diff --git a/IMPLEMENTATION_NOTES.md b/IMPLEMENTATION_NOTES.md
index a60c90f..adb8c75 100644
--- a/IMPLEMENTATION_NOTES.md
+++ b/IMPLEMENTATION_NOTES.md
@@ -306,6 +306,10 @@ Each model registration includes:
 - `deployment.modelName` set to the Foundry deployment name from the final
   segment of the deployment resource ID
 
+Each registration also has a default-workspace alias that maps the OpenAI
+`model` value to the provider model resource. The runtime model route is not
+created when the provider model exists without this alias.
+
 The deployment name, not the backing catalog model name, is the OpenAI `model`
 value sent through AI Gateway.
 
diff --git a/infra/ai-gateway/main.bicep b/infra/ai-gateway/main.bicep
index 01e7068..7f558d0 100644
--- a/infra/ai-gateway/main.bicep
+++ b/infra/ai-gateway/main.bicep
@@ -149,7 +149,23 @@ resource foundryCatalogModels 'Microsoft.ApiManagement/service/workspaces/modelP
         type: 'tokenLimit'
         period: 'minute'
         count: model.?tokenLimit ?? 10000
-        counterKey: 'Identity'
+        counterKey: [
+          'identity'
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}]
+
+resource foundryModelAliases 'Microsoft.ApiManagement/service/workspaces/aliases@2025-09-01-preview' = [for (model, i) in foundryModels: if (deployFoundryProvider && deployApimGatewayViaBicep) {
+  parent: defaultWorkspace
+  name: model.armName
+  properties: {
+    aliasName: last(split(model.resourceId, '/'))
+    description: model.?description ?? null
+    backendModels: [
+      {
+        resourceId: foundryCatalogModels[i].id
       }
     ]
   }
diff --git a/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.ps1 b/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.ps1
index 0db0b19..8b34ae1 100644
--- a/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.ps1
+++ b/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.ps1
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function Test-GatewayModelRoute($GatewayUrl, $Model, $ApiKey) {
         }
     }
 
-    throw "AI Gateway model route failed. The route requires an explicit Api-Key header. Last error: $lastError"
+    throw "AI Gateway model route did not become ready after 15 attempts. Last error: $lastError"
 }
 
 function Prepare-BicepRbac {
diff --git a/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.sh b/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.sh
index 930929a..a8cbf88 100755
--- a/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.sh
+++ b/infra/scripts/configure-ai-gateway.sh
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ verify_gateway_model_route() {
     fi
   done
 
-  echo "AI Gateway model route failed with HTTP ${status:-unavailable}. The route requires an explicit Api-Key header." >&2
+  echo "AI Gateway model route did not become ready after 15 attempts (HTTP ${status:-unavailable})." >&2
   if [ -s "$response_file" ]; then
     cat "$response_file" >&2
     echo >&2
diff --git a/tests/test-ai-gateway-model-registration.sh b/tests/test-ai-gateway-model-registration.sh
index 67016d2..00ae1af 100755
--- a/tests/test-ai-gateway-model-registration.sh
+++ b/tests/test-ai-gateway-model-registration.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,36 @@ if [[ "$actual_token_limit" != *"$expected_token_limit"* ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+expected_counter_key="'counterKey', createArray('identity')"
+
+if [[ "$actual_token_limit" != *"$expected_counter_key"* ]]; then
+  echo "Gateway token limit counterKey must use the current array contract." >&2
+  echo "Expected expression containing: $expected_counter_key" >&2
+  echo "Actual:   $actual_token_limit" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+alias_properties="$(jq -r '
+  .resources[]
+  | select(.type == "Microsoft.ApiManagement/service/workspaces/aliases")
+  | .properties
+' "$compiled_template")"
+expected_alias_name="last(split(parameters('foundryModels')[copyIndex()].resourceId, '/'))"
+expected_backend_model="Microsoft.ApiManagement/service/workspaces/modelProviders/models"
+
+if [[ "$alias_properties" != *"$expected_alias_name"* ]]; then
+  echo "Gateway model alias must use the Foundry deployment name." >&2
+  echo "Expected expression containing: $expected_alias_name" >&2
+  echo "Actual: $alias_properties" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ "$alias_properties" != *"$expected_backend_model"* ]]; then
+  echo "Gateway model alias must target the registered provider model." >&2
+  echo "Actual: $alias_properties" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 az bicep build \
   --file "$repo_root/infra/main.bicep" \
   --outfile "$compiled_root_template" \