diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 612a64f3..fe1451da 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ members = [
 ]
 
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.3.21"
+version = "0.3.22"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "Apache-2.0 OR MIT"
 repository = "https://github.com/RightNow-AI/openfang"
diff --git a/crates/openfang-api/src/routes.rs b/crates/openfang-api/src/routes.rs
index 57b28842..b6f7dde8 100644
--- a/crates/openfang-api/src/routes.rs
+++ b/crates/openfang-api/src/routes.rs
@@ -2241,7 +2241,7 @@ pub async fn whatsapp_qr_start() -> impl IntoResponse {
         return Json(serde_json::json!({
             "available": false,
             "message": "WhatsApp Web gateway not running. Start the gateway or use Business API mode.",
-            "help": "Run: npx openfang-whatsapp-gateway   (or set WHATSAPP_WEB_GATEWAY_URL)"
+            "help": "The WhatsApp Web gateway auto-starts with the daemon when configured. Ensure Node.js >= 18 is installed and WhatsApp is configured in config.toml. Set WHATSAPP_WEB_GATEWAY_URL to use an external gateway."
         }));
     }
 
@@ -5360,7 +5360,7 @@ pub async fn add_custom_model(
     if !catalog.add_custom_model(entry) {
         return (
             StatusCode::CONFLICT,
-            Json(serde_json::json!({"error": format!("Model '{}' already exists", id)})),
+            Json(serde_json::json!({"error": format!("Model '{}' already exists for provider '{}'", id, provider)})),
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/openfang-runtime/src/model_catalog.rs b/crates/openfang-runtime/src/model_catalog.rs
index 8013fe20..a2dc6b0a 100644
--- a/crates/openfang-runtime/src/model_catalog.rs
+++ b/crates/openfang-runtime/src/model_catalog.rs
@@ -253,11 +253,16 @@ impl ModelCatalog {
 
     /// Add a custom model at runtime.
     ///
-    /// Returns `true` if the model was added, `false` if a model with that ID
-    /// already exists (case-insensitive).
+    /// Returns `true` if the model was added, `false` if a model with the same
+    /// ID **and** provider already exists (case-insensitive).
     pub fn add_custom_model(&mut self, entry: ModelCatalogEntry) -> bool {
-        let lower = entry.id.to_lowercase();
-        if self.models.iter().any(|m| m.id.to_lowercase() == lower) {
+        let lower_id = entry.id.to_lowercase();
+        let lower_provider = entry.provider.to_lowercase();
+        if self
+            .models
+            .iter()
+            .any(|m| m.id.to_lowercase() == lower_id && m.provider.to_lowercase() == lower_provider)
+        {
             return false;
         }
         let provider = entry.provider.clone();