diff --git a/crates/eval_cli/src/main.rs b/crates/eval_cli/src/main.rs
index e77e75bc879..3a323776ef4 100644
--- a/crates/eval_cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/eval_cli/src/main.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ use feature_flags::FeatureFlagAppExt as _;
 
 use futures::{FutureExt, select_biased};
 use gpui::{AppContext as _, AsyncApp, Entity, UpdateGlobal};
-use language_model::{LanguageModelRegistry, SelectedModel};
+use language_model::{
+    ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID, LanguageModel, LanguageModelId, LanguageModelProviderId,
+    LanguageModelRegistry, SelectedModel,
+};
 use project::Project;
 use settings::SettingsStore;
 use util::path_list::PathList;
@@ -128,6 +131,8 @@ const EXIT_OK: i32 = 0;
 const EXIT_ERROR: i32 = 1;
 const EXIT_TIMEOUT: i32 = 2;
 const EXIT_INTERRUPTED: i32 = 3;
+const MODEL_DISCOVERY_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(30);
+const MODEL_DISCOVERY_POLL_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_millis(100);
 
 static TERMINATED: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
 
@@ -268,6 +273,182 @@ fn read_instruction(args: &Args) -> Result<String> {
     Ok(text)
 }
 
+async fn wait_for_model(selected: &SelectedModel, cx: &mut AsyncApp) -> Result<()> {
+    let started_at = Instant::now();
+
+    loop {
+        let found = cx.update(|cx| find_available_model(selected, cx).is_some());
+        if found {
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        cx.update(|cx| ensure_provider_authenticated(selected, cx))?;
+
+        let selected_provider_has_models = cx.update(|cx| {
+            LanguageModelRegistry::global(cx)
+                .read(cx)
+                .available_models(cx)
+                .any(|model| model.provider_id() == selected.provider)
+        });
+        let should_wait_for_discovery =
+            selected.provider == ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID || !selected_provider_has_models;
+
+        if !should_wait_for_discovery || started_at.elapsed() >= MODEL_DISCOVERY_TIMEOUT {
+            return Err(cx.update(|cx| model_not_found_error(&selected_model_name(selected), cx)));
+        }
+
+        cx.background_executor()
+            .timer(MODEL_DISCOVERY_POLL_INTERVAL)
+            .await;
+    }
+}
+
+fn ensure_provider_authenticated(selected: &SelectedModel, cx: &gpui::App) -> Result<()> {
+    let registry = LanguageModelRegistry::global(cx);
+    let provider = registry
+        .read(cx)
+        .provider(&selected.provider)
+        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Provider {} not found", selected.provider.0))?;
+
+    anyhow::ensure!(
+        provider.is_authenticated(cx),
+        "Provider {} is not authenticated",
+        selected.provider.0
+    );
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn find_available_model(
+    selected: &SelectedModel,
+    cx: &gpui::App,
+) -> Option<Arc<dyn LanguageModel>> {
+    let registry = LanguageModelRegistry::global(cx);
+    let models = registry.read(cx).available_models(cx).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+    if let Some(model) = models
+        .iter()
+        .find(|model| model.provider_id() == selected.provider && model.id() == selected.model)
+    {
+        return Some(model.clone());
+    }
+
+    models
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter(|model| {
+            model.provider_id() == selected.provider
+                && model_id_matches_selected(&model.provider_id(), &model.id(), &selected.model)
+        })
+        .max_by(|left, right| left.id().0.to_string().cmp(&right.id().0.to_string()))
+}
+
+fn model_id_matches_selected(
+    provider_id: &LanguageModelProviderId,
+    available: &LanguageModelId,
+    selected: &LanguageModelId,
+) -> bool {
+    if available == selected {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if provider_id != &ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    anthropic_model_ids_match(available.0.as_ref(), selected.0.as_ref())
+}
+
+fn anthropic_model_ids_match(available: &str, selected: &str) -> bool {
+    let available = anthropic_model_alias_base(available);
+    let selected = anthropic_model_alias_base(selected);
+
+    available == selected || anthropic_dated_model_id_matches_base(available, selected)
+}
+
+fn anthropic_model_alias_base(mut model_id: &str) -> &str {
+    if let Some(stripped) = model_id.strip_suffix("-latest") {
+        model_id = stripped;
+    }
+    if let Some(stripped) = model_id.strip_suffix("-thinking") {
+        model_id = stripped;
+    }
+    if let Some(stripped) = model_id.strip_suffix("-1m-context") {
+        model_id = stripped;
+    }
+    model_id
+}
+
+fn anthropic_dated_model_id_matches_base(available: &str, selected: &str) -> bool {
+    let Some(suffix) = available.strip_prefix(selected) else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    let Some(date) = suffix.strip_prefix('-') else {
+        return false;
+    };
+
+    date.len() == 8 && date.chars().all(|character| character.is_ascii_digit())
+}
+
+fn selected_model_name(selected: &SelectedModel) -> String {
+    format!("{}/{}", selected.provider.0, selected.model.0)
+}
+
+fn model_not_found_error(model_name: &str, cx: &gpui::App) -> anyhow::Error {
+    let available = LanguageModelRegistry::global(cx)
+        .read(cx)
+        .available_models(cx)
+        .map(|model| format!("{}/{}", model.provider_id().0, model.id().0))
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let available = if available.is_empty() {
+        "(none)".to_string()
+    } else {
+        available.join(", ")
+    };
+
+    anyhow::anyhow!("Model {model_name} not found. Available: {available}")
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn anthropic_latest_alias_matches_listed_base_model() {
+        assert!(model_id_matches_selected(
+            &ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID,
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6".into()),
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6-latest".into()),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn anthropic_thinking_alias_matches_listed_base_model() {
+        assert!(model_id_matches_selected(
+            &ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID,
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6".into()),
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6-1m-context-thinking-latest".into()),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn anthropic_latest_alias_matches_listed_dated_model() {
+        assert!(model_id_matches_selected(
+            &ANTHROPIC_PROVIDER_ID,
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6-20260518".into()),
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6-latest".into()),
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn non_anthropic_models_require_exact_ids() {
+        assert!(!model_id_matches_selected(
+            &LanguageModelProviderId("other".into()),
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6".into()),
+            &LanguageModelId("claude-sonnet-4-6-latest".into()),
+        ));
+    }
+}
+
 async fn run_agent(
     app_state: &Arc<AgentCliAppState>,
     workdir: &std::path::Path,
@@ -279,37 +460,33 @@ async fn run_agent(
     output_dir: Option<&std::path::Path>,
     cx: &mut AsyncApp,
 ) -> (Result<AgentOutcome>, Option<language_model::TokenUsage>) {
+    let selected = match SelectedModel::from_str(model_name).map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e}")) {
+        Ok(selected) => selected,
+        Err(e) => return (Err(e), None),
+    };
+
+    if let Err(e) = wait_for_model(&selected, cx).await {
+        return (Err(e), None);
+    }
+
     let setup_result: Result<()> = cx.update(|cx| {
-        let selected = SelectedModel::from_str(model_name).map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("{e}"))?;
         let registry = LanguageModelRegistry::global(cx);
-        let model = registry
+        let model = find_available_model(&selected, cx)
+            .ok_or_else(|| model_not_found_error(model_name, cx))?;
+        let provider = registry
             .read(cx)
-            .available_models(cx)
-            .find(|m| m.id() == selected.model && m.provider_id() == selected.provider)
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                let available = registry
-                    .read(cx)
-                    .available_models(cx)
-                    .map(|m| format!("{}/{}", m.provider_id().0, m.id().0))
-                    .collect::<Vec<_>>()
-                    .join(", ");
-                anyhow::anyhow!("Model {model_name} not found. Available: {available}")
-            })?;
+            .provider(&model.provider_id())
+            .context("Provider not found")?;
 
