diff --git a/hermes_cli/models.py b/hermes_cli/models.py
index 558eb008a..3e3a924a3 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/models.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/models.py
@@ -588,7 +588,8 @@ def union_with_portal_free_recommendations(
     pair where:
 
     * Portal free recommendations missing from ``curated_ids`` are
-      appended at the front (so the picker shows them first).
+      appended after the curated list (so the in-repo curated models
+      show first and Portal-only picks follow).
     * ``pricing`` gets a synthetic ``{"prompt": "0", "completion": "0"}``
       entry for any free recommendation missing from the live pricing
       map, so :func:`partition_nous_models_by_tier` keeps it.
@@ -623,11 +624,11 @@ def union_with_portal_free_recommendations(
 
     augmented_ids = list(curated_ids)
     seen = set(augmented_ids)
-    # Prepend Portal free recommendations that aren't already curated, so
-    # they appear first in the picker.
+    # Append Portal free recommendations that aren't already curated, so the
+    # in-repo curated ("HA") models show first and Portal-only picks follow.
     new_ones = [mid for mid in portal_free_ids if mid not in seen]
     if new_ones:
-        augmented_ids = new_ones + augmented_ids
+        augmented_ids = augmented_ids + new_ones
 
     return (augmented_ids, augmented_pricing)
 
@@ -653,7 +654,8 @@ def union_with_portal_paid_recommendations(
     ``(model_ids, pricing)`` pair where:
 
     * Portal paid recommendations missing from ``curated_ids`` are
-      appended at the front (so the picker shows them first).
+      appended after the curated list (so the in-repo curated models
+      show first and Portal-only picks follow).
     * ``pricing`` is left untouched — we deliberately do NOT synthesize
       pricing entries for paid models. Live pricing is fetched separately
       via :func:`get_pricing_for_provider`; if the live endpoint hasn't
@@ -688,11 +690,11 @@ def union_with_portal_paid_recommendations(
 
     augmented_ids = list(curated_ids)
     seen = set(augmented_ids)
-    # Prepend Portal paid recommendations that aren't already curated, so
-    # the Portal-blessed picks surface first in the picker.
+    # Append Portal paid recommendations that aren't already curated, so the
+    # in-repo curated ("HA") models show first and Portal-only picks follow.
     new_ones = [mid for mid in portal_paid_ids if mid not in seen]
     if new_ones:
-        augmented_ids = new_ones + augmented_ids
+        augmented_ids = augmented_ids + new_ones
 
     return (augmented_ids, dict(pricing))
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
index d6ae4b1dd..21f1557d7 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_models.py
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalFreeRecommendations:
         }
 
     def test_adds_portal_free_model_missing_from_curated(self):
-        """A Portal-advertised free model not in curated is prepended + priced free."""
+        """A Portal-advertised free model not in curated is appended + priced free."""
         curated = ["anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"]
         pricing = {"anthropic/claude-opus-4.6": self._PAID}
         with patch(
@@ -420,8 +420,9 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalFreeRecommendations:
         ):
             ids, p = union_with_portal_free_recommendations(curated, pricing, "")
 
-        assert ids[0] == "qwen/qwen3.6-plus"  # prepended
-        assert "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6" in ids
+        # Curated ("HA") models stay first; Portal-only picks follow.
+        assert ids[0] == "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
+        assert ids[-1] == "qwen/qwen3.6-plus"  # appended
         # Synthetic free pricing entry created
         assert p["qwen/qwen3.6-plus"] == self._FREE
         # Existing pricing untouched
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalFreeRecommendations:
             },
         ):
             ids, p = union_with_portal_free_recommendations(curated, pricing, "")
-        assert ids == ["qwen/qwen3.6-plus", "a"]
+        assert ids == ["a", "qwen/qwen3.6-plus"]
         assert p["qwen/qwen3.6-plus"] == self._FREE
 
 
@@ -535,7 +536,7 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalPaidRecommendations:
         }
 
     def test_adds_portal_paid_model_missing_from_curated(self):
-        """A Portal-advertised paid model not in curated is prepended."""
+        """A Portal-advertised paid model not in curated is appended."""
         curated = ["anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"]
         pricing = {"anthropic/claude-opus-4.6": self._PAID}
         with patch(
@@ -544,8 +545,9 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalPaidRecommendations:
         ):
             ids, p = union_with_portal_paid_recommendations(curated, pricing, "")
 
-        assert ids[0] == "openai/gpt-5.4"  # prepended
-        assert "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6" in ids
+        # Curated ("HA") models stay first; Portal-only picks follow.
+        assert ids[0] == "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"
+        assert ids[-1] == "openai/gpt-5.4"  # appended
         # Existing pricing untouched
         assert p["anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"] == self._PAID
 
@@ -634,12 +636,12 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalPaidRecommendations:
             },
         ):
             ids, p = union_with_portal_paid_recommendations(curated, pricing, "")
-        assert ids == ["openai/gpt-5.4", "a"]
+        assert ids == ["a", "openai/gpt-5.4"]
         # No synthetic entry — pricing is untouched.
         assert "openai/gpt-5.4" not in p
 
     def test_preserves_relative_order_of_new_paid_models(self):
-        """Multiple new paid models are prepended in payload order."""
+        """Multiple new paid models are appended in payload order, after curated."""
         curated = ["anthropic/claude-opus-4.6"]
         pricing = {"anthropic/claude-opus-4.6": self._PAID}
         with patch(
@@ -648,9 +650,9 @@ class TestUnionWithPortalPaidRecommendations:
         ):
             ids, _ = union_with_portal_paid_recommendations(curated, pricing, "")
         assert ids == [
+            "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
             "openai/gpt-5.4",
             "openai/gpt-5.5",
-            "anthropic/claude-opus-4.6",
         ]