diff --git a/ai-hub/app/core/services/preference.py b/ai-hub/app/core/services/preference.py
index 22179c9..7c4fe55 100644
--- a/ai-hub/app/core/services/preference.py
+++ b/ai-hub/app/core/services/preference.py
@@ -95,23 +95,28 @@
 
         def get_merged_system_defaults(section_name, hardcoded_defaults):
             # M6/M3: Merge Admin overrides with hardcoded config.yaml defaults.
-            # This prevents the admin from losing system-level keys when they 
-            # customize other fields (like model names) in the UI.
+            # If the admin has configured ANY providers in the DB, we treat the DB
+            # as the Source of Truth for the LIST of available providers.
+            # We only use hardcoded_defaults to backfill missing fields (like API keys)
+            # for the providers that are present in the DB.
             sys_prefs_section = system_prefs.get(section_name, {})
             sys_providers = sys_prefs_section.get("providers", {})
             
             if not sys_providers:
+                # If nothing in DB, fall back to everything in config.yaml/env
                 return hardcoded_defaults
             
-            # Start with hardcoded defaults
-            merged = copy.deepcopy(hardcoded_defaults)
-            for p_id, p_data in sys_providers.items():
-                if p_id not in merged:
-                    merged[p_id] = p_data
-                else:
-                    for field, val in p_data.items():
-                        if val is not None and val != "" and str(val).lower() != "none":
-                            merged[p_id][field] = val
+            # Start with the list of providers defined in the DB
+            merged = copy.deepcopy(sys_providers)
+            
+            # Backfill secrets/defaults from hardcoded config for these specific providers
+            for p_id, p_data in merged.items():
+                if p_id in hardcoded_defaults:
+                    for field, val in hardcoded_defaults[p_id].items():
+                        # Only backfill if the DB value is missing or effectively empty
+                        db_val = p_data.get(field)
+                        if db_val is None or db_val == "" or str(db_val).lower() == "none":
+                            p_data[field] = val
             return merged
 
         system_llm = get_merged_system_defaults("llm", settings.LLM_PROVIDERS)