         let supports_thinking = model.supports_thinking();
+        let model_id = model.id().0.to_string();
 
         registry.update(cx, |registry, cx| {
             registry.set_default_model(
-                Some(language_model::ConfiguredModel {
-                    provider: registry
-                        .provider(&model.provider_id())
-                        .context("Provider not found")?,
-                    model,
-                }),
+                Some(language_model::ConfiguredModel { provider, model }),
                 cx,
             );
-            anyhow::Ok(())
-        })?;
+        });
 
         let enable_thinking = thinking_override.unwrap_or(supports_thinking);
         let effort = if enable_thinking {
@@ -321,7 +498,6 @@ async fn run_agent(
             "null".to_string()
         };
         let provider_id = selected.provider.0.to_string();
-        let model_id = selected.model.0.to_string();
         SettingsStore::update_global(cx, |store, cx| {
             let settings = format!(
                 r#"{{
@@ -339,8 +515,9 @@ async fn run_agent(
                 }}"
                 "#
             );
-            store.set_user_settings(&settings, cx).ok();
-        });
+            store.set_user_settings(&settings, cx).result()
+        })
+        .context("updating agent settings")?;
 
         anyhow::Ok(())
     });
diff --git a/crates/eval_cli/zed_eval/pyproject.toml b/crates/eval_cli/zed_eval/pyproject.toml
index 10e72028a5e..07a61d7a13b 100644
--- a/crates/eval_cli/zed_eval/pyproject.toml
+++ b/crates/eval_cli/zed_eval/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "zed-eval"
 version = "0.1.0"
 description = "Harbor agent wrapper for Zed's eval-cli"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
-dependencies = ["harbor==0.6.4"]
+dependencies = ["harbor==0.7.0"]
 
 [build-system]
 requires = ["setuptools"]