diff --git a/.github/workflows/droid.yml b/.github/workflows/droid.yml
index d64e5cc..f2ca7df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/droid.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/droid.yml
@@ -32,12 +32,35 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           fetch-depth: 1
+      # BYOK: register the DeepSeek V4 Flash custom model where the Droid CLI
+      # reads it (~/.factory/settings.json). The droid-action's `settings`
+      # input writes to ~/.factory/droid/settings.json, which the CLI does not
+      # read for customModels, so the model must be written here explicitly.
+      # The API key is referenced as ${DEEPSEEK_API_KEY} and expanded by the
+      # CLI from the step env at request time.
+      - name: Configure BYOK model (DeepSeek V4 Flash)
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p "$HOME/.factory"
+          cat > "$HOME/.factory/settings.json" <<'FACTORY_JSON'
+          {
+            "customModels": [
+              {
+                "model": "deepseek-v4-flash",
+                "displayName": "DeepSeek V4 Flash (BYOK)",
+                "baseUrl": "https://api.deepseek.com/v1",
+                "apiKey": "${DEEPSEEK_API_KEY}",
+                "provider": "generic-chat-completion-api",
+                "maxOutputTokens": 16384
+              }
+            ]
+          }
+          FACTORY_JSON
       - name: Run Droid Exec
         uses: Factory-AI/droid-action@main
         with:
           factory_api_key: ${{ secrets.FACTORY_API_KEY }}
           review_model: deepseek-v4-flash
-          settings: |-
-            {"customModels": [{"model": "deepseek-v4-flash", "displayName": "DeepSeek V4 Flash (BYOK)", "baseUrl": "https://api.deepseek.com/v1", "apiKey": "${DEEPSEEK_API_KEY}", "provider": "generic-chat-completion-api", "maxOutputTokens": 16384}]}
+          security_model: deepseek-v4-flash
         env:
           DEEPSEEK_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEEPSEEK_API_KEY }}