diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.test.ts
index ed2da93a1c3..89938eb037e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { modelCommand } from './modelCommand.js';
 import { type CommandContext } from './types.js';
 import { createMockCommandContext } from '../../test-utils/mockCommandContext.js';
 import type { Config } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import { MessageType } from '../types.js';
 
 describe('modelCommand', () => {
   let mockContext: CommandContext;
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ describe('modelCommand', () => {
     mockContext = createMockCommandContext();
   });
 
-  it('should return a dialog action to open the model dialog', async () => {
+  it('should return a dialog action to open the model dialog when no args', async () => {
     if (!modelCommand.action) {
       throw new Error('The model command must have an action.');
     }
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ describe('modelCommand', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('should call refreshUserQuota if config is available', async () => {
+  it('should call refreshUserQuota if config is available when opening dialog', async () => {
     if (!modelCommand.action) {
       throw new Error('The model command must have an action.');
     }
@@ -45,10 +46,120 @@ describe('modelCommand', () => {
     expect(mockRefreshUserQuota).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  describe('manage subcommand', () => {
+    it('should return a dialog action to open the model dialog', async () => {
+      const manageCommand = modelCommand.subCommands?.find(
+        (c) => c.name === 'manage',
+      );
+      expect(manageCommand).toBeDefined();
+
+      const result = await manageCommand!.action!(mockContext, '');
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        type: 'dialog',
+        dialog: 'model',
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should call refreshUserQuota if config is available', async () => {
+      const manageCommand = modelCommand.subCommands?.find(
+        (c) => c.name === 'manage',
+      );
+      const mockRefreshUserQuota = vi.fn();
+      mockContext.services.config = {
+        refreshUserQuota: mockRefreshUserQuota,
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      await manageCommand!.action!(mockContext, '');
+
+      expect(mockRefreshUserQuota).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('set subcommand', () => {
+    it('should set the model and log the command', async () => {
+      const setCommand = modelCommand.subCommands?.find(
+        (c) => c.name === 'set',
+      );
+      expect(setCommand).toBeDefined();
+
+      const mockSetModel = vi.fn();
+      mockContext.services.config = {
+        setModel: mockSetModel,
+        getHasAccessToPreviewModel: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getUserId: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('test-user'),
+        getUsageStatisticsEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getSessionId: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('test-session'),
+        getContentGeneratorConfig: vi
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ authType: 'test-auth' }),
+        isInteractive: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getExperiments: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ experimentIds: [] }),
+        getPolicyEngine: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({
+          getApprovalMode: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('auto'),
+        }),
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      await setCommand!.action!(mockContext, 'gemini-pro');
+
+      expect(mockSetModel).toHaveBeenCalledWith('gemini-pro', true);
+      expect(mockContext.ui.addItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          type: MessageType.INFO,
+          text: expect.stringContaining('Model set to gemini-pro'),
+        }),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should set the model with persistence when --persist is used', async () => {
+      const setCommand = modelCommand.subCommands?.find(
+        (c) => c.name === 'set',
+      );
+      const mockSetModel = vi.fn();
+      mockContext.services.config = {
+        setModel: mockSetModel,
+        getHasAccessToPreviewModel: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getUserId: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('test-user'),
+        getUsageStatisticsEnabled: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getSessionId: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('test-session'),
+        getContentGeneratorConfig: vi
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ authType: 'test-auth' }),
+        isInteractive: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(true),
+        getExperiments: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({ experimentIds: [] }),
+        getPolicyEngine: vi.fn().mockReturnValue({
+          getApprovalMode: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('auto'),
+        }),
+      } as unknown as Config;
+
+      await setCommand!.action!(mockContext, 'gemini-pro --persist');
+
+      expect(mockSetModel).toHaveBeenCalledWith('gemini-pro', false);
+      expect(mockContext.ui.addItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          type: MessageType.INFO,
+          text: expect.stringContaining('Model set to gemini-pro (persisted)'),
+        }),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should show error if no model name is provided', async () => {
+      const setCommand = modelCommand.subCommands?.find(
+        (c) => c.name === 'set',
+      );
+      await setCommand!.action!(mockContext, '');
+
+      expect(mockContext.ui.addItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          type: MessageType.ERROR,
+          text: expect.stringContaining('Usage: /model set <model-name>'),
+        }),
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
   it('should have the correct name and description', () => {
     expect(modelCommand.name).toBe('model');
-    expect(modelCommand.description).toBe(
-      'Opens a dialog to configure the model',
-    );
+    expect(modelCommand.description).toBe('Manage model configuration');
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.ts
index fd89223a7cf..ead7e521c5f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/commands/modelCommand.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,51 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
+import {
+  ModelSlashCommandEvent,
+  logModelSlashCommand,
+} from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import {
   type CommandContext,
   CommandKind,
   type SlashCommand,
 } from './types.js';
+import { MessageType } from '../types.js';
 
-export const modelCommand: SlashCommand = {
-  name: 'model',
+const setModelCommand: SlashCommand = {
+  name: 'set',
+  description:
+    'Set the model to use. Usage: /model set <model-name> [--persist]',
+  kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
+  autoExecute: false,
+  action: async (context: CommandContext, args: string) => {
+    const parts = args.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+    if (parts.length === 0) {
+      context.ui.addItem({
+        type: MessageType.ERROR,
+        text: 'Usage: /model set <model-name> [--persist]',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const modelName = parts[0];
+    const persist = parts.includes('--persist');
+
+    if (context.services.config) {
+      context.services.config.setModel(modelName, !persist);
+      const event = new ModelSlashCommandEvent(modelName);
+      logModelSlashCommand(context.services.config, event);
+
+      context.ui.addItem({
+        type: MessageType.INFO,
+        text: `Model set to ${modelName}${persist ? ' (persisted)' : ''}`,
+      });
+    }
+  },
+};
+
+const manageModelCommand: SlashCommand = {
+  name: 'manage',
   description: 'Opens a dialog to configure the model',
   kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
   autoExecute: true,
@@ -25,3 +62,13 @@ export const modelCommand: SlashCommand = {
     };
   },
 };
+
+export const modelCommand: SlashCommand = {
+  name: 'model',
+  description: 'Manage model configuration',
+  kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
+  autoExecute: false,
+  subCommands: [manageModelCommand, setModelCommand],
+  action: async (context: CommandContext, args: string) =>
+    manageModelCommand.action!(context, args),
+};