModelSelection | null | undefined): pair is { provider: string; modelId: string } {
+  return Boolean(pair?.provider && pair?.modelId);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Conservative v0 classifier: is this step a mechanical, allowlisted candidate
+ * for the cheap tier? Pure and isolated so a validated classifier can replace it
+ * later. Returns `true` ONLY for clearly-mechanical signals; the default is
+ * `false` (→ default pair).
+ */
+export function isMechanicalRoutableContext(context: RouterTaskContext | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!context) return false;
+
+  if (DEPENDABOT_SOURCES.has(normalize(context.source))) return true;
+
+  for (const trait of context.traits ?? []) {
+    if (MECHANICAL_TRAITS.has(normalize(trait))) return true;
+  }
+  for (const label of context.labels ?? []) {
+    if (MECHANICAL_LABELS.has(normalize(label))) return true;
+  }
+
+  // Conservative title keyword match: a dependabot/bump or lint-only chore.
+  const title = normalize(context.title);
+  if (title) {
+    if (/\bbump\b/.test(title) && /\bfrom\b/.test(title) && /\bto\b/.test(title)) return true;
+    if (title.startsWith("chore(deps)") || title.startsWith("build(deps)")) return true;
+    if (/\blint\b/.test(title) && /\b(only|fix|fixes)\b/.test(title)) return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+/** Resolve the configured cheap-tier pair, or `undefined` when unconfigured. */
+function resolveCheapPair(settings: Partial<Settings> | undefined): RouterPair | undefined {
+  const provider = settings?.modelRouterCheapProvider;
+  const modelId = settings?.modelRouterCheapModelId;
+  if (provider && modelId) return { provider, modelId };
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function isRouterEnabled(settings: Partial<Settings> | undefined): boolean {
+  return settings?.modelRouterEnabled === true;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The core selection function. **Pure** (no DB, no telemetry) so it is trivially
+ * testable; {@link routeModelAndEmit} wraps it to also emit telemetry.
+ *
+ * Decision order (each rule is tested):
+ *  1. override pinned        → defer (return override, `routed: false`)
+ *  2. router disabled        → default pair
+ *  3. not mechanical         → default pair
+ *  4. cheap tier unconfigured→ default pair
+ *  5. cheap pick forbidden   → default pair (governance, incl. fallback path)
+ *  6. otherwise              → cheap pick (with escalation seam)
+ *
+ * Governance also guards the override (an override forbidden by policy is NOT
+ * honored — governance is absolute) and is noted on the default-pair paths via
+ * `reason`, but the router never rewrites a forbidden default pair: governing the
+ * default is the resolver/caller's responsibility, the router only guarantees it
+ * does not *introduce* a forbidden pair.
+ */
+export function routeModel(input: RouteModelInput): RouterDecision {
+  const { lane, defaultPair, overridePair, context, settings } = input;
+  const isPermitted = input.isPermitted ?? (() => true);
+  const counterfactual: ResolvedModelSelection = { ...defaultPair };
+
+  const fallback = (reason: RouterReason): RouterDecision => ({
+    selection: { ...defaultPair },
+    routed: false,
+    reason: hasComplete(defaultPair) ? reason : "no-default",
+    lane,
+    counterfactual,
+  });
+
+  // 1. Override wins — but governance is absolute, so a forbidden override is not
+  //    honored; it falls through to default resolution.
+  if (hasComplete(overridePair) && isPermitted({ provider: overridePair.provider, modelId: overridePair.modelId })) {
+    return {
+      selection: { provider: overridePair.provider, modelId: overridePair.modelId },
+      routed: false,
+      reason: "override",
+      lane,
+      counterfactual,
+    };
+  }
+
+  // 2. Disabled → byte-identical default-pair behavior.
+  if (!isRouterEnabled(settings)) {
+    return fallback("disabled");
+  }
+
+  // 3. Conservative allowlist: only mechanical steps are routable.
+  if (!isMechanicalRoutableContext(context)) {
+    return fallback("not-routable");
+  }
+
+  // 4. Cheap tier must be configured.
