diff --git a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
index 7933f8e2e962..6f3276e3d34f 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.test.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,26 @@ describe("classifyModels", () => {
       ],
     );
   });
+  it("applies catalog badges to discovered models", () => {
+    const manifest: ModelManifestData = {
+      version: 1,
+      currentModels: { codex: ["gpt-test"] },
+      providers: {
+        codex: {
+          profiles: {},
+          models: [{ slug: "gpt-test", name: "GPT Test", status: "current", badge: "new" }],
+        },
+      },
+    };
+    const models = [model({ slug: "openai.gpt-test" }), model({ slug: "gpt-other" })];
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(
+      classifyModels(models, manifest, CODEX).map((entry) => [entry.slug, entry.badge]),
+      [
+        ["openai.gpt-test", "new"],
+        ["gpt-other", undefined],
+      ],
+    );
+  });
 });
 
 describe("applyManifestDefault", () => {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
index d1af1086e750..81e8c9cab7be 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/provider/ModelManifest.ts
@@ -209,18 +209,27 @@ export const encodeManifestCache = Schema.encodeEffect(
   ),
 );
 
+function findCatalogModel(
+  manifest: ModelManifestData,
+  driverKind: ProviderDriverKind,
+  slug: string,
+) {
+  const family = driverKind === "codex" ? codexModelFamily(slug) : slug;
+  const catalog = manifest.providers?.[driverKind]?.models;
+  return (
+    catalog?.find((model) => model.slug === slug) ?? catalog?.find((model) => model.slug === family)
+  );
+}
+
 /** True when the manifest classifies `slug` as legacy for `driverKind`. */
 function isLegacyModel(
   manifest: ModelManifestData,
   driverKind: ProviderDriverKind,
   slug: string,
 ): boolean {
-  const family = driverKind === "codex" ? codexModelFamily(slug) : slug;
-  const catalog = manifest.providers?.[driverKind]?.models;
-  const catalogModel =
-    catalog?.find((model) => model.slug === slug) ??
-    catalog?.find((model) => model.slug === family);
+  const catalogModel = findCatalogModel(manifest, driverKind, slug);
   if (catalogModel) return catalogModel.status === "legacy";
+  const family = driverKind === "codex" ? codexModelFamily(slug) : slug;
   const currentModels = manifest.currentModels[driverKind];
   if (!currentModels) return false;
   return !currentModels.includes(slug) && !currentModels.includes(family);
@@ -298,8 +307,11 @@ export function classifyModels(
   manifest: ModelManifestData,
   driverKind: ProviderDriverKind,
 ): ReadonlyArray<ServerProviderModel> {
-  return models.map((model) => {
-    if (model.isCustom) return model;
+  return models.map((entry) => {
+    if (entry.isCustom) return entry;
+    // Discovered models carry no badge, so the manifest can mark a launch.
+    const badge = findCatalogModel(manifest, driverKind, entry.slug)?.badge;
+    const model = badge && entry.badge !== badge ? { ...entry, badge } : entry;
     if (isLegacyModel(manifest, driverKind, model.slug)) {
       return model.isLegacy ? model : { ...model, isLegacy: true };
     }
diff --git a/apps/server/src/provider/model-manifest.json b/apps/server/src/provider/model-manifest.json
index 97734ea49060..591fe944ca5a 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/provider/model-manifest.json
+++ b/apps/server/src/provider/model-manifest.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "version": 1,
-  "updatedAt": "2026-09-29T01:03:44Z",
+  "updatedAt": "2026-09-29T19:00:00Z",
   "compatibility": [
     {
       "driver": "codex",
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@
   ],
   "currentModels": {
     "codex": [
+      "gpt-6.1-sol",
       "gpt-6-astra",
       "gpt-6-luna",
-      "gpt-6-sol",
       "gpt-daybreak-blue-latest",
       "gpt-daybreak-red-latest"
     ],
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@
     "antigravity": ["gemini-3.8-flash-high", "gemini-3.8-flash-medium", "gemini-3.8-flash-low"]
   },
   "providers": {
+    "codex": {
+      "profiles": {},
+      "models": [
+        { "slug": "gpt-6.1-sol", "name": "GPT-6.1-Sol", "status": "current", "badge": "new" }
+      ]
+    },
     "claudeAgent": {
       "defaults": {
         "chat": "claude-fable-5-1"
diff --git a/docs/internals/model-manifest.md b/docs/internals/model-manifest.md
index 7d3eadae7f58..290c3d4c099d 100644
--- a/docs/internals/model-manifest.md
+++ b/docs/internals/model-manifest.md
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ gets its model list from its app server.
 releases that predate catalog discovery; it does not add models to their catalogs.
 Catalog-aware releases use `providers.claudeAgent.models[].status` instead.
 Codex uses `currentModels.codex` as a legacy-classification overlay for discovered
-models.
+models. A `providers.codex.models` entry overrides that status and can add a
+`new` badge, but never adds a model the app server does not list.
 
 Model data is schema-validated configuration. Tests should cover resolver, cache,
 and adapter semantics with synthetic model names, so adding a model never requires