diff --git a/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor.go b/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor.go
index 45ee98bcd..589c4c4ff 100644
--- a/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor.go
+++ b/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor.go
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ var providerEnvVars = []struct {
 	Model  string // suggested default model when this provider is the chosen one
 }{
 	{Name: "openrouter", EnvVar: "OPENROUTER_API_KEY", Model: "openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-flash"},
-	{Name: "anthropic", EnvVar: "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", Model: "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022"},
+	{Name: "anthropic", EnvVar: "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", Model: "claude-sonnet-5-5"},
 	{Name: "openai", EnvVar: "OPENAI_API_KEY", Model: "gpt-4o"},
-	{Name: "google", EnvVar: "GOOGLE_API_KEY", Model: "gemini-1.5-pro"},
+	{Name: "google", EnvVar: "GOOGLE_API_KEY", Model: "gemini-3.8-flash"},
 }
 
 // doctorHarnessProvider describes one CLI `app.harness()` knows how to drive,
diff --git a/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor_additional_test.go b/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor_additional_test.go
index 00d163e82..0827784f4 100644
--- a/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor_additional_test.go
+++ b/control-plane/internal/cli/doctor_additional_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,28 @@ func TestDoctorHelpersAndCommand(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Equal(t, "OPENAI_API_KEY", report.ProviderKeys["openai"].EnvVar)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("recommended models are not retired ones", func(t *testing.T) {
+		for _, tc := range []struct {
+			provider string
+			envVar   string
+			model    string
+		}{
+			{"anthropic", "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "claude-sonnet-5-5"},
+			{"google", "GOOGLE_API_KEY", "gemini-3.8-flash"},
+		} {
+			t.Run(tc.provider, func(t *testing.T) {
+				for _, p := range providerEnvVars {
+					t.Setenv(p.EnvVar, "")
+				}
+				t.Setenv(tc.envVar, "key")
+
+				report := buildDoctorReport("http://127.0.0.1:1")
+				require.Equal(t, tc.provider, report.Recommendation.Provider)
+				require.Equal(t, tc.model, report.Recommendation.AIModel)
+			})
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("tool and control plane checks cover success and failure", func(t *testing.T) {
 		tool := checkTool("go", "version")
 		require.True(t, tool.Available)
diff --git a/control-plane/internal/cli/init.go b/control-plane/internal/cli/init.go
index 36f304679..2eafc6f37 100644
--- a/control-plane/internal/cli/init.go
+++ b/control-plane/internal/cli/init.go
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ Example:
 	// and README.md are intentionally NOT generated — the skill produces them
 	// after the agent has written real reasoners.
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&withDocker, "docker", false, "Also generate a Docker scaffold (Dockerfile, docker-compose.yml, .env.example, .dockerignore)")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&defaultModel, "default-model", "openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-flash", "Default AI_MODEL string baked into the docker scaffold (LiteLLM-style, e.g. gpt-4o, anthropic/claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&defaultModel, "default-model", "openrouter/google/gemini-2.5-flash", "Default AI_MODEL string baked into the docker scaffold (LiteLLM-style, e.g. gpt-4o, anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5)")
 
 	// Hidden flags — sensible defaults; only set when you have a real reason.
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&controlPlaneImage, "control-plane-image", "agentfield/control-plane:latest", "")
diff --git a/control-plane/internal/templates/docker/.env.example.tmpl b/control-plane/internal/templates/docker/.env.example.tmpl
index 29e52e091..abe8d206a 100644
--- a/control-plane/internal/templates/docker/.env.example.tmpl
+++ b/control-plane/internal/templates/docker/.env.example.tmpl
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-v1-...
 # Must match the provider above. LiteLLM-style model strings.
 AI_MODEL={{.DefaultModel}}
 # AI_MODEL=gpt-4o
-# AI_MODEL=anthropic/claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022
-# AI_MODEL=gemini/gemini-1.5-pro
+# AI_MODEL=anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5
+# AI_MODEL=gemini/gemini-3.8-flash
 
 # --- Optional overrides ---
 AGENT_NODE_ID={{.NodeID}}