+  const cheap = resolveCheapPair(settings);
+  if (!cheap || !hasComplete(cheap)) {
+    return fallback("cheap-unconfigured");
+  }
+
+  // 5. Governance is absolute — never return a forbidden cheap pick.
+  if (!isPermitted({ provider: cheap.provider, modelId: cheap.modelId })) {
+    return fallback("cheap-forbidden");
+  }
+
+  // 6. Route to the cheap tier, wiring the quality-guardrail escalation seam.
+  return {
+    selection: { provider: cheap.provider, modelId: cheap.modelId },
+    routed: true,
+    reason: "cheap-tier",
+    lane,
+    counterfactual,
+    escalation: hasComplete(defaultPair)
+      ? { provider: defaultPair.provider, modelId: defaultPair.modelId }
+      : undefined,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * {@link routeModel} plus fail-soft telemetry: emits one `session_start` usage
+ * event carrying the routing decision and the **counterfactual** model. Emission
+ * never alters or blocks the returned decision (the U1 seam is itself fail-soft).
+ */
+export function routeModelAndEmit(
+  db: Database | undefined,
+  input: RouteModelInput & { taskId?: string | null; agentId?: string | null; nodeId?: string | null },
+): RouterDecision {
+  const decision = routeModel(input);
+  if (db) {
+    emitUsageEvent(db, {
+      kind: "session_start",
+      taskId: input.taskId ?? null,
+      agentId: input.agentId ?? null,
+      nodeId: input.nodeId ?? null,
+      model: decision.selection.modelId ?? null,
+      provider: decision.selection.provider ?? null,
+      category: "model-router",
+      meta: {
+        router: true,
+        lane: decision.lane,
+        routed: decision.routed,
+        reason: decision.reason,
+        // The counterfactual model that WOULD have run absent the router.
+        counterfactualProvider: decision.counterfactual.provider ?? null,
+        counterfactualModelId: decision.counterfactual.modelId ?? null,
+        escalationProvider: decision.escalation?.provider ?? null,
+        escalationModelId: decision.escalation?.modelId ?? null,
+      },
+    });
+  }
+  return decision;
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/settings-schema.ts b/packages/core/src/settings-schema.ts
index 5ba21535e9..060dd4cea2 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/settings-schema.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/settings-schema.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ export const DEFAULT_GLOBAL_SETTINGS = {
   defaultProvider: undefined,
   defaultModelId: undefined,
   testMode: undefined,
+  modelRouterEnabled: undefined,
+  modelRouterCheapProvider: undefined,
+  modelRouterCheapModelId: undefined,
   mergeRequestContractShadowEnabled: false,
   fallbackProvider: undefined,
   fallbackModelId: undefined,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index f6564b3343..ed4518b1cd 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -2814,6 +2814,22 @@ export interface GlobalSettings {
    *  of per-task or per-lane overrides. No network calls, zero token cost.
    *  Project `testMode` takes precedence over the global value. */
   testMode?: boolean;
+  /** Fusion Model Router opt-in (U17/KTD9). When true, a conservative selection
+   *  layer may down-route an allowlist of mechanical steps (dependabot bumps,
+   *  lint-only fixes) to a cheap model tier before a session starts; everything
+   *  else resolves to the configured default pair. OFF by default — when unset or
+   *  false, model resolution is byte-identical to its non-router behavior.
+   *  Selection is governed: it never returns a pair the model controls forbid and
+   *  always defers to a column-agent override. */
+  modelRouterEnabled?: boolean;
+  /** Provider for the Model Router's cheap tier (U17). Used only when
+   *  `modelRouterEnabled` is true and a step is allowlisted for down-routing.
+   *  Must be set together with `modelRouterCheapModelId`; if either is unset the
+   *  router falls back to the configured default pair. */
+  modelRouterCheapProvider?: string;
+  /** Model ID for the Model Router's cheap tier (U17). See
+   *  `modelRouterCheapProvider`. */
+  modelRouterCheapModelId?: string;
   /** Phase-1 FN-5741 write-only shadow seam toggle.
    *  When true, executor/self-healing/merger persist additive merge-request contract
    *  records and completion-handoff markers without changing merge authority.